Replacing the pounding baseline of the original with gravelly blues tones, the Brixton-based musician taps into the melancholy of the original to deliver a heart-breaking track.
Premiered on Complex Magazine, emerging soul/RnB sensation Dan Caplen has unveiled an entrancing rendition of the classic 2004 song “ Blinded by the Lights ” by The Streets. His emergence may have taken some time but it’s been worth the wait. Not before time, this is sumptuous lazy summer soul-jazz punctuated by his bass playing which has all the hallmarks of such greats as Marcus Miller and Stanley Clarke. Having honed his skills, he has taken the step to release under his own name. The chap in question was Freddie Stone, founder of Sly & the Family Stone and it was through his contacts that his career began to gain traction, spending much of the 1980s working in Dorothy Morrison’s band. Having rejected playing the trombone (good move, we reckon), he moved onto bass guitar, not just taking to its charms but studying the styles of the best, one of whom spotted his talent and inspired him yet further. Fortunately, it’s a rule artists like Lawrence Preston are happy to break. There are exceptions but this is very much the rule. Routinely at the back of the stage with their microphone turned down, they might get the odd co-writing credit at a push. Even more than the drummer of the band, bassists really get a bad rap.