The Null Device

Alternative lullabies

As alternative-rock fans age and, in many cases, start families, a US company has brought out lullaby versions of alternative rock songs. Hip parents can now soothe their kids to sleep with mellow, ambient renditions of Metallica, The Cure, Tool, Radiohead and such played on glockenspiels and acoustic guitars (or, indeed, Coldplay, who for some reason are still classified as "alternative" (presumably because of their shaggy indie-boy haircuts or something) rather than filed next to Dido, Celine Dion and James Blunt in the adult-contemporary section). Yesteryear's teen rebellion becomes today's nursery music.
Lullaby. A whisper. The Cure's music is just like heaven to their fans. Beautiful, infinite and captivating, The Cure's best work captures a dreamy sense of love and longing. This album is a mesmerizing and serene take on the kind of quirky, romantic songs that the Cure helped make famous. If only tonight we could sleep as soundly as your child will after hearing these interpretations of The Cure.

I wonder what else we could see get the lullaby treatment. Nine Inch Nails perhaps, or Limp Bizkit? NWA? 90s rave techno? Perhaps this phenomenon will cross over with Nouvelle Vague, giving post-punk parents baby-friendly versions of the Buzzcocks and Bauhaus and such.

There are 2 comments on "Alternative lullabies":

Posted by: datakid Sun Aug 20 09:03:05 2006

Did you listen to any of them? The one thing I noticed was that the punkier stuff - like the nirvana - didn't translate so well - more of a melody is required, or the producers decided to run with the guitar melody instead of the vocal melody - making the songs somewhat unrecognisable at times....

obviously the more strongly melodic songs were more recognisable - the cure being in this group...

Posted by: grego Thu Aug 31 22:02:19 2006

Is there a web site where we can listen on line to the Metallica stuff? g