Relient K - K Is For Karaoke
Rating
RIYL
Pop punk coversRelease Date
06/28/2011
Label
Mono Vs StereoTracklist
1. Girls Just Want To Have Fun (originally performed by Cyndi Lauper)2. Here Comes My Girl (originally performed by Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers)
3. Baby (originally performed by Justin Bieber)
4. Doctor Worm (originally performed by They Might Be Giants)
5. Crazy (originally performed by Gnarls Barkley)
6. Everybody Wants To Rule The World (originally performed by Tears For Fears)
7. Surf Wax America (originally performed by Weezer)
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I think that after 14 years we can all agree that Relient K knows how to write great music, play great shows, and generally please their fan base. I mean, really, if you don’t know who Relient K is by now, you probably live in a deep, dark hole, and more power to you for missing out on life. I remember seeing them at Cornerstone Festival more times than I can count and don’t recall ever being disappointed. This band has done it all. One thing I cannot recollect this band attempting, though, is an all out cover album. This is an EP, but it does have some lasting effects. Unfortunately it is not the “all out” type of cover album fans may have been hoping for. We’ll have to wait until October for a full length cover album.
Relient K starts off the charade with Cyndi Lauper’s “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun.” Always starting out their albums with a bang, Relient K fills your ear holes immediately with a fun and catchy groove re-made very well with plenty of that good ol’ Relient K sound to keep you listening. Track number two is a legit version of Tom Petty’s “Here Comes My Girl.” Matthew Thiessen is as always on top of his vocal game as he works that winy kind of voice that Tom has perfected.
“Baby,” the song that was arguably the reason for Bieber fever, is the group's next attempt. This is where I start to question what a cover album really is. It seems at this point Relient K has decided to duplicate almost every song left on their album. “Baby” is done so blandly, and with so much noise, that if fans of Relient K want to hear Justin Bieber, they will probably just listen to Justin Bieber. A cover album should be the band’s version of other band’s songs... correct? The album continues with “Doctor Worm” which is the last ounce of Relient K written type music you hear on the album.
“Crazy” by Gnaris Barkley, “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” by Tears for Fears, and “Surf Wax America” by Weezer finish off the album, and if you’ve heard all three of these songs in their original form, then there’s really no reason to listen to Relient K’s versions as they seem to be nearly identical. If you’re a huge lover of Matthew’s voice, beware, because by now you will learn he has the talent to replicate every singer on this album with ease, to the point of it being boring.
Granted, this EP was clearly for fun and enjoyment, but overall it feels very half-assed. That is something that Relient K is not known for in any way. Maybe they should just stick to their own musical creations. The group just announced that in October, they’ll be releasing yet another covers release, this one being a full length album, and that they will also begin working on a new full length of their own material. We'll just consider this a small misstep by a band that's obviously in it for the long haul.
--Paul Sombke
Comments
Sunshine Coast, Australia
if you're chasing a good Cyndi Lauper cover have a look here... http://www.abc.net.au/triplej/live/lav/sessions/s3264995.htm
"If you want something done right, get a fucking Australian band to do it" - Chris Cheney