Pitchfork

Less really is more. Take the Wedding Present, for example. Here's a collection of singles that spans two entire CDs, if only because disc two is padded with a bunch of previously unreleased live cuts. That's two whole CDs of nothing but the Wedding Present, a band known for playing loud and wiry songs at the speed of light while lead singer David Gedge makes like he's trying to punch out the brown. It's not bad, but two CDs? It gets old. Not fast, but old none the less. If you're a fan, you've already got the original singles, but you may want the live tracks.

Okay. That's my whole review. While I have you here, though, I'd like to get on the ol' soapbox about one of my big musical peeves: the cover. I love a good cover song, the key word here being "good." There are several covers on this Wedding Present compilation and none of them are good except for Pavement's "Box Elder." The rest can be summed up quality-wise just by mentioning what they are. Tom Jones' "It's Not Unusual," for instance, shouldn't be covered, just like any other Tom Jones song. Nothing against Tom-- Mr. Jones and me go back to the early days of the Counting Crows, for Christ's sake-- but the moment a bunch of scrappy and decidedly unsexy kids take on the human pelvis' material, they've lost all credibility.

"But don't you see? It was done for a laugh."

Even worse. I'm not laughing. I also didn't laugh during the obligatiory Lou Reed cover. At this point in musical history, it doesn't even matter which Lou Reed song is covered. Bands like Lou Reed covers because they don't have to work too hard to get it right. Hey, can I get you boys some pillows in case you want to have a bit of a lie down? And the less said about the cover of "Cumberland Gap," the less time I spend on the topic of bad covers.

If you're in an up- and- coming band, please do us all a favor and stay away from the works of the following artists:

The Beatles, because you're probably never leaving the basement, and I'm talking to you, Absolute Zero of Kirkland, WA.

The Bee Gees, because you're not that clever.

Prince, because the audience will never be that drunk.

Peter Gabriel, because life isn't an Emma Bull book.

R.E.M., because at this late in the game, it's like asking your dad if you can borrow one of his ties.

Jimi Hendrix, because you're not the Beatles.