mini anthology of rock

Beware of cover albums, genre that flourished with more or less success in recent years. That said, "Twelve" by Patti Smith has every reason to crack any lover of rock. First for the personality and voice of Patti, herself living legend of rock n'roll. Then for the accompanying group, with a blues-rock sound racy, where a banjo or accordion sometimes come second the eternal trio guitar-bass-drums. Finally for the proposed track-list, which takes us to the land of legends of the seventies, with a few detours through the 80 ... When you hear the cover of "Gimme Shelter", a masterpiece of the Rolling Stones, tone is set: the interpretation of Patti Smith raging rivals that of Jagger. Yet this very loyal recovery is an exception, as the rocker will transfigure some versions, without betraying them: it is the case of two tubes eighties: "Everybody wants to rule the world" by Tears For Fears, and "The boy in the bubble" by Paul Simon, whose arrangement restores the original pieces (very synth) incredible grace and purity. Patti Smith also magnifies "Within you without you", the unloved song by George Harrison, which some see as the wart "Sergeant Pepper". The galloping piece sitar becomes a perfectly mesmerizing hypnotic blues. Even miracle "Changing of the Guards" by Bob Dylan, whose acoustic treatment and wooded forget the somewhat messy and chaotic production of the original decision ... But the two moments are truly the slow version of the anthem Nirvana "Smells like teen spirit" beautiful to cry, and the superb cover of "Pastime Paradise" by Stevie Wonder. The rest, very pleasant, has the merit of proposing major artists little known titles like "Soul kitchen" of the Doors or "Are you experienced" Hendrix ... The more marginal artists are not missing, Patti resumes when the Allman Brothers ("Midnight Rider") and Jefferson Airplane ("White Rabbit"). In short, a beautiful cover album, more exciting than the recent symphonic essay by Peter Gabriel, soporific, mannered and too far from the mind rock ...
For those who want to discover the work of Patti Smith, who can bear comparison with the rock gods whom we commend, we can advise "Horses" (1975), produced by John Cale, where Patti married on a furious rock tortured and heartbreaking poetry, or "Easter" (1978), more commercial and efficient album, co-written with Bruce Springsteen.