The Bad Plus - Comfortably Numb

[IgnatiusViramundo]

Ouvi em Rio da sOstras- Brazi l Inesquecível!

[drumbot23]

it sounds like the piano is out of sync at parts. its probably intended but i can't tell. maybe he's just working over the time

[lukaskirschner]

3:46-3:51 silence is the question, this song's the answer:-)

[robdbuck]

The way this fades out in the end... an audio equivalent of a contented slide into death....

[beatlesfan4lyfe]

DID he just say "i have a fever" the original it's "i have a feeling"

[richogem]

@beatlesfan4lyfe nope its fever

[NielsSimenon]

@beatlesfan4lyfe, he indeed just say "I have a fever". Why? Because it's "I have a fever" in the original as well. Listen it up.

[beatlesfan4lyfe]

@NielsSimenon No in the original it's " When I was a child

I caught a fleeting glimpse" not when i was a child "i had a fever" get your facts straight.

[NielsSimenon]

@beatlesfan4lyfe, Both are in the original lyrics. "When I was a child, I had a fever. My hands felt just like two balloons." at first, then "When I was a child, I caught a fleeting glimpse, out of the corner of my eye." somewhere near the end. But you were mentioning him singing "fever" rather than "feeling", which he did correctly.

[beatlesfan4lyfe]

@NielsSimenon yeah , thats right bro

[ApurvDr]

They took a classic... reinvented it w/o insulting the original.... and somehow made it sound little up beat yet dark..... Great stuff....

[mateopumba747]

This is just fucking horrible, nor is it jazz nor is it a proper cover. using a piano and an upright bass doesent magically turn music into jazz.... its a little more complicated

[MrBrobrabro]

@mateopumba747 What does that even mean? Song kicks ass for one, and how is this not jazz?

[mateopumba747]

@MrBrobrabro Jazz has different song structures and uses other tonalities (blue notes) as oposed to rock and ballads. also jazz uses improvisation to a great extent, this is just the same song structure and tonality, played with a standard jazz tempo and instruments.

[MrBrobrabro]

@mateopumba747 No, blues uses blue notes. Jazz is built around the same scales as any other style of music. As a music major, and a jazz musician, I feel pretty comfortable saying that this qualifies as jazz. So does blues. And bebop. The same song structure with elongated phrases, making it a poly-metered song especially gives it the jazz fusion feel. Jazz isn't just swing, so put your Glenn Miller albums away.

[mateopumba747]

@MrBrobrabro still it doesnt change the fact that it sounds as generic as the bossa nova/rocknroll mashups they play in cafes, i would expect something with a little more craftmanship

[MrBrobrabro]

@mateopumba747 This is a group held in high regard, and they have several albums with outstanding music as seen by anyone involved in the jazz world. And I highly doubt you could play anything as complicated as this, and if you did try to replicate it I'm sure you would find it a lot more difficult than you give it credit for. And the use of space, which is marvelously utilized in this piece, is a lot harder to work around than just filling everything in.

[RadiusX7]

f'n brilliant

[Svelasc2]

Love the female voice rendition into this song.

[XBlckMAGICKX]

Very interesting spin on the song. Different than the original, but I appreciate them making it their own. :) Jazzy

[2Slipperman]

You can't ruin a great song. Period.

[BLOEDVLEK]

wow they killed it!!!!

[KingKrebin]

You can never beat the original, but this is an interesting interpretation.

I have nothing negative to say, nor positive.

[Dan1loBr]

Gotta say I think the verses are REALLY creepy... but listening to the bass and drums on a headphone is really rewarding, they've got a lot of sensitivity when playing

[a1t9v5]

amazing.



[mwmlol]

Holy man. Hardcore badass.

[mohomoho1]

This band sucks. Covers and standards will always suck. I don't get their success.

[jmaissel]

@mohomoho1 wow fuck you

[BrighamHB]

@mohomoho1 "Covers and standards will always suck".... Really? You're actually so closed-minded about music that you would rule out every single cover and standard? Sorry, but that's just idiotic. If TBP isn't you're thing whatever, but you can't say every single cover ever sucks. I mean, if I showed you a song and you liked it, then told you it was a cover, would you no longer like it?

[MengaoZico]

@mohomoho1 YEH I get you, this sucks big time

[CaptainSpok24]

@MengaoZico yeah.... does the idea that music is subjective ever occur to you?

[TheGerkuman]

I love how it sounds so different, yet follows the chord structure perfectly. Shows how good covers can be,

[JarredWrightMusic]

Piano is soo off at the end chorus. . .

but in a good way

[robdbuck]

Absolute fucking madness: i.e. genius..........

[rocknrollhoochiekoo1]

how do they do that?

[loadabollocks]

Wow! I didn't know this band. Can't believe they've played in my city and I missed it BECAUSE I DIDN'T KNOW. Please. Come. Back.

[chellists]

If you're listening to this right now then let me say that your taste in music is awesome.

[mrbunghole]

@chellists I keep my options open. Sometimes I'll listen to good music. Other times, I'll listen to good music. If I'm really feeling up to it, I'll go out on a limb and listen to good music. Right now, I'm listening to good music. Yesterday, I was listening to good music. Even as a kid, I listened to good music.

"There is two kinds of music, the good, and the bad. I play the good kind."

Louis Armstrong

[thornyclef]

There is something rapturing about this. It's kind of...perfect.

Listening to this is like taking a trip.

[Rfilaccio]

Very imaginative. Love it!

[89dan98]

wow 5 minutes on is just incredible! it slides into like a microtonal scale or something, so awesome, love to see musicians trying new things, whether they fail or succeed. but this definitely succeeds!

[christosangelopoulos]

fxxxxing brilliant. BRILLIANT.

[u89worlds]

the silent scream says more than sound.

i feel the music in my skin.

[RushofBlood52]

I came expecting great things coming from a mix between a great jazz band and a classic rock song. I am severely disappointed.

[fliakattackflea]

@RushofBlood52 What you were expecting is exactly what you got, you just don't know it yet. Go listen to a bunch of jazz for the next week and try to truly understand it, the harmonies, the mode changes, the complex rhythms, the syncopation, the taste; then come back and give this another listen. You'll probably have a new appreciation for this, and then that's another song to love.

[Tennekis]

@fehrarce Dude, you just dont get it

This conveys all the same emotions as Pink Floyd's version and to a certain extent, I think that the minimalist arrangement of the song and Lewis' haunting vocals do a better job

(And this is coming from someone who loves the original)

[robertmaines]

Dang! This is truly a masterpiece. Vocals, Upright Bass and Piano are superb!

[JHuggyBear1]

Wow. I'm on the fence with the piano arpeggios, but it does build up the dissonant conflict, and resolves nicely at the end. Will have to give it another listen or two, but over all I loved it, and 'goosed out'* over a couple of the silences.

*(term: goosed-out, a.k.a. got goosebumps)

[fehrarce]

this version sucks, incipid! Dont destroy good songs. This is a classic rock song, were are the guitar soloooos!?!?!? all the fuckin emotion and power of the song? If you like jazz make your own songs or cover jazz songs, shure there are great jazz songs. Its like if I´d play some classik jazz song in to KUMBIA or in to reggaeton, Im sure some people would get offended.

[BrighamHB]

@fehrarce Would you prefer a cover that just mimics the original? Because I think that's a bigger insult than doing something different. The members of Pink Floyd were even somewhat jazz influenced themselves, I'm sure they would like this version. I don't care if you don't like jazz, some people do. Without the influence of jazz, rock (especially prog rock like Pink Floyd) probably wouldn't exist

[max11man]

@BrighamHB Without jazz and blues rock wouldn't exist thats where rock music stemmed from. Thank black people for giving white people virtually every type of music around today

[BrighamHB]

@max11man Exactly

[lukasewing]

@max11man Thank you black people.

[DarthOtta]

@BrighamHB Even if Pink Floyd members do not like this version, it was done with all due respect towards them. You don't put yourself in another one's song without any trace of respect and love for that song and its composers. :-)

[tcumbie]

@BrighamHB I agree except to say that it is NO INSULT at all to do a different version and a HUGE INSULT to just mimic the old version. The latter implies "we can improve it," while the former admits "we can't, so we'll reimagine it." To deal with the material at all is supreme flattery, a show of respect and affection for the tune that NO MUSICIAN would resent.

[crabgrass08]

@BrighamHB Progressive "prog" rock is indeed a product of jazz... and rock. A "fusion" of the two styles of music. When it is predominately rock, it is known as "prog" and when jazz is the core it's called "fusion".

Jazz has always taken from the pop (in this case rock) catalog. This is nothing new. If you enjoy this sort of thing, check out the album 'Kind of Black (a salute to Black Sabbath)' by Casualties of Jazz. Sabbath songs done by a jazz organ trio.

[GlennRadleyDrums]

@BrighamHB

Without JAZZ, no incarnation of Western popular music would exist.

[JakeFields92]

@GlennRadleyDrums actually without the blues there wouldnt have been jazz or pop

[elysium735]

@fehrarce If you're trying to seem like an ignorant jerk-off, it's working.

[MrJoe997605]

@fehrarce thats assuming you had the skill to play a jazz standard in another style right?

[vizor1]

The most fucking moment is the moment of ........ (silence) ......... in the second sentence, fuck, incredible most of all. Loving this.

[vizor1]

The most fucking moment is the moment of ........ (silence) ......... in the second sentence, fuck, incredible most of all. Loving this.

[BorisGaquere]

@vizor1 Yeah, there is more fucking there than anywhere else for sure.

[newclarence]

Not too shabby.

[oldsoul247]

whhhhhaaaatttt!!!! thhhiiissss iiisss amazing!! i love jazz and rock and roll. but never have i heard the two crossed together is the magic and majesty of this right here

[RANAE30]

They are so fantastic. And now with wendy lewis they are that much better. Very few people can pull off a cover the way they do.

[franckye93]

eliminate the solo is suicide

[emmadetten]

I'm sure the other cats said to Ethan Iverson, hey Ethan, how about you go a bit mad with those arpeggios in the B part? And then go really mad? They're gonna flame you on the net and spit at you onstage for ruining such a sacred song, you're a jazz warrior, you'll really dig that! And Ethan says, yeah cats, you love me.

[nadirsharav]

the bass is awesome

[ickleickleickle20202]

i love it when rules are bent :) but now that i think about it, there really aren't any rules...

[ickleickleickle20202]

i love it when rules are bent :) but now that i think about it, there really aren't any rules...

[DRUMMER12345678910]

i love this song so much its unnatural.

[elysium735]

The piano is just amazing, and suits the song perfectly. It's a beautiful and awkward take on the song, and to anyone who can't appreciate it; go away.

[solchongpark]

My god, this is amazing. I agree with whoever said the chorus' resolution at the end is totally crazy and revelatory after the chords get all dissonant and dark, which to me is like revealing the underbelly of the song, which most songs don't do or don't do and survive.

[awesomewelles90]

Meh, if I wanted to hear some pretentious comtemporary music, I'd listen to Don Caballero. This band is far too gimmicky.

[3ohs0unds]

Froody!

[ctdjazz]

To everyone that talks about how the piano ruins this version, I can only assume that this cover is hinged on two things: knowing the Pink Floyd version and knowing who the Bad Plus are. If the piano doesn't make sense, check out more Bad Plus. This is what they do, and it's awesome.

[90cwc080422]

I love how the pianist plays the chords at the end to say "Oh yeah, I know how it actually goes too"

As for his arpeggios, the way they move underneath the melody here provides a sense of direction and creates the kind of dissonance that makes the resolution at the chorus one of those moments that gives you goosebumps.

Overall, I think this combo takes the phrase "technical feasability" to an entirely new level.

[watchingthewatchmen8]

@90cwc080422

the pianist is a little too dissonant for my taste (and I listen to Thelonious Monk). The rhythm of the arpeggios he plays is an awkward time signature, something vaguely reminiscent of interstellar overdrive, but less suiting; there's virtually no shared beat. and the notes/chords he plays for the bass solo seems forcibly dissonant.

Otherwise I thought the song sounded great and it's overall a great cover, I just thought the pianist's playing was a little contrived.

[BucketShred21]

This version is phenomenal. I don't know how I've gone so long without becoming a huge TBP fan. It's exactly the kind of music I've always wanted to hear. Mixing the balls of classic rock hits with the technical respectability of jazz. BRILLIANCE. I can't wait to see them when they come to my town.

[rrippp]

@BucketShred21 Their live show is great, man. You'll love it. My love of them had waned, but seeing them here in Cork at the Jazzfest 2 years ago with Sun Ra blew me away.

[shabado0]

brilliant cover. I'd listen to it over the original any day. TBP are a special group, for sure

[guitarplayer529]

pretty good remake, though I'm not too fond of the random piano arpeggios. Kinda ruined that part of the song.

But the rest was genius.

[eklectric]

I removed all my comments due to too many replies telling me I'm wrong. I'm entitled to my own opinion as far as i know.

[nateek]

It's a decent conversation about music and taste and aesthetics. Those of you who like the piano (I do) will have to admit that it's "challenging." It's out there a ways. That's probably why you like it.

Those of you who don't like it don't like it because you don't like it. To call into question someone's intelligence or ability to judge art due to disagreement goes against why we have art in the first place.

[90cwc080422]

well said.

[traviswilliams]

Honestly, the piano is what sells this version for me. It is NOT supposed to sound like the original. By adding a vocalist you have to expect that the piano would get a little more abstract as one of his hands is no longer covering the melody. Wendy is intentionally not quite resolving the the tonal and emotional quality of the original and therefore the reason the piano is filling in those gaps. This is one of anderson's most satisfying bass lines and as always Dave King is GOD!

[Dentark1]

the piano sucked!!!!!!! balls!

[keilxkey2255]

I agree. That's the aspect of "free form" jazz that drives me insane.

[ambercromby]

I would hate to comment to something as sad as this comment, but if you are clueless. Learn what the song is about and you will see how foolish you sound.

Great job all the way around, what a great cover. Keep it up

[MrTacolove]

You are a terrible musician, all 20 years of learning saxophone have gone to waste, and you'll never amount to anything.

This combo group is good music.

[GLeone221]

none of the musicians are in their "own little world" everything is a response to the song itself and the other musicians playing. the "chaos" that you spoke of is a play on the free-form to reolution in jazz. (just played up a lot) that non harmonic tones can be played as long as they resolve. they just took that conept to the next level. A build of chaos to a final resolving chord into the chorus. 5:00 - 5:41 being the build, and finally at 5:42 it climaxes and resolves enharmonically

[ianh45]

that's just fabulous.

[MariliaCapaverde]

amei a fotografia do disco, e a música é linda em qualquer versão!

[geoPhaze]

jeez.... this is so good it is hurting me..... the build up with the chaos, into the calm after the storm is just simply bad ass....

[sonomancuatro]

Excelente versión!! la voz oscura y dulce de Wendy Lewis, mas la genialidad de the bad plus... es simplemente espectacular!

Me encantaría escuchar esta canción en vivo.

[ilexparaguariensis1]

Astonishing! Realy, I didn't expect it to be so good! I already knew The Bad Plus, and now I like them even more. What a great version of Comfortably Numb! This is one of the best piano trio ever, and the vocals for this song were great, too!

[chortleneok]

I didn't like it at first, but it kind of grew on me. I don't get the music being what is almost an entirely different and unrelated tune than the vocals, it sounds like a cacaphony except for the chorus when everything harmonizes. Strange but the vocals were pretty good.

[gonzaloklem]

Esta si es una version...no como esa falta de respeto que hicieron los muñecos de Scissor Sisters. Una verguenza. The Bad Plus es increible. El final de esta version te vuela la cabeza. Simplemente genial.

[nomanworld]

simply the most clever and amazing cover i've ever heard!!! briliant!!!

[ledaeth]

awesome.

at long last: a coverversion of this monster of a song that brings new elements and blends them perfectly with the original feeling.