Album Review: Various Artists - 'Punk Goes 90's Vol. 2'

Punk has gone 90's again in the series that just won't die, despite the fact that it produces more crap than gold. This time around, majority of the bands have decided to be as least inventive as possible, sticking to the original songs like a road map.

Get Scared win the event, barely, with the opening track by "punkifying" Lit's alternative rock gem 'My Own Worst Enemy', speeding up the verses and giving the chorus lines a breakdown effect. As with most covers however, the goodness just identifies how great the original song really is.

The record then proceeds to sound like an evening at the pub with sub-par cover bands, Asking Alexandria replicate to the nth degree all that they can on Nine Inch Nails' 'Closer', offering nothing, seriously why would we waste our time with this version when we could just listen to the brilliance of the original? They have done absolutely nothing with the song at all, the best we can hope for is young AA fans discovering NIN.

The same can be said about The Color Morale's take on the Foo Fighters' 'Everlong', which starts out as the acoustic version then turns into the usual rendition, the only exception being the inclusion of an electronic beat in the breakdown. Slow down you pioneers.

Chunk! No, Captain, Chunk! offer up a breakdown filled version of Smashmouth's 'All Star', which is pretty fun, and funny, before Mayday Parade get a golf clap for making the chorus lines in Bush's 'Comedown' soft instead of heavy. Locals Hands Like Houses keep it local with Imbruglia's 'Torn', a better 90's Australian song could have been picked but the group do well to give it an alt. rock makeover.

The worst thing, that has possibly ever happened in musical history, is saved for the end, when Falling In Reverse attempt 'Gangsta's Paradise' but end up sounding like an un-funny Weird Al Yankovic. Seriously listen to this song and gawk at how horribly, horribly shit everything about it is.

Punk Goes 90's Vol. 2 will probably go down as the least inventive of the series as the bands have barely attempted any sense of originality (that works) at all. Cover bands make more money than originals though, right?

1. Get Scared – “My Own Worst Enemy” (originally performed by Lit)
2. Memphis May Fire – “Interstate Love Song” (originally performed by Stone Temple Pilots)
3. Asking Alexandria – “Closer” (originally performed by Nine Inch Nails)
4. The Color Morale – “Everlong” (originally performed by Foo Fighters)
5. Chunk! No, Captain Chunk! – “All Star” (originally performed by Smash Mouth)
6. Mayday Parade – “Comedown” (originally performed by Bush)
7. Motionless In White – “Du Hast” (originally performed by Ramstein)
8. Yellowcard – “Today” (originally performed by Smashing Pumpkins)
9. Hands Like Houses – “Torn” (originally performed by Natalie Imbruglia)
10. The Ghost Inside – “Southtown” (originally performed by P.O.D.)
11. Falling In Reverse – “Gangsta’s Paradise” (originally performed by Coolio)
12. Ice Nine Kills – “Good Riddance (Time Of Your Life)” (originally performed by Green Day)