If you’re going to be a cover band, you might as well do something different.
That’s what Medicine Hat duo Mahoney did on their new CD of cover songs “We Think We’re Awesome.”
Due to fan demand (they have regular Lethbridge gigs at the Shark Club every Thursday night and Mojoes on Wednesdays), they stripped down numerous hits to the bare basics — acoustic guitars and the odd drum and bass.
They include everything from classic rock like Elton John’s “Bennie and the Jets,” Toto’s “Africa”, Men at Work’s “Down Under” to Caribbean music “Jump In the Line/Jock A Mo”
They’ve made these songs their own. Even rap hit No Diggity, which makes a fine folk number. Surprisingly, so does Michael Jackson’s Billie Jean.
And you have to love a band that cover’s “Holiday Road” from the movie Vacation.
Mahoney’s voices are spot on, but the arrangements are all their own. I especially like their version of Rancid’s “Ruby Soho,” which gets an interesting twist with acoustic guitars and Chelsea Siggelkow on vocals.
They also do a superb job of “Africa and “ Down Under.”
The also perform a mind-blowing version of “Bohemian Rhapsody” live, but didn’t record it here.
They are expected to release a CD of all original material by year‘s end, so look out for it.
CD: We Think We’re Awesome
Band: Mahoney
Genre:Folk/pop