Petra's Killer "Thriller"
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Artist:
With the proximity of Halloween, I've been musing over what truly frightens me. And I've decided that nothing is scarier than Michael Jackson's decaying visage. Certainly, there are things that are as scary as Jacko's face. For example, the idea of Sarah Palin in the White House comes to mind - and chills the bones. But MOG is a site dedicated to music appreciation, so I thought I might creep you peeps out with a Jackson song. And since they're all too familiar, I figured I'd go with a novel take on the monstrous title song from his 1982 album Thriller: Petra Haden's a cappella version.
Petra Haden - minus zombies and ghouls.
Petra is a daughter of esteemed jazz bassist Charlie Haden. She's a protean singer and violinist who was a member of the early-'90s Los Angeles-based alt-rock band that dog (lower-case letters required), has performed with the likes of The Decemberists, and has played on recordings by, among others, Beck, Mike Watt, Foo Fighters, Green Day and Weezer. She's also the triplet sister of bassist Rachel Haden (Petra's bandmate in that dog) and cellist Tanya Haden (who is the wife of actor-musician Jack Black).
Apart from all of her various collaborations (which also include a delightful duet album with jazz guitarist Bill Frisell), Petra has recorded a number of solo a cappella projects, including a phenomenal, note-for-note, multi-tracked reproduction of The Who's whimsical, seminal 1967 concept album The Who Sell Out that must be heard to be believed - and a cover of Journey's "Don't Stop Believing."
But it's her ooky-spooky one-woman version of "Thriller" that concerns me in late October. Click on the MOG player, and be afraid. Be very afraid.
Locating MOG account...
Comments (24)
Snap! Love hearing things from Petra. This goes on the Halloween playlist for the week. Thanks for it.
michael jackson and scary..........I dont think you need to say more!
Great post! You're always full of interesting tidbits.
She's got some 'balls' to cover such a daunting, well known song. But she succeeds at it quite well. Love the accapella approach!
oh I'm thrilled alright
I have that Petra/Frisell album ... I know it's nothing like this ... but feel I should explore more than I have.
loving this.
ngtivspace: My pleasure! She's definitely one of my musical heroines.
Rawkkiddoh: Um...Boo?
Jon O: Thanks, comrade. When we gots 'em, we rolls 'em and smokes 'em.
August: She is more ballsy than you'd imagine. The bravura Petra Haden Sings "The Who Sell Out" is nothing short of amazing.
Dzendvokh: Mission accomplished! And count me among those who adore the Petra Haden & Bill Frisell thang. Their cover of Elliott Smith's "Satellite" is worth the price of the entire album - and it's just the first of many treats on the collection such as a gorgeous "Moon River."
Charlie Haden has got a new one out called Rambling Boy which is full of country songs. Guest starring, Elvis Costello, Tanya Haden, Rachel Haden, Petra Haden, and altogether as the Haden Triplets among others ;)
Ooooh, spooky! It's an impressive acomplishment and makes me really want to hear her take on The Who Sell Out (does she do the ads as well?) - I bet 'Tattoo' sounds brilliant all acapella'd up. But for Halloween frights I'll be sitting down with The Tomb Of Ligea - Vincent Price and Corman at their best.
mersenne: Haven't heard Charlie's new one yet, but it sounds intriguing. And I was gonna mention the Haden Triplets as a legit ensemble, and didn't - so I'm glad you did.
Jonh: As it happens, "Tattoo" might be my favorite track on Petra's Sell Out. And yes, yes, yes, she mimics ALL of the commercials, Radio London station breaks, and bumpers. The coolest, and tres witty to boot. Furthermore, every noise on the entire opus comes from her larynx, except (perhaps) for some hand claps, finger snaps or knee slaps. Woo.
Hiding under the covers/ biting nails/ breathing heavily
I like her version more that the original. Sacrilege, anyone? Bah, I don't care.
Amazing... sounds like there are some samples being triggered a la Rundgren's A Capella production - however, on that project, Todd said that he "Played a mean Emulator..." - and this sounds like there is a lot _more singing on this track... even the rim shot in the beginning sounded like she was singing it through on the track rather than triggering it... (either that or she had at least 12 samples to my ears...)
Will be looking for _everything that she has done... Mike, you should probably post an affiliate link to Amazon or something - you would have made a few hundred off of me alone already. :)
Cheers,
Van
Anna: Considering the throw-up-in-your-mouth-a-little factor that is now endemic to all things Michael Jackson, your opinion is entirely within bounds.
van: No emulators for Petra. No samples on Petra Haden Sings "The Who Sell Out" either. It was recorded by overdubbing and overdubbing her voice on an old 8-track recorder that Mike Watt gave her. (There's money to be made by sending people to Amazon to buy good stuff? What?)
If you're joking with me - then you got me ... otherwise, shoot me a MOGMail and I'll explain...
Van
Somewhat joking - somewhat not. As usual... ;-)
This is spooky good, and makes me want to do a zombie dance. Was she pitch shifting any of that stuff? Had to have.
Oatmeal: I don't think so, nor do I think that anything on the Who project was treated - but I'm not certain.
If not then I am completely amazed.
Either way, she's pretty cool...
petra's amazing. i love her covers. and her cover album of the who sell out is pretty insane.
Insane? Insane? Or maybe just...GENIUS!
oh yay, i love me some Petra. unstoppable cover, Mike. if this were the first version of the song i'd ever heard, i would have become a real Thriller Seeker! plus, she sounds like she was indeed shaking her pigtails while singing.
"I’ve decided that nothing is scarier than Michael Jackson’s decaying visage." - i'm afraid i'll have to agree. the Halloween party's begun!
poe: As things get increasingly Halloweeny, this is sounding better and better. (Hmmm. Can something be better than best?) Petra is so awe-inducing - and the aforementioned Haden-Frisell duet album really does get a lot of airplay on the Knife's 'pod. I haven't seen her live, but there are YouTube clips of her all-girl a cappella group doing Petra Sings The Who in concert. And all I can say is "Wow!"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VNFoNBz9Dbs
Petra Sings The Who?! oh me, oh my, i'm there...!
Wish I'd been there...