The always-fascinating "This American Life” radio program doesn't just hook its viewers with words. Host Ira Glass and his producers mix in the perfect music to keep ears and minds fully engaged with the material, and recently found the ideal track in a quirky cover track recorded by Pull composer Mitch Davis.
Edition #558, which broadcast on May 29, kicked off with Glass' particular interest in the game face that FIFA president Sepp Blatter has maintained, throughout allegations of bribery and corruption in soccer's governing body.
The program was brought perfectly full-circle with Orba Squara’s down-home rendition of the Lady Gaga mega-smash "Poker Face," which ran during the closing act of the program (at the 56:04 mark). Pull composer Mitch Davis is the founder and voice of Orba Squara, one of the most-licensed artists of the modern era.
“When I released my version of ‘Poker Face’, I thought it was hilarious that it caused such strong emotional reactions from Gaga fans,” Davis says. “Fans on one side said things like, ‘How dare you do this to an amazing Lady Gaga song!' Then there were the comments from the other side such as, 'This is why artists cover songs. An evolution into a finer being.’ I did a pretty faithful reinterpretation of that straight-ahead synth line into a funky groovy guitar riff — I think it works really well. I think Ms. Gaga would be happy."
For Davis, cover songs are actually a path to coming up with fresh new music at Pull’s distinctive NYC studios.
“Covers are fun – and important – for me to do as a composer, because it cleanses your brain palette,” Davis continues. “I’m not trying to write anything at those moments, I’m just playing, and that’s healthy for my creativity. When I do a cover, my goal isn’t to compete with it: I just want to do something complementary to the original, and I think the best covers are the ones that take the song in a completely different direction.”
About Pull:
Founded by Mitch Davis and Scott Brittingham, Pull is a full service music company for all media, working from their New York City studios. For more information, visit www.pullpullpull.com
