What’s this? It’s a pop song BATTLE! With a twist. Instead of only two artists squaring off over the same song, like we did last time with “See You Again” by Miley Cyrus, we’ve got four different artists and five different versions of the same song this time around. It’s a Royal Rumble! Our song: the post-punk goth classic “A Forest”. Our competitors: The Cure (original composers of our contended song), Bat For Lashes (art school student turned rock chanteuse), Nouvelle Vague (Bossa nova cover version maestros), Toadies (composers of ’90s alternative hit “Possum Kingdom”), and The Cure (again, you’ll see). How did we get here, and where are we going?

Well, the Bat For Lashes version of the song (from an upcoming Cure compilation titled Perfect As Cats: a tribute to The Cure) was burning up the Elbo.ws charts recently, and for good reason. The track is a very well done cover. But it got me thinking… why hasn’t anyone caught on to the other killer version of this song that’s out there this year? You know, the one by Toadies that’s included on their 2008 album No Deliverance when purchased on iTunes. Oh! Wait, I guess that’s the reason. Gotta buy it on iTunes, and they’ve got “protection” on it and whatnot. Hm. Still, I wonder which version is the “better” version? And what of the other three versions of the song that are in my music library? Which one is the best of them all?!?

There’s only one way to find out: put the five versions in a cage together and make ‘em duke it out. Five enter, one exits. A cage match Royal Rumble!

First up is The Cure: the OGs of our contended song. When “A Forest” was written and recorded in 1980, The Cure were a very young band setting out to make their second LP. Their task at hand was to follow up a fairly successful and well-realized debut, and the band did so by truly finding themselves on their sophomore effort Seventeen Seconds. Here the sounds were less punk infused and more texturally atmospheric and haunting. Listening to the album, one can almost hear the collective self-realization as The Cure becomes The Cure. At no point is this more obvious than on the standout track from the album, “A Forest”.

The lyrics to “A Forest” paint an illusory mental image of a man looking for a girl in a forest. He hears her, chases her, finds her? But no. She’s not there. And it’s not really about the words here so much as it is about setting the scene with a phantasmal tone so as to let the grey sky pop perfection of “A Forest” thrive and evolve. Positioned as the seventh track, the song stands out in stark contrast to the other nine songs as the upbeat focal point of the album. Once the dense aural haze of the first minute passes, “A Forest” launches into rhythm section nirvana with Lol Tolhurst anchoring one of the top grooves this side of New Wave perfection. The song is one of the best from a legendary band; which, might explain why it’s so much fun to cover.

Listen: “A Forest” by The Cure

Buy Seventeen Seconds on Amazon.

Next up, wearing the red trunks with pink tights, gold sequined headband, and peacock feather adornment (and conveniently already positioned within a boxing/wrestling ring) is Natasha Khan, aka Bat For Lashes. Natasha’s songs already fit someplace in between Tori Amos, Kate Bush, and Siouxsie Sioux, so it’s not at all a surprise that she might cover a song by The Cure. With such a solid bass part, ample room to stretch out atmospherics, and a highly malleable melody, “A Forest” is potentially a perfect fit with Bat for Lashes.

This version of “A Forest” builds slowly, like the original. But rather than build towards the vocals, we’re greeted by lyrics from the first note of the song with Khan’s voice more forward in the mix than Smith’s ever was in the original. Percussion enters after the second measure and the remaining instrumentation comes in two measures after that. Echoes and effects help spice up what could be an otherwise boring take on “A Forest,” if not for the fact that the song is far too strong to wilt under the pressure of an uninspired cover version. Which is kind of what this version appears to be until it finally picks up steam at the 2:28 mark as the climax collapses brilliantly into a drum break that then gives way to Arcade Fire slash Rosebuds slash cheerleader-esque “Hey! Hey! Hey!” moments. By the time the song is over, all things considered, Bat for Lashes has come up with a very fine cover.

Listen: “A Forest” by Bat For Lashes

More about the album Perfect As Cats: a tribute to The Cure HERE.

Next up, Nouvelle Vague. Those goofy French dudes (Marc Collin and Olivier Libaux) who cover New Wave and post-punk classics by rearranging them into Bossa nova versions (bossa nova meaning “new wave” or “new beat” in Portuguese (wicked meta, eh?)) and asking a rotating cast of sultry lady singers to captain the microphone. Generally, they’re able to put a fun spin on the songs they cover… the music tends to end up being something you’d listen to a few times, perhaps as background music when the right friends come over for drinks or when you’ve asked the cute indie-rock dude from the show back to your apartment after a great night out at McCarren Pool.

However, here the Bossa nova duo step all over themselves with heavy-handed bird chirps and forest sound effects that never cease. To call these noises annoying would be an understatement. They ruin the song and turn an otherwise decent (and different) take on “A Forest” into something you’re bound to listen to only once. If that.

Listen: “A Forest” by Nouvelle Vague

Buy the album Nouvelle Vague HERE.

And now… Toadies! What? Toadies?? As in, “Doooo you wanna die?!!” Yes! TOADIES. They’re back, thanks largely to the inevitable ’90s nostalgia phase we’re knee deep in, along with a little help from Guitar Hero II and a brand new album in 2008. Even though this band was never more than a one-hit success in the ’90s, they’re a pretty decent selection to cover a song like “A Forest.” Again, this song is so rhythm section heavy and malleable that it pretty much begs to be stretched out and shifted and rocked a little bit.

Toadies begin with the faithful ‘Forest’ guitar melody before building chugging guitar riffs upon themselves again and again (and again). A perfect tropical storm of distortion heavy pop: this version stays true to the original, but is so overtly guitar heavy that it’s difficult to not consider how seriously it must slay in concert. By the time Todd Lewis hits the “again and again and again and again and again…” point in the lyrics, Toadies have reached hurricane force. Swirling into a break that becomes a strutting instrumental climax and collapse. The strength of this band was always their muscular song structure that hit like thunder but felt right as rain. Toadies version of “A Forest” is just that. Highly recommended.

Listen: “A Forest” by Toadies

Buy the album No Deliverance HERE.

Once again, ladies and gentlemen, performing a remix -slash- cover version of their own song… The Cure!

Here we’ve got an entirely different take on “A Forest” from The Cure’s 1990 remix album Mixed Up. The parts are all separated with a wide variety of delays and effects creating layers of atmosphere that are absent in the original. Here the vocals are given ample spacing and the guitar, bass, and organ parts swirl around and around between miniature solos and breakdowns. As a remix, it’s actually highly successful given that it does what any great remix should do: it turns the original inside-out and reveals all manner of potential and bits and pieces only hinted at on Seventeen Seconds. In my opinion, this is one of the highlights of Mixed Up, marred only by the impotent ten second fade that closes out this otherwise great version of “A Forest”.

Listen: “A Forest” (Tree Mix) by The Cure

Buy the album Mixed Up HERE.

VERDICT: Here’s the thing: I really wanted to pick something other than the original version as the “best” or “winner” of our Cage Match. But thinking about it honestly, Nouvelle Vague’s version doesn’t stand a chance. Bat For Lashes and Toadies have created a yin to each other’s yang with their versions… both are equally excellent, but not quite perfect. The revised version by The Cure - “A Forest” (Tree Mix) - is also excellent. And because I heard it before I ever heard the original, it nearly took top honors here. However, when compared side by side with the original version of “A Forest” from Seventeen Seconds, well, it’s just not nearly as complete. Not perfect. And let’s face it, to out-Cure The Cure by covering a song they wrote at the peak of their abilities you’re going to have to be perfect. Only one version of “A Forest” is that: the original.

*photo credits: cage match pic from HERE, top Cure pic from HERE, Bat For Lashes pic from HERE, Nouvelle Vague from HERE, Toadies from HERE, second Cure pic from HERE.
**I swear the next Cage Match will deliver a challenger more up to the task of bettering the original song. Next time! Stay tuned.