I’m not normally one to prefer a true-to-the-original cover version of a song over an inventive reinterpretation, but upon listening through the totally awesome and worth-buying Radio One: Established 1967 compilation, two of the most-hyped tracks stood out to me as exceptions to that rule.

This is one of those difficult times where I completely trash a song and then feel bad about it later, but Natasha Bedingfield’s cover of Madonna’s “Ray of Light” is possibly the most godawful piece of trash and pop blasphemy of the 21st century thus far. It’s not her voice that’s the problem; the vocals are as impressive and unique and wonderfully stylized as always. But Bedingfield takes one of the most signature songs of one our very few obvious icons and attempts to make it her own. It’s just not happening. The stunning boredom induced by the watered-down punky drums. The fact that the original is the very definition of pop in 1998. It’s nearly impossible to do any justice to it, even if Bedingfield does have the better voice of the two.

Klaxons, however, delivered a completely straightforward re-make of Blackstreet’s “No Diggity” that makes me want to take off my clothes. Maybe it’s the fact that they put out one of my favorite albums of last year and I’d pretty much group marry them this afternoon if the opportunity presented itself, but I can see this track staying on repeat for another two hours, annoying my friends and neighbors. That’s all. I just love them. -Brad

Natasha Bedingfield – “Ray of Light”
Klaxons – “No Diggity”
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