Cover bands are typically lame, but Pomplamoose is different. In fact, I’m pretty sure it is the first cover band I have ever liked. Ever. And now they are one of my favorite musical duos of all time.
Jack Conte and Nataly Dawn formed this Indie duo almost two years ago in San Francisco, showcasing their work almost exclusively on YouTube through a medium they have dubbed VideoSongs. They are, in fact, the reason I now have a personal YouTube account.
“There’s no hidden sounds, there’s no lip-synching, there’s no overdubbing. What you see is what you hear,” is how Conte described VideoSongs in a recent interview with NPR about how Pomplamoose is making a living on YouTube. “Sometimes, there might be two or three Natalys harmonizing with herself, and then you’ll see those three videos juxtaposed together on the screen.”
Their totally unpretentious homespun VideoSongs feature them playing a gajillion different instruments (including a xylophone, drums, and piano), goofing off in a good way, dancing around their living room and, most of all, putting their own musical spin on the motley assortment of pop songs they cover. And when I say motley, I mean just that. Their YouTube channel features them working their mojo on everything from Beyonce’s “Single Ladies” to the Chordette’s “Mr. Sandman.” They also have some songs from “The Sound of Music” and a couple Michael Jackson covers.
Mostly, though, they cover the kind of pop songs you hear on mainstream radio. The kind I love to hate. Until Pomplamoose works its magic on them. For example, I never thought I would be able to tolerate, much less actually enjoy listening to a Lady Gaga song. These days, however, I often catch myself throughout the day humming her hit single “Telephone” thanks to Pomplamoose. (No really, thank you, Pomplamoose. I love your cover of “Telephone”! Lady Gaga’s version, however, still makes me nauseous. Go figure.)
Instead of gushing on and on about this couple’s music (yes, they are romantically involved … according to YouTube comments), the best way I can describe what makes Pomplamoose so special is to tell you where you can judge their work for yourself. Here’s where you can get the good stuff:
Pomplamoose’s VideoSongs on YouTube
Download Free Pomplamoose Singles from Myspace
Buy Pomplamoose’s Music and Fan Gear Direct from the Source – Cut Out the Middleman!
Buy Pomplamoose’s New Album on iTunes
Check Pomplamoose and let me know what you think!
P.S. Special thanks to my coworker Andrew Alford for filling me in on Pomplamoose.
P.P.S. Pomplamoose means “grapefruit” in French.
