Ultra Mega's Wu-Tang Cover Album No Gimmick

Winnipeg is a "tough town." No, those aren't ironic quotes and J. D. Ormond isn't joking when he says that.

The lanky white frontman for Ultra Mega happens to live in the Canada's "murder capital," according to the Winnipeg Free Press [Maclean's ranks the 'Peg #3]. Given the prairie town's surprisingly violent underbelly (and some of its residents' tendencies to stab AC/DC haters), maybe it's not so ridiculous for Ultra Mega to release a short album of Wu-Tang Clan covers.

The limited release, Black Wu Jackets, is exactly what you would expect a quartet of white indie rockers covering classic gangsta rap to sound like. Twangy electric guitar takes over for classic soul samples, and Ormond's warbling nice guy vocals stand in for the gruff machismo of Method Man, Raekwon, Ghostface, et al. Hearing Ol' Dirty Bastard's 1995 hit "Shimmy Shimmy Ya" reimagined as a waltz is the kind of thing that could bother a dedicated hip-hop fan.

Ultra Mega recorded Black Wu Jackets in one session. It was all done live off the floor with one take per song. Knowing that they're also planning to release a record of original material in 2010 is enough to arouse suspicion. Are Ormond and his crew are just using their Wu covers as a cheap gimmick to drum up publicity for their real album?

"Not a gimmick," says Ormond. "I'll never say a gimmick, because it's not. I like the Wu-Tang too much."

The Black Wu Jackets songs had actually been a part of Ultra Mega sets for years.

"I guess I just kind of started singing their songs along with chords and it just came out naturally. It wasn't a deliberate objective of mine to make a record," Ormond says.

As for street cred, Ultra Mega have played shows with Winnipeg rappers Birdapres and Pip Skid. These appearances received mixed reactions.

Ormond calls it "equal parts people pumping their fists and people standing there in complete disbelief."

Taking the hip-hop out of the Wu-Tang Clan is a pretty interesting experiment. Hearing the lyrics in such an opposite context with completely different delivery isn't only a fun game; it provides a photo negative image of what exactly hip-hop is — by showing clearly what it isn't.

With its hasty production and odd concept, Black Wu Jackets is not going to be anybody's "best of 2009" list. Its real value is in the way it can surprise and confuse.

Black Wu Jackets is a fascinating listen, especially for people who hate the idea of white Canadian indie rockers doing Wu Tang covers.

Here are the tracks on Black Wu Jackets:

"Knuckleheadz"
"C.R.E.A.M."
"Buiscuits"
"Da Mystery Of Chessboxin'"
"Shimmy Shimmy Ya"
"Juicy/Big Poppa"
"Labels"

Check out Ultra Mega's video for "Shimmy Shimmy Ya":