Sara Melson’s cover of the Rolling Stones’ “No Expectations” captures much of the spirit of the original. It’s immersive, lolling ahead in a haze of distortion, and its moody piano sets the piece’s tone exceptionally well. What’s new is the purity of production — no longer confined to the archaic equipment of decades ago, the song fills the auditory cracks even better than the original, lending the piece a quaintly rustic feel. Less a purely original cover than a faithful revision, “No Expectations” shines mutely, a triumph of melancholy.
“To me, the most achingly bittersweet condition of life is the passage of time,” says Melson. “People, places, experiences, and relationships that once seemed so fundamental fade into memories in our minds. To recall them is at once heartbreaking and beautiful.”
“‘I got no expectations to pass through here again; is a powerful reminder that we’ll never repeat any one day, that each day is ‘here, and then it’s gone,’” she continues. “The past is past, and the future is an unknown.”
Safe and Sound releases September 9th via Tone Tree.