???Adding a little grit to today's sugary sweet pop hits, punk, alternative and post-hardcore bands on the rise and rotation are at it again, covering chart-topping songs like "Over My Head (Cable Car)" by The Fray, "Disturbia" by Rihanna and "Smooth" by Santana. Serving up fun new takes that are just as easy to sing along and bob your head to as the original versions, Punk Goes Pop 2 is poised for success and ready to take its spot in heads across the country.
???Pop-punky and post-hardcore act A Day to Remember covers the radio smash "Over my Head" by the Fray. The bouncy grunge melody is as easy to jump into and sing and dance along to as the original pop version. This adaptation includes acoustics at the onset that eventually flow into upbeat metal variations. Even parts of the now-screamed lyrics sound upbeat and leave the feeling of satisfaction that The Fray originally set out to create.
???Pop sensation Rihanna's hit "Disturbia" is covered by the alternative power-pop band The Cab. With dark and electronic effects ushering in their version, soon to be followed by the positively catchy hook "bum bum be-dum bum bum be-dum bum," The Cab take Rihanna's method for success and ran with it. Their take conveys more attractive, relatable sounds than the original pop song and still houses that same "can't help but sing-along" effect.
???American post-hardcore band Escape the Fate covered the great guitarist Carlos Santana's "Smooth". The guitar found here is certainly comparable to Santana's and captures the positive mood from the original. Differently delivered, but lyrically true to Santana's original work, the chorus-filling command "Give me your heart/ Make it real/ Or else forget about it" contains the same deep-rooted emotion we first saw back in '99 and makes this song even more enjoyable.
???Acoustics begin the Omarion hit "Ice Box," covered by alternative rock band There for Tomorrow. Lyrics like "I got this icebox where my heart used to be/ I'm so cold/ I'm so cold" impose chilling and heartbreaking sentiment on the listener. Emotion blows from the speakers in this head-bobbing number and leaves the result of sadness in heartbreak.
???All of the bands found within Punk Goes Pop 2 crank out different, mostly relatable songs that even the avid pop music listener would enjoy. Other tracks covered are "Baby One More Time" and "Toxic" by Britney Spears, as done by August Burns Red and A Static Lullaby, respectively; Silverstein' s take on One Republic's "Apologize;" Sara Bareilles' "Love Song," as done by Four Year Strong; and the Chiodos' re-interpretation of Harvey Danger's "Flagpole Sitta."
???Punk goes pop in edgy, clever ways that leave the listener with the same optimistic emotion derived from the original pop songs. These tracks are as memorable on their own as the original pop hits are.
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
