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This will be fairly oldish news to some, but forgive me as I’m still in a state of catch-up with my new blog and it would be remiss not to mention this little morsel.

Hooverphonic have done a cover version of Massive Attack’s Unfinished Sympathy and it really is rather lovely in my opinion.

It’s a classy orchestral affair, all stripped back allowing Noémie Wolfs voice to really soar beautifully over those aching strings. Its a great cover, as it reminds me how great the original Massive Attack version is, while still being its own thing.

The background information behind this cover is that it’s for Hooverphonic’s newly released album “Hooverphonic: With Orchestra”, which the name implies is the band doing orchestral versions of their back catalogue with a few cover versions thrown in. They’ve also being doing a series of concerts with a full orchestra backing them up in and around their native Belgium.

Here is a Youtube video for one of those performances along with the some Amazon/ITunes linkage below it, if you want to buy the album.

(Unfinished Sympathy – Song Only)

(Hooverphonic: With Orchestra – Full Album)

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(Hooverphonic: With Orchestra – CD Album) (UK)

(Hooverphonic: With Orchestra – CD Album) (US)

And to finish off, how could I talk about a cover of Unfinished Sympathy without mentioning Tina Turner’s stab at it back in 1996. Noteworthy for being amongst the worst covers, (Massive Attack or otherwise) I ever heard. Well maybe its not quite that awful, but throwing all those “Baby’s” over it does nothing for me, except turn it into some generic R’n'B tune. Talking about murdering a classic.

Take my advice and stick with Hooverphonic on this one. Sorry Tina!