Tunng / Soy un Caballo - Robin (Need No Water)
4/5
By: Mark Holland
As a physical product, it could be said that this one is quite niche. To be blunt, it's a "7" gold vinyl" single, both sides of which house a song called 'Robin', the original of which is sung in French by a Belgian band with a Spanish name, Soy un Caballo. The other is an English version of this song by Tunng. "Tunng" is not English for "Soy un Caballo" (which, as my limited education tells me, translates to "I am a horse"); it does not even appear to be an English word. This record is not, therefore, an extremely basic bilingual dictionary.
However, any shortcomings this record has in terms of its usefulness as a diplomatic tool are redeemed by just how very, very good it is when you put it on a golden gramophone (or, if you'd rather, download it). The Belgians have been polite enough to grant Tunng the A-side, and it incorporates everything that they do so well - understatedly melodic vocals, gently creaking guitars and beat which initially sounds like a typewriter, but grows to resemble a production line for children's toys. In other words, it is not what you could describe as an archetypal "cover", and it is excellent.
Perhaps even better, though, is Soy un Caballo's original, which has a structure so diverse and complex that it could be compared to The Velvet Underground, The Beach Boys, Nouvelle Vague, Beirut, even Foals, at one point, and yet sound nothing like any one of these bands. All the more impressive is that, statistically, at least one member of the band is probably a master chocolatier.
Artists in this article: Tunng, Soy un Caballo
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