Product Description

A lot has been said about Mark Ronson. Some have called him "a 21st century Quincy Jones," while others know him as one of the worlds finest DJ's with International renown, favored by the decadent fashion cognoscenti, the Hip-Hop elite and anyone in general who likes to party... Now add to that list THE PRODUCER DU JOUR! From his stellar production on Christina Aguilera's multi-platinum "Back To Basics" to his cutting edge contributions on the much buzzed about Lilly Allen album "Alright, Still Back To Black" and the genre bending Amy Winehouse release that's taking fans and critics by storm, Mr Mark Ronson is strutting his stuff, and strutting it well.

With all the production credits for other artists under his belt, he's now turned his attention to his own project, Version, the album the UK critics are calling a Major winner. Version is a beautiful collection of cover songs, re-imagined by Mark. His philosophy on Version was to work with songs he's long loved- while not trying to make them better, he just wanted to make them bounce... From the feel good "Valerie" cover (The Zutons) featuring Amy Winehouse, to the quirky and fun "Oh My God" (Kaiser Chiefs) featurung Lily Allen, to the piece de resistance: "Stop Me" (The Smiths), featuring the soul stirring vocals of newcomer Daniel Merriweather, Version is poised to be the must-have album this summer

Track Listing

1. God Put A Smile Upon Your Face (featuring The Daptone Horns)
2. Oh My God (featuring Lily Allen)
3. Stop Me (featuring Daniel Merriweather)
4. Toxic (featuring Tiggers)
5. Valerie (featuring Amy Winehouse)
6. Apply Some Pressure (featuring Paul Smith)
7. Inversion
8. Pretty Green (featuring Santo Gold)
9. . Just (featuring (Phantom Planet)
10. Amy (featuring Kenna)
11. The Only One I Know (featuring Robbie Williams
12. Diversion
13. L.S.F. (featuring Kasabian)
14. Outversion

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #21345 in Music
• Released on: 2007-06-12
• Number of discs: 1
• Format: Explicit Lyrics
• Dimensions: .21 pounds

Amazon.com
Following up his success in helping produce Amy Winehouse's Back to Black, Mark Ronson's second solo project covers a series of mostly British indie-rock songs but with a funky soul remake. The meeting of two styles you ordinarily wouldn't associate with one another makes for some interesting hybrids. The cover of Radiohead's "Just," done with Phantom Planet is unexpectedly excellent but hearing Tiggers and Ol' Dirty Bastard remaking "Toxic" by Britney Spears will probably leave more folks scratching their heads than nodding them. Overall, the balance is positive and should hopefully open up both indie rock and funk fans to both respective genres. In a class by itself is Winehouse's cover of the Zutons' "Valerie," --the best song Paul Weller and Martha Reeves never made. --Oliver Wang

Customer Reviews

He delivers the goods in style.
Mark Ronson's a busy man. He's been producing for Amy Winehouse, Lily Allen and Robbie Williams, yet has still found time to focus on his own studio album.
Comprised of new versions of old classics, it's a very entertaining listen from back to front, featuring the likes of Amy Winehouse, Ol' Dirty Bastard, Daniel Merriweather and Kasabian, all helping Ronson put his considerably fresh and funky twist on familiar tunes.
Highlights include the late ODB rapping to the Britney Spears refix of Toxic, Winehouse making vast improvements on the original with 'Valerie' and Phantom Planet singing an uber cool version of Radiohead's 'Just'.
Impressively suited for a party play through, this is definitely one to pick up for the nearing summer months.
With "Version", super-producer Mark Ronson has set out to prove that pop voyeurism and experimentalism don't have to be bad things using his own unique re-interpretive style.
Hence, he has assembled an album of spectacular cover versions that deliver very alternative versions of modern classics from Coldplay, The Charlatans, Radiohead and The Smiths.
Some listeners will undoubtedly write it off almost instantly as disastrous. Others may take some convincing.
But for many, "Version" is a brave, bold, blast of an album that almost always gets things right.
Ronson, for his part, emerges as a musical artist of the highest calibre -a music innovator whose funk-strewn re-interpretations effortlessly place themselves on the right side of cool.
On the whole, "Version" is a cut above most cover version compilations, as well as a darn fine party album for the approaching summer season. It probably won't impress the die-hard cynics - but for those willing to open their minds, or anyone in search of some expert funk, it delivers the goods in style.
My picks: "God Put A Smile Upon Your Face", "Oh My God", "Valerie", "Pretty Green", "Amy", "Just" and "Toxic".

A tasty smorgasbord!!
Mark Ronson is a UK DJ/producer, and on "Version", he takes other peoples songs, some hits, others obscure, and does his version. The general sound is rich in horns, set to a funky, danceable rhythm, and loads of guest artistes on vocals.

Lead off single, and #2 UK hit "Stop me" is a lovely remake of The Smiths' "Stop me if you think you've heard this one before" which segues into The Supremes' hit "You keep me hanging on" over Hip hop beats. It features the lovely vocals of Australian Daniel Merriweather

Amy Winehouse (whose brilliant "Back to black" album he produced) guests on the sunny Motown-like "Valerie", which was originally done by The Zutons.

Lily Allen (whose lovely album "Alright, Still" he also produced) guests on the retro funk sounding "Oh my God", a remake of the Kaiser Chiefs song.

Britney Spears' hit "Toxic" is slowed down and almost unrecognizable, featuring vocals by Tiggers and a rap by ODB.

The Maximo Park song "Apply some pressure" is given a slight ska feel, set to an almost marching beat. Vocals by Paul Smith.

Kasabian show up on a funky remake of their "L.S.F", while Coldplay's "God put a smile on your face" gets the big horn section treatment.

Robbie Williams (his "Rudebox" album was also produced by Mark) shows up on the Shaft-like remake of The Charlatans "The only one".

I like it!!!

Great album
Surprise package. I had only heard the Radiohead 'Just' cover once before and bought the album on spec. A great eclectic mix with a mix of horns, groove, soul and funk.