Covering an Adventure Time song is always a great place to start.
That’s something that York singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Elwing utilised, with one of her earliest songs being a superb rendition of ‘Bacon Pancakes’, the twelve second tune from Cartoon Network’s deservedly popular Adventure Time. Like the best covers, it sees the artist make the song entirely singular, as Elwing (A.K.A. Alex Rose) takes the upbeat tone of the original and brings it down a softer, more melancholy path. “Softer” and “melancholy” aren’t two words you’d normally associate with the quirky ‘Bacon Pancakes’, but with beautifully soothing vocals and lovely guitar lines, Elwing makes it work.
It’s worth noting that she has also recorded excellent covers of Neil Young’s ‘After the Gold Rush’, The White Stripes’ ‘We are Going to be Friends’, Alt-J’s ‘Breezeblocks’ and First Aid Kit’s ‘Our Own Pretty Ways’. All of which are distinguished from the originals, most prominently with Elwing’s distinctive voice. Furthermore, her original songs such as the mellow and tender ‘Cry Don’t Cry’ are every bit as good as the aforementioned covers.
Diversity is never anything but promising with a musician and Elwing is no exception to this, having taken her classical background into practice, namely for film scores, crafting pieces like the string-led and heartwrenching ‘Weave’.
Over the past year, she has also performed numerous gigs in York and London, the most notable being her performance in The Water Rats, a music theatre that is synonymous with cutting edge artists and also where Bob Dylan played his first U.K. show in December 1962. Impressive, no?
On the strength of her covers, songs and Peru EP, Elwing is an impressively talented and dynamic artist who is blossoming with potential. Furthermore, there’s new material currently being worked on and more gigs on the way, giving us all something to look forward to.
Words: Matt Jones
Photo: Annelie Rosencrantz
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