It’s safe to say that triple j’s Like A Version is an Australian music scene institution. But the debate over just what makes a great Like A Version is something that is seemingly without a satisfying resolution.
For some, it’s when the artist makes the song ‘their own’, which is vague but feels right. For others, it’s when the performance itself just hits it out of the park, regardless of how similar or dissimilar the track is to the original.
In the case of local favourite Airling, she’s done both with this morning’s Like A Version cover of the Usher hit ‘U Got It Bad’. The producer and singer’s arrangement makes the very early-2000s R&B tune unrecognisable.
Instead of the acoustic guitar strums and bouncy beat of the 2001 original, Airling and her band have transformed the song into a synth-laden new wave number that would sound at home on the Drive soundtrack.
As we’ve previously mentioned, we’ve been pretty much blown away by the talent on display during this year’s Like A Version series, especially from the glut of talented local bands like Dorsal Fins, who absolutely hit it out of the park with their cover of Kate Ceberano’s ‘Pash’.
We’ve also seen some rousing political statements, an incredible alt-rock mash-up, some ambitious takes on songs by the likes of FKA twigs, Jamie xx, and Fatboy Slim, as well as a raw take on an Australian classic.
Upcoming Tour Dates
Fri 9 Oct – Newtown Social Club, Sydney (TIX)
w/ LANKS + Lupa J
Fri 16 Oct – The Foundry, Brisbane (TIX)
w/ LANKS + Greg Chiapello
Sat 17 Oct – Northcote Social Club, Melbourne (TIX)
w/ LANKS + Greg Chiapello
Sun 18 Oct – Aviary Rooftop Sessions, Perth (TIX)
w/ LANKS
