If you’re a singer-songwriter coming into the industry post-1997, then you’d probably count Jeff Buckley as one of your key influences. The late musician burned brightly for the brief time he was on this earth with his album Grace, in turn inspiring many artists to come. That includes rising British star Elmiene, who becomes the latest to cover Buckley’s best-known song “Lover, You Should’ve Come Over.”
“Lover, You Should’ve Come Over” is a beautifully heartbroken song about love, regret and the ache of absence when a breakup is still fresh. Elmiene captures the song’s folk roots with a sparse arrangement that relies heavily on guitar. The rueful notes capture the folk of it all but also lend a bit of soul to the proceedings as well. It’s a perfect setup for the singer’s more R&B take on the song, including his lush, layered harmonies and embellishments.
Elmiene has also made a video to go along with his remake. Filmed in black and white, it starts with him paying tribute to Buckley with a few kind words. “There’s something really profound about those artists that come and just kind of grace us with this madness for a bit and then leave,” he says. “It kind of puts them on a status that’s above.” That then leads us into a performance of the song that is sincere and touching, with Elmiene and a handful of musicians creating a magical moment with a timeless piece of music.
If there’s any artist in this current generation equipped enough to pick up where Jeff Buckley left off, it’s probably Elmiene. His take on “Lover, You Should’ve Come Over” along with his original songs like “Marking My Time” prove just that. Listen to his cover of the song right here and then head below to watch the video.
