SINGLE REVIEW: PIEN FEAT. ED TATTERSALL - THE COVER (COUNTRY VERSION)

Taking an opportunity to revisit one of her earlier songs when her performing aesthetic was slightly different is Pien with a "Country Version" of "The Cover". Pien has enlisted the help of Ed Tattersall, turning the song into a country duet. Using the old adage "You can't judge a book by it's cover", Pien applies this thinking to herself.

When #TEAMw21 met Pien recently she said that her next release would be folky and with its acoustic guitar intro so it is, however there is something anthemic about it inviting waving phones and a mass singalong.

The first verse tackles the assumption that probably affects many female performers and Pien is quick to nail this stereotype, for if anything she had to work twice as hard to succeed. The point is made with the most subtle and eloquent of performances only the last line showing a little of the frustration

"See this girl, she’s a woman

Trying hard to make her mark

Don’t tell me I’m too young to understand it

I’ve been down to hell and back"

The chorus again challenges peoples conceptions of what a singer can be. she may have a penchant for the Renaissance, History or maybe fellow countryman Vermeer, it's all a world away from writing and singing songs.

"Don’t be fooled by all the numbers

Or by all the words that I write

There is more to this book than just its cover

Don’t be afraid to read between the lines"

The second verse sees the arrival of Ed Tattersall, adding a gravelly edge to proceedings, as he seemingly addresses, the social media perfection where people only live idyllic lives - with no clouds as the final line pertinently observes.

"See these friends across the ocean

See their lives shining in the sun

See their smiles bright as always

Has a cloud ever crossed their skies?"

The second chorus and then on becomes a duet

The bridge section sees things slightly speed up

"There is so much more than I ever knew there would be

There are so many people out there to meet

There are too many lives that I could live

And so few hours to spend my days"

The original was an indy version, it came with an equally blurred sleeve, and was mainly driven by piano and electronica atmospherics.

It has a mellower, slower dreamy sound and that final line of the first verse carries none of the bite of the later version.

The chorus is one soundwise primarily led by the percussion, with the surrounding electronica creating an ambience - it's not our particular area of expertise but for much of time there seems little sympathy between the backing track and the vocals - unlike the new version.