Every once in a while, I come across an outstanding Springsteen cover by an artist about whom I can’t find a single darn thing. Drives me nuts. It doesn’t leave me with much to say, so I almost always take a pass.
But I’m going to make an exception today, because Brisbane-based (hey, I did find a single darn thing!) Oliver Keys’ live-loop version of “State Trooper” is absolutely fantastic. You’re going to want to put headphones on for full effect.
“State Trooper” lends itself so well to a live loop treatment that it’s amazing we haven’t seen it covered like this until now.
Keys’ rhythmic percussion evokes the white lines of the New Jersey Turnpike, his vocals capture the strained paranoia of Bruce’s narrator, and that guitar solo…. just perfect. Keys gives the song more time to breathe than it gets on Nebraska, and he makes good use of the extra oxygen.
I wish I knew more about the artist, but I’ll at least be watching for more of his releases. This is my new favorite cover of “State Trooper.”
