From the underground scene to classic Americana, rising talent Temporary Hero takes on Fleetwood Mac’s iconic Tusk with an ambitious reinterpretation of the classic yet polarizing album.
Released in 1979, Tusk is heralded as one of Fleetwood Mac’s most experimental releases. With it’s simpler arrangements and a punk rock influence the album sounded unlike the band’s previous efforts. Created with a budget of a cool $1 million, the album was the most expensive ever recorded upon its release. Comprised of twenty tracks the double album was also one of the most ambitious in the group’s discography.
The album sparked a conversation regarding the evolution of Fleetwood Mac’s sound and remains one of the most polarizing releases of their career.
It also happens to be Temporary Hero’s favorite release of all time…
Temporary Hero is a bright talent who first made a name for himself in underground clubs. Renowned for his electronic pop roots, the artist has been heralded as an “artist’s artist” for his heady appreciation for and appeal to fellow musicians. After landing in the top 20 of Billboard’s Club Chart for his Jason Walker-assisted “WILDJOY,” Temporary Hero effectively began his rise to notoriety.
He followed up with a tribute album to Chet Baker (aptly titled CHET) and is currently working on an album of original material titled Warhol. While recording for Warhol, the artist explains that he was inspired to attempt a cover of “I Know I’m Not Wrong” from Tusk. The intention was to inject the track with a “house-kissed” style complete with tribal drums; however, Temporary Hero struggled to bring things together harmoniously and decided to temporarily set it aside, unsure of when he would return to it.
The allure of Tusk was unavoidable though, and Temporary Hero next found himself drawn to the album’s defining track “Sara.” Fortunately this cover came together and provided the iconic track with a lush and forward moving production. Inspired by his success on the track and consumed by his respect for the track, Temporary Hero recorded an additional eight tracks from Tusk over the course of two days.
After his descent into the classic album, Temporary Hero returned to “I Know I’m Not Wrong” with a new intention that incorporated a live band. “I went for the most traditional approach possible” the artist explained. With the ten tracks completed, Temporary Hero packaged them and released
them as a tribute to the iconic album.
Temporary Hero’s reimagining of Tusk compiles ten tracks from the iconic release, and provides them with an eclectic update. Opening with the fleeting love song “What Makes You Think You’re The One” the album provides each track with a new sense of life. The title track is infused with a sense of longing over the hushed production, and Temporary Hero’s vocals are alluring as he pronounces that his relationship is only temporary with a lover.
“Think About Me” incorporates the sorrowful strings of a cello with some gentle keys, while “That’s All For Everyone” descends into what has been described as a “downtempo/ambient glitch meets country by way of dobro.”
“Sara” remains a standout on the album, as the production strides ever forward, and Temporary Hero’s vocals resonate with pure belief and adoration as he proclaims “Sara, you’re a poet in my heart.”
The compilation closes out with the track that inadvertently started it all, “I Know I’m Not Wrong.” The acoustic track feels like one of the most indie-oriented on the album and allows the album to close out with a powerful effort.
Listen to Temporary Hero’s take on Tusk below!
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Keep up to date with future releases from Temporary Hero by following him on his website as well as on Facebook, Twitter, and SoundCloud.
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