The year-end list season is in full-swing, and Pitchfork has weighed in with its top 50 albums of the year. At the top is a band I’d never caught wind of … Sweden’s “The Knife” and their record Silent Shout. Despite not having heard their album, it turns out I am a huge fan of one of their songs – they’re responsible for writing “Heartbeats,” the song that Jose Gonzalez covered and later found its way into a stunningly beautiful Sony commercial (see it here).

I am an admitted cover lover, and all parties – original artist and coverer – deserve commendation for this effort. The versions function somewhat as mirrors; Gonzalez’s tune warms up the synth-y/dance-y original, yet The Knife manage to make sentimentality seem less sappy/more confident than the usual heart-on-sleeve offerings.

Click to view The Knife’s “Heartbeats” video … and look for the subtle but peculiar similarities between it and the Sony commercial featuring Gonzalez’s version:
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