From time to time, it's necessary to turn our ears across the pond and find out what kind of music is coming out of America's stuffier older brother: the United Kingdom. The U.K. has long been known to put out music that the United States has enjoyed — The Beatles had some moderate success in America, if memory serves — but what have you done for us lately, oh-tiny island?
Who is next in the line of great U.K. musicians to follow the likes of Coldplay and Radiohead and give the United States a fresh new sound?
The answer is Mark Ronson, and the proof is in his upcoming album Version.
Now I know what the music-loving public is thinking: Mark Ronson? Isn't he the U.K.-born, NY-based former face of DKNY's fashion line? You know, the hip-hop producer/DJ that has worked with Christina Aguilera, Amy Winehouse (another U.K. product whose success should translate in the 50-nifty United States) and produced "Jesus Walks" ghostwriter Rhymefest's first album Blue Collar?
Don't forget that he also once got in a shouting match with Charlize Theron DJing a Gucci party in Milan and hung out with Bob Marley's kids when he was younger.
But his greatest achievement to date has to be Version, an aptly named album that contains his versions of covers with the help of a wide variety of artists.
In the eclectic Version, "funk" is the keyword, and Ronson brings so much to the table that even Shaft would be proud of the bad mother — shut yo' mouth. The songs encompass a myriad of genres that showcase Ronson's obvious talent for musical production.
Version opens with a big band instrumental-only rendition of Coldplay's "God Put a Smile on Your Face," featuring blaring trumpets, which set the upbeat tone of the entire album. The hardest thing to do — especially in the age of cross-genre collaboration — is to place a genre on the album. It's clear in the drums and beats that hip-hop is a major influence, but only one track features anything that remotely resembles rap verses.
Traditional instruments like the trumpet and saxophone give it a jazz-like sound at times, while the electric bass and guitar supply the lost art of funk. All in all, Version is the Soledad O'Brien of music: It's a little bit of everything and very good at what it does.
Presumably a "thank you" for producing most of her album, including the two hits singles "Rehab" and "You Know I'm No Good," the aforementioned Winehouse drops in on Version's track "Valerie." The Winehouse/Ronson combination has the potential to be very special, and their future commercial success in the States could initially be largely determined on their collaborative work.
The album itself plays like a lyrical rendition of the United Nations. Ronson features Aussie singer Daniel Merriweather on the first U.S. single, a strings-driven version of the Smiths' "Stop Me." He then enlists the help of California natives Phantom Planet — famous for the theme song of everyone's favorite cancelled teen-drama "The O.C." — on Radiohead's "Just," a track popular on British radio waves. The Ethiopian-born Kenna lends his unique voice to "Amy," which completes the world tour of musicians.
The height of Version is Ronson's interpretation of the crotch-flashing, head-shaving, ex-Mrs. Federline Britney Spear's "Toxic," a track where he displays almost every facet of his talent by mixing horns, scratching, electric bass, drums and verses from the late Ol' Dirty Bastard. The result is a slowed-down classic that only makes listeners miss ODB even more.
The only flaw with foreign music is the delay in getting said music from the redcoats' hands to the Yankees' ears. Version was released in the U.K. April 16, and while the Stop Me EP — a collection of three songs found on the album — can be purchased off of iTunes in the United States, Version has yet to be put on the shelves over here. The only way of obtaining the full-length album is through online providers like Amazon.com.
Ultimately, Version is an ingenious album that has the potential to appeal to a broad spectrum of musical consumers and carry the U.K. torch in the United States for some time. The only question left is whether or not it can find popularity across the Atlantic, especially considering America's current access (or lack there of) to the album. Despite its hurdles, Version should be considered one of the most eclectic and unique sounds that has made its way off the tiny island that is the United Kingdom. It is most definitely worth a listen, no matter what country you're from.
Grade: 4 out of 5
