Verdict on "Ashes To Ashes" (#BOTB results)

        No Blogging from A to Z Challenge in this post--just results from my Battle of the Bands.  No day of rest in April at Tossing It Out...

 "Ashes to Ashes":  The Outcome

         My previous Battle was between versions of David Bowie's "Ashes to Ashes" as performed by Los Angeles group Warpaint and the Canadian group Fish and Bird.  This turned out to be a very tough one for me.  And the results were not what I expected going in to this contest.  That's no surprise since my own vote turned as the week progressed.

          From the start of compiling this Battle I had decided on voting for Fish and Bird's version.  I made that decision even before coming up with an opposition candidate.  The Fish and Bird performance is musically eclectic and to me outstanding in every way.  The upright bass and the violin were aspects that I particularly enjoyed.

          But wait!  As is typical with these Battles, I continued listening to the additional selection I had chosen--Warpaint--as well as the version that I had thought would be getting my vote.  The more I listened to both versions, the more I began to like the version by Warpaint.  I listened to more of the recordings they have on YouTube.  This is a great band by my estimation--they play a style of music that I like.  Dream psychedelic rock might be one way of describing their music.  However one describes it, I think it's very nice.

          Though I still think the Fish and Bird shows a greater amount of eclecticism and some brilliant musical arranging, their version drifted to second place in my mind as I found myself listening to the Warpaint version more and more.   I became a turncoat against the group that I figured would have no musical match.  My vote now goes to Warpaint.

          I fully expected Fish and Bird to run away with this Battle and that's certainly how the voting started off.   Then the votes for Warpaint started coming in.  Thankfully a number of voters were able to look past the somewhat ragged performance to see the real potential of this band--or maybe they just liked that version better.  Whatever the case, the L.A. girls were able to zoom ahead with votes to surpass the Canadian band and capture a win.

Final Vote Tally

Warpaint                 12 votes

Fish and Bird          10 votes

Next Battle on Sunday April 15th

       Since the next Battle will again be on a Sunday I won't be including the song as part of my A to Z theme.  Not exactly at least, although I guess my Battle theme will have a certain connection that will be obvious.  In the meantime I hope you'll stop by Tossing It Out daily this month to read my alphabetical entries about Cleaning the Clutter.

       

Ashes to Ashes ( #BOTB & #AtoZChallenge )

A fire roaring on the hearth on a cold night can be cozy and romantic, but eventually you have to clear out the ashes...

Ashes to Ashes

         After major fires like some of those we've had in California, we'll inevitably see those sad TV images of homeowners sifting through the ashes in hopes of finding something that might have survived.  I have a lot of empathy when I see those kinds of situations.  A life's accumulations gone up in fire and smoke is something we all probably have thought of at some point.

        But it's all just material stuff isn't it?  Everything can be replaced to some extent.  Even people when it's time for that to happen, in which case we have memories.  Sometimes I wonder if I have too many memories.  They mostly seem to be good memories because the bad stuff always got better or got fixed in some way--or I just accepted and moved on.

         That's all something to do with clearing the clutter out of the path ahead of us.  I'm sure you have things that impede your progress or even your success.  One hindrance I see in my life now is material possessions.   I can see a move to a downsized living situation in the future so maybe now is the time to start the process.  Actually I guess I've already been working on this for many years.

        A big part of life has to do with cycles of decluttering and recluttering.  That's what it seems to me at least.  Hopefully, I'll never lose my home to some disaster or unwillingly have to relinquish all that I own.  For now I'm comfortable relaxing before a cozy fire, but at some point in the not too distant future I'm going have to clean out the ashes to start a new fire when it's time to do that.

        As we often hear, it's dust to dust and ashes to ashes...


Battle of the Bands

Ashes To Ashes

        One of my favorite videos from the eighties is David Bowie's "Ashes to Ashes" which was in regular rotation on MTV (the network that used to play music).    I was never much of a Bowie fan prior to seeing that video, but the eighties brought music from him that I liked and I began to more appreciate his work.  If you've never seen the Bowie video or want to refresh your memory you can see it here, but please Don't Vote On It PLEASE!
               
       Keeping in the spirit of my A to Z theme I'm featuring covers of the Bowie song by two contrasting groups.  Take a listen and I hope you enjoy...             


Warpaint  "Ashes to Ashes"  (2014)

         If I were a much younger man with polygamous tendencies I'd marry this band.  I like their dreamy sound which has a pop psychedelia leaning to it.  Their bass and rhythm is very solid.  Warpaint comes from the Los Angeles area.

         This live version is a bit ragged in the vocal and guitar department, but to me this makes it more endearing and interesting.  If you can't take the "ragged" live sound then you might prefer to listen to the less flawed studio version.   Whichever version you choose I hope you enjoy these talented ladies...





Fish and Bird  "Ashes to Ashes"  (2015)

       This Canadian band originally from British Colombia re-imagines this popular music piece with a folk jazz sound.  Their acoustic version of Bowie's song is filled nifty little music tricks and nice playing. 








Time to Vote!

        Is it ashes to ashes or funk to funky?   In other words, what's your preference between these two choices? Which song version do you like best? You don't have to know about music to have an opinion since it all comes down to your own personal taste.

Please vote on your favorites by letting us know your choice in the comment section and tell us why you prefer the version you chose. Then after you've finished here, please visit the other blogs listed below who may or may not be participating this time around. And if you've put up your own BOTB contest let us know that as well so we can vote on yours.


Here are some other places where you might find BOTB posts:

 StMcC Presents Battle of the Bands

  'MIKE'S RAMBLINGS'

'Curious as a Cathy'

Sound of One Hand Typing

Angel's Bark  

Jingle, Jangle, Jungle 

Cherdo on the Flipside 


Winner of this Battle Announced on Sunday April 8th

         Blogging A to Z is going to mess with my normal schedule since I'll be posting nearly every day in April.   So, what the heck, might as well have a special announcement day on next Sunday, something I normally wouldn't do.  Then I really will be posting every day this month (except for the 29th).   Please stop in for my regular daily A to Z posts if you can, but be sure to come back to see who wins this post's Battle.

         Have you ever lost most of your possessions due to some catastrophic circumstance?  Do you tend to have life cycles of accumulating and other times of ridding yourself of things?   Do you have a wood fireplace in your home and if so, do you use it?

       

Related articles

• OPINION: The University should take homelessness into its own hands