Punk Goes Pop 5 Review

Punk Goes Pop 5

 

The ‘Punk Goes Pop’ album franchise has been one of the most successful covers album in recent days, but more recently fans have seen a dip in quality with the later albums consisting of maybe one or two tolerable tracks, well, I am afraid to say it does not get much better as time goes on.

 

Before receiving the album I asked fans for their verdicts on what they think will be the best track on the album, many said that the ‘Mayday Parade’ cover would be the best and some said ‘Forever The Sickest Kids’

 

Kicking off with Memphis May Fire and their cover of Grenade by Bruno Mars, this track gives a nice gleam of hope for the album, but it is false hope… the track is very well put together and performed but I can’t enjoy listening to it when I know fully well that the album is bound to go downhill from here judging by the track listing.

 

Upon This Dawning are next up with their cover of Call Me Maybe (original I know)… this track has been covered more times than a young emo has been tattooed, so many times that it is becoming boring to listen to no matter who sings it in what style.

 

Next is the track everybody is raving about, Mayday Parade, Somebody That I Used To Know, the original is such a brilliant song so maybe a risky move for the band, but they do pull it off, somewhat. It is a good cover, its one of the better songs on the album, in true Pop Goes Punk fashion where they have one or two tolerable songs but it is still hugely disappointing, it lacks a lot of power that the original has, all in all a mediocre effort.

 

We Came As Romans are next in the line of fire with Glad you Came, which is a very typical PGP track, forced and seemingly unenthusiastic.

 

Four tracks in now and I am very, very disappointed in this album, but I need to battle on I guess.

 

Next up is Like Moths To Flames with Some Nights, which is a step forward in the album thankfully, giving some hope that the album is going to get a bit better from here on in.

 

Oh…. I spoke too soon.

 

Breathe Carolina…. Bille Jean…. Need I say any more? An absolutely atrocious cover, killed the song, killed the album, killed everything. Some songs are best left alone.

 

I am starting to lose all faith in this album franchise by this point now.

 

Forever The Sickest Kids - We Found Love are next up and steal the fucking show! Best track on the album, fantastic cover in every way, really up beat and great to listen to, it doesn’t sound forced and the band seem to really enjoy performing it. Thank god!

 

Issues with Boyfriend next, and the streak of good songs comes to an end, I think it is a toss up between this and Billie Jean for shittest song on the album.

 

Crown The Empire - Payphone, I was really keen to hear this track when I saw the track listing and to be totally fair it isn’t that bad, the chorus is a bit of a shame it lacks power and energy, but not a bad effort at all.

 

The Maine - Girls Just Wanna Have Fun, when I read this in the track list I was very intrigued as to what it would sound like, and now I know…. BAD. They have done a good job to make it sound as different from the original as possible but it just doesn’t work what so ever.

 

Craig Owens - Paradise, this is actually a really good cover, which I guess is bad news for the rest of the album because that’s the two/three good songs all gone now, great vocal and instrumental work and very soothing.

 

The Word Alive - Mercy, What the fuck even is this, I couldn’t tell you. There is just no substance to the song, its just there, its one of those songs that you skip immediately in your I-pod.

 

Secrets - Ass Back Home close off the album, opening with some great vocal work and exploding into energetic scream vocals which work very well. Another great track on the album, which is a bonus. Maybe in future whoever compiles the album together should just put the better ones first.

 

All in all a very disappointing album, I was looking forward to this very much but it has let me down on every level, I think there needs to be more bands and some better tracks for the next one, unless this is the last one (fingers crossed) because if they just keep getting worse then next years just will not be worth it.

 

And just to mention, I have nothing against the bands at all, In fact I am a fan of all of these bands, the song choice is just poor. 

 

Final Riff Rating : R *poor album, poor effort, not even worth pirating let alone downloading*