Lean On

Another Rihanna Reject

Lean On feat MØ by Major Lazer & DJ Snake

Recommended by Brittany B.

This is one of my favorite party songs. It's a fun, and it has a catchy melody and a beat that's perfect for dancing. Sometimes, rare as it may be, you're not in the mood to turn up. When that happens, try out one of the following covers.

Cover #1:

Brittany says, "This country duo put a southern twist on the electro-pop hit."

One of the best things about covers is that you get to hear someone else pronouncing the words. it clarifies the lyics 99% of the time. I never realized that the chorus said Blow a kiss, fire a gun.

I don't listen to a lot of Lennon & Maisy, and I didn't recognize this arrangement as country until I read Brittany's comment. Once I read that, though, there are clear country influences in the harmonies and even the intonation of these girls' gorgeous voices.

I know anyone can sing country music, but I was not expecting it from these two Canadian sisters. They grew up in Ontario, and now they live in Nashville, TN - a much better home for their country voices, if I may say so. They're also like super young, born in '99 and '13. I started reading up on them and couldn't stop - too much talent in the Stella family

Anyway, this cover is softer than the original. It's all acoustic guitar and vocals, which brings new life to the words, which are actually quite sweet. I think the wistfulness of the lyrics gets lost in the original.

Cover #2:

"Nobody knows how to cover a song better than Pentatonix. Their a cappella spin on Lean On proves just how talented they really are."

Wow, okay, this version wins the diction prize. I can hear every lyric so clearly! Listen to those consonants. A true blessing.

That said, the Pentatonix version is so clean and neat, it's almost mechanical. This arrangement - like all of their covers - is a masterpiece, but it's too crisp to deliver the same kind of emotion that we find in the Lennon & Maisy cover.

It's more about the sound than the message, and in that respect, it's similar to the original.

Good thing the sound is killer. When the vocals first come in, it sounds extremely fast, but you settle in quickly. These singers are amazing.

Overview:

Genre:
Electronica / Country Pop / A Cappella

Favorite Lyrics:
Innocent, remember?
All we did was care for each other.

Verdict:
Pentatonix are a blessing to us all, but my favorite is the Lennon & Maisy cover.