We are excited to welcome Courtney Nord back into our pages. The American creative champions a very freeing and charming rock character, often drenched in luscious euphoria and vibrant lyricism. Following up from previous EP ‘Wasteland’, Nord now returns with an unconventional offering, a double cover version of Nirvana’s seminal anthem ‘Smell Like Teen Spirit’. It’s incredibly on-brand for the project, while showcasing Courtney’s bold eclecticism.
The release is divided into a ‘Rock version’ and a ‘Symphonic version’. The former gets built on a seemingly traditional alt-rock arrangement, although darker and more spacious than the original. Electronic elements give it a very modern flair. Notably, the guitar solo is loyal to Cobain’s famous performance, this time delivered with a sharper and harder tone.
The latter version (‘Symphonic’) is quite interesting; taking the previous track as a starting point, Nord removes organic instrumentation, replacing it with a tapestry of anthemic strings and other mellow symphonic-style elements. Not to worry, there’s still tons of fierceness and fury in it. In both versions, Courtney’s vocals are absolute magic: evocative, cathartic and deliciously meaningful.
Recommended! Discover the double single on Spotify:
