Shiny & New Turns 2: #13 "I'm On Fire" - Bat for Lashes

"Sometimes it's like someone took a knife / Baby edgy and dull / And cut a six inch valley through / The middle of my soul"

Not until around six months after my very first listen of this song did I learn “I’m On Fire” is not at all a Bat for Lashes song – it’s a Bruce Springsteen cover. Bruce Springsteen!? Moral is don’t underestimate the song writing skills of anyone, even if they’re an ageing dad rock idol. No matter, Natasha Khan’s re-interpretation of the song as an entrancing lament is incredibly superior to the original and gives a far more poignant and moving spin on Springsteen’s lyrics. Khan is an exceptional talent, and we have shared a whirlwind love affair with her since 2006’s Fur and Gold, on which “I’m On Fire” can be found. Not entirely dissimilar at all in style to the rest of the album, the strings carry the emotion of the song while the harpsichord gives a chilling, tense mood.

Bat for Lashes was one of the first acts which really hooked and threw me head first into a whole new world of music, after a couple of years locked in dull and boring indieland. It was in fact the NME which introduced me to the wealth of quality available, and while her follow up in 2008, Two Suns, is more than likely superior, Fur and Gold will always hold a place in my heart for stealing me away and leading me to discover a great deal of other artists who did very interesting things with more than a guitar and drum kit.