Scenesters Channel Their Inner Divas On 'Punk Goes Pop 5'

posted in: Music NewsPopRock

It’s that time of the year again: when people take words that others have said and twist them around to fit their own individual message. And no, we don’t mean election season; it’s time for another volume of Punk Goes Pop! In the fifth installment of the popular decade-old Fearless Records compilation, we get a mix of tunes from ’80s classics to contemporary chart-toppers. Here are five of our favorites from the upcoming November 6 release.

Upon This Dawning “ “Call Me Maybe” (Carly Rae Jepsen)

The breakdown-filled version of this past summer’s biggest single is catchy enough to sustain a singalong and heavy enough to launch a pit. Just don’t expect Ms. Jepsen to join in on the latter.

 Mayday Parade “ “Somebody That I Used To Know” feat. Vic Fuentes (Gotye)

Just when you thought that you had heard every possible cover version of Gotye’s runaway indie hit, Mayday Parade come out with yet another, and that’s not a bad thing. The song translates surprisingly well to a pop-punk context, with Pierce The Veil’s Vic Fuentes playing the part of Kimbra.

The Maine “ “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun” (Cyndi Lauper)

The Maine bring out the melancholy yearning that you never thought was lurking underneath the surface of Cyndi Lauper’s bright-as-neon ’80s pop smash. Singer John O’Callaghan slowly drags out Lauper’s verse lyrics only to culminate with a soaring, anthemic chorus.

Breathe Carolina “ “Billie Jean” (Michael Jackson)

Breathe Carolina’s take on Jackson’s classic baby mama drama stays pretty close to the book until the bridge hook hits. Suddenly, guitars explode across the mix, turning it from a standard electro-pop duplication to a searing metalcore romp.

Craig Owens “ “Paradise” (Coldplay)

Chiodos frontman Craig Owens doesn’t drastically reinvent Coldplay’s track, but his own delicate vocal inflection is enough to distinguish it from Chris Martin’s original, which at times can too easily veer towards sleep-inducing.

More like this: