Matt Willis - 'Crash'
I like Matt Willis as a person. Not liking Matt Willis as a person is, I think, probably a bit below 'wanting to lawnmower your neighbour's rabbit' but higher than 'having a highly organised underwear drawer' on the psycho scale. He's charismatic, he's not exactly ugly, he's interesting and he seems to be happy to royally mock himself. Which means he can quite barefacedly contribute a cover song to a Mr Bean soundtrack without a reaction more disturbed than smiling maternally and thinking 'Aw, he's great really'.
I also, as a rule, have found that I like Matt Willis' music. And God bless him, he's doing 'Crash' by The Primitives- it's all about being messed up and out of control which must have been a bit of a no-brainer in some record company office but fits well enough that I can't hold it against him. Matt could, of course, hurtle through the song on a wave of his tongue-hanging-out-the-window-happy-dog self and the lyrics would be describing what he's ACTUALLY LIKE which is really TOTALLY SCREWED-UP but in a way you could still go to the pub with and it's all just good clean binge drinking, isn't it, etc., etc. It would be great, even if no one bought it and the film was rubbish.
Here's the original version, by the Primitives...
Unfortunately, someone seems to have decided that the way to get a good cover out of Matt Willis is to render Matt completely negligable in the process, and make a watery but exact reproduction of the original. Listen to the Primitives, well Matt's version is precisely the same except for his manly imitation of the girl singer, and that pushes me towards colour-coordinating my socks.
Live versions of the song sound like the sort of scrappy romp I'd imagined but the recorded version manages to sound exactly like you might expect for a song from a children's film; carefully walking a line of excitement that never goes over a level dangerous to those who've already consumed six packets of fizzy cola bottles and are downing a litre of cherryade.
(and here's Matt doing it live on YouTube, thanks to LizziB)
Unless I'm wrong, Matt isn't known for his consumption of cherryade and so the whole thing just ends up sounding fake, which is a complete disappointment in something that had so much potential. The song's still good, and if I hadn't known it before it might be worth getting, but this has 'another non-smash' written all over it, because it's really not the kind of thing anyone would rush out and buy. Especially when they could just as well have the Primitives' version out of their parents' CD collection. Watch that live version though, and you can see what the record threw away. Frustrating.
Download: Out now
CD Released: April 16th
(Hazel Robinson)
Comments
Like this song, but not as good as the stuff on his album.
matt is awsome!!
all my friends love his cover of 'crash'
I love his cover of "crash".
Matt Willis is FIT!!
I think Matt Willis is great as a singer, plus he's hot!
Crash is good, but not as good as the songs on his albumn.
Matt's songs are pretty great and i really want him to do well in his career but i think hes not because of his record company! - they are hardly promoting him. Ive not heard his version of Crash once yet, only on his myspace which dosent count. - Surely his video should be playing on tv already! - Mr bean is already out!
so basically Matt needs to get a new label!
... and he Should have released Ex Girlfriend!
'Crash' - much like my opinion of his career.
hey... jus wondering ut why aint this song on his album .. i really like it and think it is stupid that it aint on it :D- cos aint that the reason u buy albums so u dont have to buy the singles?? well yeah!
I think Matt Willis is amazing, Busted were brilliant and Matt is really talented. some people on here are just taking the mick and I'm sure a lot of fans would disagree with you.
His music doesn't sound fake atall, He's a great singer and his backing band are amazing.
i first heard matt willis's song when i went to see the movie Mr.Beans holiday. As soon as i heard it my friend and i where dancing and singing along with it. i LOVE the song. I'ts song is awesome.
Not exactly ugly?
He is a fat faced spotty gimp, look at him ffs
not exactly chiselled is he?
i absolutely love matt willis and i think crash is fab!!!!! i mean whats not to love about the guy?? hes hot as well!!!! i went to see him at newcastle and his performance was stunning! Go Go Matt!!!!! I'll support you all the way!
lots of love your biggest fan
amy xxx
Good review. I wish someone could do a good cover of this song. They all sound the same. That or they are redoing the '95 mix from Dumb & Dumber. I really want to hear a new odd interpretaion of it.