In any case, this entry is about the Punk Goes... series. In 2000, Fearless Records started this series of compilation albums wherein present-day punk (or punk-derivative) rock bands cover artists of a certain featured genre (like metal, 90's, etc.). Now almost 11 years old, Fearless has racked up an exceptional discography through Punk Goes....
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
#1 - Punk Goes Metal (2000)
In my opinion, Punk Goes Metal is the most "punk" album of the set. Composed by the lesser-known names of punk rock (like Bigwig, Guttermouth and Ten Foot Pole), the CD delivers a heavy sound. True, there's one or two pop-punk renditions ("I Remember You"), but the majority of the album is punk metal showing their metal side ("Bark at the Moon"). And it also shows that metal sometimes has a punk side, too; Swindle does this for Skid Row.
"Youth Gone Wild (Skid Row Cover)" by Swindle
Listen to the original here.
#2 - Punk Goes Pop (2002)
The second installment, Punk Goes Pop, takes the chart-topping pop hits of days old (the 90's) and turns the buzz up to 11. Some bigger (or soon-to-be bigger) names are invited this time, including Yellowcard and Thrice. Nevertheless, Fearless does a good job at keeping enough originality in there to make all 17 songs listenable at least once through. My favorite is the opening: Dynamite Boy's take on a BSB classic.
"I Want It That Way (Backstreet Boys Cover)" by Dynamite Boy
Listen to the original here.
#3 - Punk Goes Acoustic (2003)
This is the first album of the series to not be dedicated to covers. In Punk Goes Acoustic, punk and pop-punk artists strip down the sound to their acoustics, while still keeping the emotion in their vocals. Some of the songs are acoustic versions of previously released tracks (like "Memory" and "Cute Without the 'E' (Cut From the Team)"), but most of them are originals. This song by Rise Against is one such original which was re-released for their 2004 album Siren Song of the Counter Culture.
"Swing Life Away (Acoustic)" by Rise Against
Listen to the re-release here.
#4 - Punk Goes 80's (2005)
Two years passed until the next CD: Punk Goes 80's. When you think 80's, you think synthpop and New Wave (a.k.a. "Video Killed the Radio Star"), and that's exactly what this album delivers. At this point, the contributing artists are mostly up-and-coming alternative and pop-punk acts (Relient K, Rufio, Motion City Soundtrack...), but that just makes it all the more enjoyable. The new guys mash their creativity with the every-which-way approach of the old to make every song their own. Case in point: Gatsby's American Dream slowing down the tempo just a bit, thus opening up a world of opportunity for improving upon this Cure masterpiece.
"Just Like Heaven (The Cure Cover)" by Gatsby's American Dream
Listen to the original here.
#5 - Punk Goes 90's (2006)
Of course this one would follow. When you think 90's, you think grunge and the rising popularity of alt-rock in the mainstream ("In Bloom"), and that's what Punk Goes 90's concerns itself with. For most of the new guys, this isn't new territory since they grew up imitating this music. But they still manage to give the oldies a new and enjoyable spin (like "Wonderwall" and "You Oughta Know"). The song which most "out there" and still received my personal nod of approval was this R.E.M. staple redone by Scary Kids Scaring Kids.
"Losing My Religion (R.E.M. Cover)" by Scary Kids Scaring Kids
Listen to the original here.
#6 - Punk Goes Acoustic 2 (2007)
Taking a break from covers, Fearless releases Punk Goes Acoustic 2. Like PGA released four years prior, PGA2 swaps out the electrics for the classicals. The ratio of previously released to original songs is greater in this issue, and the roster is significantly more mainstream (+44, Say Anything and All Time Low to name a few). The songs are still great, like this one by The All-American Rejects, but it's not necessarily a positive trend for Fearless.
"Night Drive (Acoustic)" by The All-American Rejects
Listen to the original here.
#7 - Punk Goes Crunk (2008)
It's no-holds-barred for the next album, Punk Goes Crunk. Up to this point, all the Punk Goes... releases have been rock-based, but the game changes when old school hip-hop and current club jams are brought into the picture. This is definitely the most interesting of the series, and with the growing prominence of metalcore at the time (and even now) no one song sounds like another in essence. You've got the comical ("Got Your Money"), the dancable ("Hey Ya") and the unique ("Still Fly"). My favorite is the closing by New Found Glory. I tried to play this version of Arrested Development's first single some time ago at an open mic, but I couldn't learn it in time (and I haven't practiced since =/ ).
"Tenneessee (Arrested Development Cover)" by New Found Glory
Listen to the original here.
#8 - Pop Goes Pop 2 (2009)
Fearless revists pop, this time with less success. Pop Goes Pop 2 is my least favorite of the bunch, both in the song and the recording artist selection. Most of the songs are from the late 90's and early 00's and they haven't had enough time to mature into the "get-stuck-in-everybody's-head" or "everyboy-should-know-this-one-verbatum" categories yet. I mean, I like the inclusion of "Flagpole Sitta" and "Apologize," but their renditions are either too weird (former) or too bland (latter). And the invited artists are mostly metalcore, and the cookie-cutter type at that (at least for that year). Bayside does an great job on Sean Kingston's hit, but for a pop album I was kinda expecting more.
"Beautiful Girls (Sean Kingston Cover)" by Bayside
Listen to the original here.
#9 - Punk Goes Classic Rock (2010)
Punk Goes Classic Rock still follows in Fearless's progression of making a once DIY-esque series into a mainstream money-maker. However, the music ain't that bad. If you can get past the pre-pubescent wails that plague half the album (like "More Than a Feeling," "Rock and Roll All Nite" and "(Don't Fear) The Reaper"), then you'll find the real jems of new acts embracing the music of their parents and grandparents ("Caught Up in You," "All Along the Watchtower" and "Take Me Home Tonight"). But as I See Stars proves with their Outfield cover, there's no escaping the unclean vocals...
"Your Love (The Outfield Cover)" by I See Stars
Listen to the original here.
#10 - Punk Goes Pop 3 (2010)
I guess Fearless got the hint. Punk Goes Pop 3 is waaaaaaaay more pop than the last one. However, the punk is definitely gone. It seems like every odd-numbered song on the tracklist is pop-punk and every even-numbered song is metalcore. I mean, they have PR so they should know what they're doing. I assume in these later releases Fearless Records is targeting the Generation Z Warped Tour youth, but I'm Gen Y wishing I was Gen X (and Gen X). The one song I could sit through was Sparks the Rescue's take on Lady Antebellum's sorrowful serenade (Track #13 of 14).
"Need You Now (Lady Antebellum Cover)" by Sparks the Rescue
Listen to the original here.
#11 - Punk Goes X (2011)
The most recent addition is actually a compilation of the compilation albums. Punk Goes X features songs from previous albums that were used during the 2011 Winter X Games. And like any good "Greatest Hits" album, the record company has to give even the die-hard fans extra incentive to buy a CD of songs they already own. That's why two of the 11 songs are new (mountain-themed) recordings: one Ozzy Osbourne track by The Word Alive and one Jane's Addiction single by Sparks the Rescue.
"Over the Mountain (Ozzy Obourne Cover)" by The Word Alive
Listen to the original here.
"Mountain Song (Jane's Addiction Cover)" by Sparks the Rescue
Listen to the original here.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
That was longer than expected! But fun nonetheless. 'Til next time!
Comin' round the mountain,
Kelvin
No comments:
Post a Comment