No Shame In Pop

So much respect.

Since finding a Playskool Singalong Cassette Player I have been on a quest to develop quite the enviable tape collection, which eventually lead me to the well-titled cassette-producing label Wonder Beard. Amongst artists such as Teen Daze and Blackbird Blackbird lay a few gems who I was eager to investigate; Mon Insomnie, Waskerley Way and Cop Magnet, all of whom I thoroughly recommend.

Although Cop Magnet was a little elusive via google search, I found a song he worked on with Ryan Hemsworth (who writes the blog A Half-Warmed Fish), James Valmont and Smoke Screen member [Street] Chemist. This was published on Hemsworth's bandcamp page which I gave a bit of a peek and discovered a free 7-track album of well-chosen pop songs covered in a lo-fi, strangely catchy manner. Perhaps that's the pop shining through the adaptations.

Natalie Imbruglia's 'Torn' is my personal favourite. Hemsworth turns the actress-turned-somewhat-successful-singer's biggest hit into something a little less embarrassing to listen to. If this version was the original I'd be throwing praise around like it was rice at a wedding, but the mere miracle performed deserves just as much respect.

The cover of Viva Forever by Spice Girls comes in a close second as the least electronic song on the album, that acoustic guitar arpeggio hitting all the emotional chords associated with that period of our lives.

The album also explores such golden classics as Papa Don't Preach, Party In The USA and a 22-second chorus of New Yorrrrk.

The aesthetic design also deserves many props due to an image of Cameron Frye gracing the cover; blissful art from a beautiful memory. Oh internet, how you have brought us more homemade EPs with badly photoshopped covers that encompass so much warmth and so many pop fiction references.

Hemsworth's talents don't seem limited to blogging and covers, however. I've yet to decide what I think about the aforementioned colab with Cop Magnet, but his youtube channel displays some pretty fine originals teamed with wonderfully edited videos. Check them out, see what you think, and visit his bandcamp to download 'Cover Yr Shame' for free.