Music Review // Katie Cruel "Disarm"

 

Whether you grew up in the 1990's or just happen to have studied the music at the time, you'll know that Smashing Pumpkins were one of the main bands to come out during the grunge era without actually being that close to grunge.  Bands like Pearl Jam and Soundgarden who had that "Seattle Sound" didn't really feel quite the same as Smashing Pumpkins and it might be because of the vocals as well.   Katie Cruel brings her own take to this song "Disarm", and I must note that at one time people were discovering Smashing Pumpkins for the first time with a cover that they did of "Landslide"

Musically, this song just feels so hauntingly beautiful.  Katie Cruel doesn't change the lyrics for when the part comes in that says "What's a boy supposed to do" and I think that's important because we can have cover songs be cover songs without changing words around to fit gender norms.   With pianos, slow and dramatic, this version of "Disarm" just feels like church drone.  It's brooding, but it's also contemplative.  It's the past thirty years or so my decisions coming back full circle to both impress and depress me.

One of the things which I really like about this cover is that Katie Cruel is lending her own voice to it.  When I was younger, if I heard songs on the radio that I knew I'd always try and sing along- match my voice with that of the singer.  At some point I learned if I had to sing down a few octaves it's okay.  Katie Cruel sings deeper than Billy Corgan on this song and, to be fair, who doesn't have a deeper voice than Corgan.  You can especially hear how it can resemble Slothrust as words like "burn" are repeated in that one part where it can feel much higher pitched in the original.

Several factors can make or break a cover song.  I feel like most artists don't try to do a direct cover, like a tribute band would, and that's for the best.  Taking these songs and shaping them into their own ideas, their own inspirations, is what makes music so special.  I fully believe that Trent Reznor wrote "Hurt" for Johnny Cash to perform.  I don't think this is quite the same situation, though I do feel like this cover is as good as the original as they each bring their own vibes to the table.