[ ]   [ ]   [ ]                        [ ]      [ ]   [ ]
KT Tunstall — The Golden Age
Album: Rolling Stone Cover Album
Avg rating:
6.6

Your rating:
Total ratings: 546









Released: 2009
Length: 4:43
Plays (last 30 days): 0
Put your hands on the wheel,
Let the golden age begin.
Let the window down,
Feel the moonlight on your skin.
Desert of wind,
Cool your aching head.
Weight of the world,
Drift away instead.

Oh-oh-oh, these days I hardly get by,
I don't even try.

There's a treacherous road,
With a desolated view.
As distant lights,
Hear their foreign view.
Sun don't shine,
Even when it's day.
Drive all night,
Just to feel like you're okay.

Oh-oh-oh, these days I barely get by,
I don't even try.
I don't even try.
Comments (105)add comment
Its a nice change up to a great tune on first listen. That's high praise.
it's got something 
9
 murdog wrote:
If it doesn't improve, don't cover.  Only thing I hear is a worse mix and tentative voice. Not sure why Sea Change didn't win awards instead of Morning Phase; the former is a legend, the latter a shadow, IMHO
 
I agree regarding Sea Change vs. Morning Phase. Morning Phase seems to be the result of some one asking Beck to redo a happy version of Sea Change.
One of my favorite parts of Beck doing The Golden Age is at the end where he audibly exhales or sighs. That adds a lot to the song . To bad it gets cut off frequently when played.
I prefer the original (and love KT's originals) but the standup bass in this version is really speaking to me
Not as good as the original but an interesting and enjoyable cover. Glad Radio Paradise played it for me!
 ziggytrix wrote:

What do you bass that statement on?
 

Fishing for a complement are we?
I like the album cover album cover.
Doesn't do the original any justice. It's too cute, the instrumental tones are too clunky and its overall way too frayed to honour Beck's original. Sorry it's a 1 from me.
 murdog wrote:
If it doesn't improve, don't cover.  Only thing I hear is a worse mix and tentative voice. Not sure why Sea Change didn't win awards instead of Morning Phase; the former is a legend, the latter a shadow, IMHO
 
Beck covered Everybody's Got to Learn Sometime by the Korgis. He didn't improve on the original either.
Surely Beck - not R Stones?
Do love KT BUT, just not better. Contrived even. Has no place.
{#Ask}
I wonder what the reasons were why this was considered to be suitable for Radio Paradise
 murdog wrote:
If it doesn't improve, don't cover.  Only thing I hear is a worse mix and tentative voice. Not sure why Sea Change didn't win awards instead of Morning Phase; the former is a legend, the latter a shadow, IMHO

 
In theory, I agree. But what if you are a musician and you just love someone else's music? Free the world. More music, more love, less judgement.
 Rockit999 wrote:
Not bad but why?

 
Why not?
First time hearing this. The first few chords, I go, hey that's Golden Age - can't ever recall anyone ever covering Beck! I love to play this on my guitar (all 4 chords). I'm a big KT and Beck fan but am still a little surprised I like it., but I do.
 Rockit999 wrote:
Not bad but why?

 
The answer is in your question.
Not bad but why?
 coding_to_music wrote:

Killer Base ! 

 
What do you bass that statement on?
This is just weird .... why?
Good grief.  Another freakin' cover.  Screw this noise.
Original much better, she has enough of her own good material
If it doesn't improve, don't cover.  Only thing I hear is a worse mix and tentative voice. Not sure why Sea Change didn't win awards instead of Morning Phase; the former is a legend, the latter a shadow, IMHO
Nope, nope. This doesn't work at all.
Oh, KT, you used to be such a spirited, gutsy Fife lass. Your first two albums were astounding, but now you've become another soulless clone banging out drudging covers like this. A dull cover of a dull original, by an artist who can do an awful lot better.
Not bad, but probably only because there is a lot of margin below the original.
 TerryS wrote:


Perhaps I'm missing something, but aren't  all double basses fretless?
 
yes, and that's why one should attempt to match pitch

 kctomato wrote:
if youre going to play a fretless please make an attempt to match pitch
 

Perhaps I'm missing something, but aren't  all double basses fretless?
 socalhol wrote:
This is weak.  (And I would have sworn it was Sheryl Crow.)  KT has a lot more talent than this.
 
This song, and performance, is soooooo freaking gooooood. 

Killer Base ! 
 socalhol wrote:
This is weak.  (And I would have sworn it was Sheryl Crow.)  KT has a lot more talent than this.
 
...exactly what I was thinking!!!

This is weak.  (And I would have sworn it was Sheryl Crow.)  KT has a lot more talent than this.

doesn't do a thing for me. 


 joedabaker wrote:
I don't know much about KT covering the Beck song, but it sure as heck sounds like a musical knockoff of Dire Straits-Wild West End.
Every time I hear this song I think it's going to be Dire Straits.

I do like the KT's version though...

 
This is a very nice version indeed...and you're right..very much like Wild West End. No wonder this sounds so good!

I don't know much about KT covering the Beck song, but it sure as heck sounds like a musical knockoff of Dire Straits-Wild West End.
Every time I hear this song I think it's going to be Dire Straits.

I do like the KT's version though...

I bluedot wrote:
Still don't see why this is necessary.  It doesn't bring ANYTHING new to Beck's perfectly fine original.  Why not just play that?
 
Is any art really necessary?

 bluedot wrote:
Still don't see why this is necessary.
 
Sultry, slightly-hoarse female vocals used to be unique and desirable. Was listening to this, though, and had a sense of been-there-heard-that. So I'm going to +1 bluedot and say- was this really necessary?

Though… it is kinda cool…

Still don't see why this is necessary.  It doesn't bring ANYTHING new to Beck's perfectly fine original.  Why not just play that?
Neat cover!
Both the cover and the original are excellent. I had to check to see who actually wrote it, since KT handles this cover with such love and gentleness.
Nice take on an excellent song.  I'm leaning towards the original though.  Think I'll go play that album :)


 Hippostar wrote:
Taking bets that this was mixed and produced by the bass player.  Any takers?

 
Pretty funny, but noop:




I don't know the original, as I am not a Beck fan. I like KT doing this song though.
This is a great cover IMHO.  I love K.T. Tunstall, plus they kept the bells and the addition of the progressive bass playing is awesome (just enough different to be noticeable and appealing).  She kept the original character of the song and graced it with her voice, which sounds good in just about anything she sings.  The original Beck version is a beautiful song in itself.  K.T. did no harm to it here while giving us another great version of the same song.

This popped up on my shuffle during a moonlit midnight drive down the farm roads of mid-Missouri, alone with the top down on the Mustang. Never will forget it.  Thanks to Beck for the song, and to Ms. Tunstall for making it magic.


Hey, this is very nice!!
Kinda boring...why is this necessary in the place of Beck's perfectly fine original version? I'm not against covers, if they offer an interesting new twist.  This doesn't, IMO.
I...don't hate this!

*wanders off to check her temperature*
I also love a good cover ~ thanks Bill
Noice tune! {#Bounce}
Please no more of any Golden Age, makes me change the station.
She ought not a done that!{#No}
Taking bets that this was mixed and produced by the bass player.  Any takers?

Wow...Harsh words, yet strong ratings.
No, no, no, no, no...
It's not bad but it doesn't add much. These kinda things are more fun for the artist performing the cover ... unless you're slammed in some dive somewhere.
if youre going to play a fretless please make an attempt to match pitch


 mhodak wrote:
I do not see what it brings over the original. 
 
50% less Xenu. 
Totally agree

 
Janssen wrote:
ditto

 
evansdad wrote:


Agree...

 
mhodak wrote:
I do not see what it brings over the original. To me it sounds exactly like Beck's original with different singer singing it.
 


i like this cover. i enjoy Beck's snappier tunes, and i'd rather hear KT on this one. nicely done
ditto

 
evansdad wrote:


Agree...

 
mhodak wrote:
I do not see what it brings over the original. To me it sounds exactly like Beck's original with different singer singing it.


 mhodak wrote:
I do not see what it brings over the original. To me it sounds exactly like Beck's original with different singer singing it.
 

Agree...

 coding_to_music wrote:
Heavy
Beck gets a 10
KT gets a 9...

Great Bass...

 
Upon further review, goes from 9 to 10...

 markohmark wrote:
This song was originally from KT Tunstall's Acoustic Extravaganza release, which came out between her first two "official" recordings. All the songs were recorded in a matter of days, mostly with acoustic instruments. Hence the title. She "morphed" her most recent tour from electric into an acoustic one as well. Very enjoyable.
 
Thank you for that information, it really puts the song in a new light for me. I thought this was a new recording, but it's actually from 2006. Rather than being fussed over for weeks in the studio, this song was recorded, with a bunch of others, in just a couple of days. That earns a slight bump up in my rating. {#Music}

This would be welcome in a club as part of the set of a live act, but doesn't work for me at all as a cover recording. Its shortcomings only emphasize the towering strengths of the original.
 cosmiclint wrote:
I see that CD also has Ben Harper doing Indifference. He came out and sang that with Eddie at the Pearl Jam show I attended back in September.
 
Sounds like a cool combo to see live. Despite having seen Pearl Jam in concert a number of times, I'm rather jealous that you got to see Ben Harper perform along with them—even if it was for just one song.
This song was originally from KT Tunstall's Acoustic Extravaganza release, which came out between her first two "official" recordings. All the songs were recorded in a matter of days, mostly with acoustic instruments. Hence the title. She "morphed" her most recent tour from electric into an acoustic one as well. Very enjoyable.
 newwavegurly wrote:

It's on a CD of all covers that I got several months ago. I uploaded a couple of the cuts off of it to RP. This one and the cover of "Getting Better" done by Gomez were both accepted immediately.
 
I see that CD also has Ben Harper doing Indifference. He came out and sang that with Eddie at the Pearl Jam show I attended back in September.

 mhodak wrote:
I do not see what it brings over the original. To me it sounds exactly like Beck's original with different singer singing it.
 

I agree, but I'm giving KT an 8 for this simply because she isn't Tori Amos butchering another cover.
I do not see what it brings over the original. To me it sounds exactly like Beck's original with different singer singing it.
This young lady has excellent taste. 8
love the original, but this is so half-baked 
2 Demerits to Bill for playing another half-assed cover, and not following up with a Beck song.
 Darlington wrote:
Where did you find this?
 
It's on a CD of all covers that I got several months ago. I uploaded a couple of the cuts off of it to RP. This one and the cover of "Getting Better" done by Gomez were both accepted immediately.
 am wrote:
Very nice cover! Her voice is perfect for this song. That said...I do miss the pedal steel.
 
{#Yes}

Warm and fuzzy. Love it.
wow
Didn't we hear the original earlier today?
I normally dont like slow female songs but this cover is quite good.
Heavy
Beck gets a 10
KT gets a 9...

Great Bass...

Basta with the cheesy covers.
Too Soon!!!
After that odd Golden Brown cover earlier today, this is very welcome...
Bill is a sucker for these kinds of covers. Not bad, but I'll take the Beck pls.
 newwavegurly wrote:
My upload... glad to hear it finally get played.
 

Where did you find this?
 newwavegurly wrote:
My upload... glad to hear it finally get played.
 
yep. thank ye. {#Kiss}
Cover ? Never heard the Beck version but I will look out for it. I like this a lot.
Count me among those who like this cover!
why play this when you have the Beck version? poor choice
I agree...   best thing I have heard from her

 
gandalfbmg wrote:
OMG, this is awesome. My favorite obscure pop performer covering my favorite obscure Beck song!
 


 andrewmi wrote:
I like it but it doesn't quite have the same emotional tone as the original... Beck sang it with such rawness and resignation.  KT has a beautiful voice and this is pleasant to listen to, but the difference just comes off as odd to me.
 
{#Yes}
OMG, this is awesome. My favorite obscure pop performer covering my favorite obscure Beck song!
I like it but it doesn't quite have the same emotional tone as the original... Beck sang it with such rawness and resignation.  KT has a beautiful voice and this is pleasant to listen to, but the difference just comes off as odd to me.
It's an OK cover and i dig KT, but it does not feel like she adds anything to it except her arguably nice voice.
I give it a total 5 for the effort. Its nice but beck's version is so much better in my ears.
I'm afraid I have to disagree with the group consensus. She just sounds tired and bored to me.
This is very good....can't find any information about the CD its off of, though...
sexy cover
{#Kiss}

Played this while driving home to a full moon after spending a week on a farm during harvest last weekend.  Wow. A new favorite....thanks to Bill for continuing to show us that covers sometimes add lovely grace notes to songs we already love.


KT is GR!E!A!T!!! and I can't wait until she graces New York

Awsome song... good cover


...not a bad cover by any means, but i don't think it brings much new to the song - i've no problem with that sort of thing live, but as a recording i have to wonder why...
Huh, I like this.
hey... got to give her credit for giving this a go. i like it.


Very nice cover! Her voice is perfect for this song. That said...I do miss the pedal steel.
Nice upload New Wave Gurly. An unexpected cover.

I once saw Beck do an unannounced show at a tiny venue in Hollywood. He did all country songs and cut jokes in beween. Wild guy...

My upload... glad to hear it finally get played.