Fearless Records does it again with its most recent release of "Punk Goes Crunk," another one of its theme compilation albums. This 15-song CD is a collection of hip-hop and rap covers from some of the most prominent up-and-coming "punk" bands in the industry. Albums like this have been released before, all with the "Punk Goes..." title; the 1980s and '90s albums sold to some success, and their two acoustic albums (in which artists play their singles stripped down) are very popular. Of course, these albums are just gimmicks to get a little side cash for the artists and labels. "Punk Goes Crunk," however, may not provide the return that the investors were looking for.
It's hard to tell whether this record takes itself seriously or not. Some of the covers are done very well and can be enjoyable, but others seem like a complete joke. To someone who doesn't know much about rap music, this whole album might sound like a failed attempt to create a new alterna-rap genre, which is currently performed mainstream by bands like Gym Class Heroes. (It's surprising they don't make an appearance on the album.) Some of the songs are recognizable since they infiltrated the mainstream music scene, and most of the time the covers are interesting, putting a different spin on the songs.
The first track is a cover of Lil Jon's "Put Yo Hood Up" by Set Your Goals. Like many of Mr. Jon's songs, it's repetitive and annoying. The song is fodder for many ad-lib "Yeah!" and "Okay!" lines, which are just getting old now.
From there, it only gets worse. Say Anything and its joker frontman Max Bemis cover OI' Dirty Bastard's "Got Your Money," except they over-exaggerate their voices and replace lyrics to include their names in the song. The song was clearly made in jest, and in a really bad way, it's sort of funny.
The Secret Handshake starts to revive things a bit with a cover of "I Wish" by Skee-Lo. Like in its regular songs and singles, the band provides a catchy blend of electronic and alternative sound. Luis Dubuc sings (or raps) with ease, and surprisingly enough, it doesn't sound forced or faked.
Will Smith's smash single from the movie "Men in Black" (1997) has never sounded better. Forever the Sickest Kids, who are quickly taking the pop-punk scene by storm, show their abilities in this cover. It's addictive, hilarious and might bring you back to the days when Will Smith didn't have "to cuss in his rap to sell records."
My American Heart offers a cover of Tupac's "California Love." The song is especially mediocre and utilizes a lot of vocal digitizers and manipulators. It's definitely not worthy of a second listen.
The Maine, another blossoming group in the industry, surprises with a version of Akon's "I Wanna Love You" that is rather enjoyable. The song has the same lyrics as the radio-edited original, but it's done in The Maine's style, producing a very calm rock piece which changes the whole meaning behind the original song.
"Umbrella" by Rihanna is already a debated song, as many people find it ridiculous and just as many enjoy it. All Time Low produces a true rock version, though Rihanna herself does an almost-adequate rock version in her live shows. Again, another up-and-coming band gets to show off its pipes and its versatility.
The rest of the album only gets worse. Scary Kids Scaring Kids covers Notorious B.I.G., and their rapping skills are just too eerily good for a rock band. "Nothing But a G Thang," originally by Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre, is covered by the Escape Frame, and the female vocals put a catchy spin on the song. Lorene Drive gives us a slowed-down, less-fun version of "Hey Ya!" by OutKast, and bands like Hot Rod Circuit and New Found Glory just add to the mediocrity.
