30 Days with BTR: Day 28

[hardysmidgen]

[mood:
 In the mood to be serenaded]
[music: Radiohead - Creep]

Day 28 Your Favorite Cover Song By Kendall - Radiohead's "Creep"

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Out of the songs Kendall has performed covers for, Radiohead's Creep is definitely my favorite. A close second would be Maroon 5's "Secret." I thought Kendall did an impressive job with the high vocals in "Secret," but the song loses some of its charm in acoustic guitar form, whereas "Creep" maintained it's tone wonderfully.

Why is "Creep" my favorite cover performance by Kendall?
1) I already love Radiohead's song "Creep," so I was more than delighted to see it was something he'd sampled. Kendall's affection for some of the more alternative music really makes me smile.
2) Kendall channels the feel of Radiohead's vocally wonderfully, that hushed, aching, haunting, self-deprecating mood.
3) He seemed to tap into the lyrics more than in some of the other covers. I believed that Kendall could relate to some element of the song, and it transferred to his performance. You can see it
4) Once again, Kendall navigated the tricky, high vocals with impressive deft and purity. Even if pop music and boy bands make you want to commit mass murder, you can respect his vocal chops and artistic performance regardless.
5) The backdrop for this video was so overwhelming fitting, intentional or not. Kendall, alone, face shadowed, against stark, white walls--completely barren except for a tiny sliver of color, a glimpse of rainbow on the corner of a poster. To me, the slice of color juxtaposed against plain, empty walls echoed the specialness of the "angel" whose "skin makes me cry" and the desperate "I wish I was special."

Because it isn't solely Kendall covering the song, I omitted the cover of John Mayer's "Edge of Desire" from the running even though it is my favorite of any of the cover performances.

Why is "Edge of Desire" my favorite overall cover?
1) It features most of the group. Logan wants to "sing a little ditty!" so he joins Kendall while Carlos turns into a groupie. James is missing in action, but is there in spirit as Logan sings the song to him/about him. It's nice to hear Logan and Kendall harmonize as a duet, and at least for Logan, this song seems to strike a chord because it's a rather impassioned performance.
2) Carlos's entrance. He simply leans into the frame decked out in sunglasses and smoothies. He brings his boyfriend a Jamba Juice and doesn't give one to Logan, probably because he figured he'd be off with James.
3) Carlos waving his phone around like a lighter in the background, possibly even using the "lighter image" app. You can't tell on the video because of the reflection on the phone. 
4) Kendall is in the hockey jersey for the show, strumming a guitar. It seems so quintessential for a soon-to-be 20-year-old.
5) Logan's voice is showcased nicely by Mayer's melodic line, and he is singing to the camera with such intensity. I also loved how he kept migrating toward the camera as if to emphasize his emotions in the lyrics.