Angel Olsen - Total Control (Live on KEXP)

KEXP.ORG presents Angel Olsen performing a cover of The Motels' "Total Control" live in the KEXP studio. Recorded February 18, 2017.
Host: Morgan
Audio Engineer: Kevin Suggs
Cameras: Jim Beckmann, Andy Bokanev & Alaia D'Alessandro
Director: Scott Holpainen
Editor: Jim Beckmann
kexp.org
angelolsen.com

[@kevinjones2268]

I just listened to The Motels version of this song, a live rendition. Holy cow. Angel Olsen nails it entirely. Very beautiful. I've listened to it 3 times in a row today already.

[@Baydzone]

Except Martha doesn't sound like a goat with a shaky vocals when she says I'd sell my soul

[@glorfindel72]

@@Baydzone 😂

[@nemiixvera1911]

the sound is incredible.Angel Olsen an almighty sound, thank you Kexp for sharing this performance, my favourite in this moment of the year.

[@Fullycash]

The perfection.... specially the drums performance. I can't stop listening it every week since years.... thanks Angel and the band! You mean a lot for me

[@annikaholland]

So great. It’s amazing that anyone, anywhere has an appreciation for this song.

[@markanthonyjerrom5987]

Anika I have and will do almost anything for Total Control but I don't think I could bare to sell my Soul again instead I'll bare it with my music and Lyrics . Checkout madboy darker days on youtube and if you have the Soul you'll get me :) Namasta, peace nd Love ❤ Mark aka madboy ❤🙏👌xxx

[@ericpeterson6766]

viva Martha.

[@angelscry4592]

I can't stop listening to this cover, her voice makes it so beautiful and unique

[@lisacolbert5987]

And that they knew how good the outro was and that it deserved to linger for awhile. Angel and her band, doing an epic cover, on the country’s best local radio station…sigh.

[@lisacolbert5987]

Over 4 minutes long.

[@Fullycash]

NOT BEST PERFORMANCE POSSIBLE... THANKS, THANKS, THANKS... AND BILLION THANKS. YOU MADE MY LIFE BETTER. GIANT HUGS FROM SPAIN... YOUR GREAT

[@Fullycash]

This cover... The perfection in every instrument. Perfect improvisation? I will say it till the fucking end of the world... Thanks Angel and musicians..

[@arpeegee_studio]

I've actually discovered this song in a french movie from 2009 'Les derniers jours du monde', meaning 'the last days of the world'..

[@Fullycash]

I do play drums and this drummer performance is so perfect... sincere congratulations.

[@lisacolbert5987]

This outro on Total Control keeps giving.

[@joshliam1967]

That second half when the guitars really take off...oh man. Amazing.

[@frankstared]

Sublime perfection.

[@JoyDivision88]

I was ready to rubbish this before I had even heard it as I loved The Motels and Martha and as it first started I thought nah! But as it went on it really started to grow on me and by the time the outro started I did not want it to finish. Great alternative take on a great song. I'm impressed.

[@ericpeterson6766]

still. Martha.

[@Conordunne17]

She's an Angel alright; voice straight from heaven 😆

[@MrThomyorkey]

This is a perfect song for her to cover.

[@Fullycash]

Pure art.....

[@PsicoUnderground]

Fantastic! Thanks KEXP.

[@perronefran]

Angel is simply amazing! What an artist!!!

[@nikolass83gianni]

BEAUTIFUL & AWESOME ... Big THANKS & LOVE from SERBIA ... 8) ❤ 💙 ♡

[@dwmarch]

I love that smile at 2:35

[@r.r.9098]

who did it?

[@joshliam1967]

She's incredible in so many ways

[@deannayang4225]

Strangely I thought that ruined the tone a bit.

[@diegoanglada8378]

Makes you feel like flying

[@pbainbridge]

Sooooo good. Brilliant.

[@MarkusLegner]

a wonderful rendering

[@kevinmurphy7193]

awsome well done that was amazing

[@youngassassin6069]

Such a great song already in the original version ... Darn, that Jizzmaster looks boss.

[@ElectroAnnie]

How did I not know about this?!

[@trencavelt5186]

in love...

[@marialfabeta]

what a great great cover

[@Fullycash]

PERFECT drum groove, flow, whatever....

[@ulujain]

Love those bangs.

[@chadh.3313]

Awesome song!

[@yam421]

Wouah ! Yes, just Wouah !!!

[@Radiobed]

holy fuck she covered my favorite song to mope around to

[@UncleErnie71]

Like the original was some kind of fucking dance banger?

[@ender4555]

That jam session starting at 3 minutes very well might be my favorite piece of music ever. I've probably listened to it 500 times.

[@furiiousstyles753]

beautiful

[@alfieprice6393]

I love this so much.

[@wjrwolf2012]

A very cool version of the classic Motels song

[@svenklocker8224]

What a finish

[@EXQCmoi]

It is becoming a classic song, but mainly because of that fantastic sax solo. Every cover version has to live up to that. I think they come pretty close.

[@eddieallinson5]

The jam at the end makes up for no sax solo

[@Tungadunger]

Angel Music!

[@toributtle8820]

i love it never gets passsed

[@CalebBeecher]

Dream too sweet

[@bhagyashrishelke9125]

Awsome

[@superdesconocido1651]

Angel Olsen always makes me cry a lot :´c

[@verutschkow]

Such a great song already in the original version ...

[@smqartful]

It's a cover and a damn good one. If you want the sax solo go to the original.

[@unread_virus8371]

Sleep well tonite

[@americanpancakelive]

Love Angel Olsen but no one can do this song like Martha

[@newavalon57]

Cannot wait for Martha Davis to do this at the Queen in De next week!

[@adderon7476]

She's got the fastest scared and concerned switch to total control look on the scene

[@whiteboysushi]

maybe I just need to get my mind outta the gutter (or to be familiar with the original song), but the way she sings "sell my-y soul," I totally misheard it as "sell my assh**e" 😳😂

[@georgewallacer81]

Such a great song already in the original version ... Darn, that Jizzmaster looks boss. Such a great song already in the original version ... Angel Olsen always makes me cry a lot :´c

[@julianhicks8471]

PERFECT drum groove, flow, whatever.... hmmm...i';m getting a 80's Pat Benatar ballad type vibe from this.

[@massimoviggiani3378]

she is out of tune LOL

[@Tokamakcat]

🥰🥰🥰🥰😋😋😋

[@alexbilai]

Roger Chapman's vocal technique?

[@wbm3085]

Haters gonna hate, this is fucking awesome x

[@markanthonyjerrom5987]

Angela I fine rendition of this clasic by The Motels the waver in ur voice is something I'll hold onto its beautiful but what else I couldn't help noticing was the pain in yer eyes and more poignantly ur Soul .I hope ur getting help with that my friend you deserve the peace that only you can achieve. I also suffered with this for life but if you checkout madboy darker days on here I think you'll get that through my Lyrics but f*** maybe it's all part of The universal magic thing. Namasta sweetheart peace nd Love Mark aka madboy ❤🙏x

[@Diego-ji6ep]

minha esposa é top

[@MrJW1994]

Such a great song already in the original version ... Darn, that Jizzmaster looks boss. Such a great song already in the original version ...

[@pymats]

sounded crap at first but got better as it went on, loved it in the end

[@mhstull6737]

this song is about me

[@teresahale7616]

it's cool that she covered this song, but nothing will beat out the motels version.

[@HarperNguyen]

These comments are always so useless

[@Rustsamurai1]

This cover made me drunk on impact.

[@johnsjukebox8638]

Fab.

[@JoeMC7]

I wonder how many people realize just how hard this song must be to sing, like Martha sung it anyways. Angel did very good. Like Dan said, just missing the cigs and sax.

[@tita4ewa]

I agree. It's a surprise cover and totally ambitious. This is sooo well done. aahhhhhh. Total bliss

[@goddess4183]

😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@tita4ewa]

Old fat troll ladies throwing shade at Angel Olsen just makes her look better.

[@wiishopwednesdayrecords2959]

those bangs are a visual "fuck you" to all genders, races, and creeds

[@ItsMcDude]

It's the "I'm 5, and I found the scissors" haircut.

[@elyeskhouja7015]

Mr Robot darkness..

[@square1971]

hmmm...i';m getting a 80's Pat Benatar ballad type vibe from this.

[@Ulissesdf1000]

The Motels.. Martha Davis. Not Pat Benatar.

[@dancharlesworth]

Amazing, but could have used a few more burning cigarettes

[@Iluvbisquits]

What's up with the bleating?

[@tikishark1]

Great cover.... I miss the sax solo though....

[@dentonfabrics]

Great choice for a cover! Good to see the band not wearing those stupid powder blue suits.

[@lisacolbert5987]

I wonder if Martha Davis has heard this ?

[@apaiupokomanu6379]

easy song to sing, original always sound way better. The eighties wasn't easy to thrive your voice. I will always love the motel.

[@morgenlefay]

I like Angel Olsen’s original music enough but have not yet been into any of her covers (and it seems she does a lot of covers)…feels like karaoke, unlike e.g. when Amy Lee sings covers. Angel sounds quite literally like a sheep in the chorus trying to imitate Martha Davis. I have to watch Martha Davis’ Sept. 2021 Burbank live performance of this song to cleanse from this.

[@mountkarate-nunchucka]

Fantastic but should have brought the vocals back in at the end. 9,5/10😂

[@pfoist]

I love that smile at 2:35 sounded crap at first but got better as it went on, loved it in the end Love Angel Olsen but no one can do this song like Martha

[@melthed4306]

fekin elll- looming quaver avalanche anyone??......nearly lost control there...

[@valearmoa2316]

no, dejá nomas. con ese ánimo no das.

[@XarraXonna]

It's pretty good, except she's trying too hard to over do Marth's style and it comes off like she's choking on something. Sorry

[@ronjones1020]

Better than the Motels.

[@strictlynorton]

Ron Jones you know that!

[@SimonRobeyns]

i think she's a bit too stressed, her voice sounds a bit weird

[@goddess4183]

She's trying too hard

[@poortraits]

eh

[@michelrigaud9552]

le chant manque de justesse

[@crystalpowley5815]

She's an Angel alright; voice straight from heaven 😆 Darn, that Jizzmaster looks boss. Amazing, but could have used a few more burning cigarettes

[@svengali61]

Word for word just as good as Martha, but like JC said, lacks the great sax solo...

[@1958dbc]

cough bullshit cough

[@markwildbloodpromos]

No. Way too much overacting on the warble .

[@1958dbc]

wtf was this a elmer fudd imitation?

[@mhstull6737]

control over the price and quality of cocaine maybe?

[@honewaatamokepumipi8135]

Flat

[@MichaelTeniente]

crazy! martha davis gives the song life. what the heck is this? o, a joke. lol...

[@PeterChatteris]

ahhhh no.

[@Baydzone]

I'd se ellll lll sounds like a fucking goat 😂😂😂

[@glorfindel72]

Sorry but this is not a patch on the original. Nice attempt but too forced and no real depth of feeling to Martha's original but you can't expect it to be anywhere near the original songwriters depth of feeling.

[@ItsMcDude]

That bassist has to be bored as fuck this whole song.

[@kevinjones2268]

ItsMcDude the bass is an integral part of this song's composition. It would not be the same without it. I'm sure they love the original too and are happy to be a part of this recodring

[@zygmuntkorobowicz9804]

easy to copy zyggy

[@rayvanwayenburg998]

Too much vibrato. Not enough total control.

[@ed.ramirez]

I think that, it was her intention

[@DasGigPig]

That vibrato she keeps doing annoys the shit out of me

[@GK-rw2op]

Too show and the vocals a bit out of tune

[@Nick-sq14nn]

Not a fan of the vibrato - it spoils what would be a great cover.

[@trapezoidspangle934]

Too much reverb on her voice. Strange arrangement. Weird vibe and I felt like they ‘got lost ‘ but kept going because it was live. The motels doing it live is way better. The Sax solo!!An opportunity missed I reckon.

[@uwelindstaedt1050]

This is far away from the origiinal "Motels" Song - disgusting.

[@jett3975]

That’s what a cover is…