So it's finals week. I do apologize for my blog presence making a rather significant disappearance, by the way- who knew that school would become such a whirlwind? College is like nothing ever experienced before, and something you'll never experience again. Hitting finals week, though, is something that everyone can relate to- that week that blurs into one long, stressful day. It takes some weird things to get through finals week- Dayquil. Monster Energy drinks that you promised yourself you'd never touch. Pretzels. Sweatshirts. Duct tape over the door lock so people can freely come and go to borrow clothes/notes/textbooks. Most importantly, though, finals week takes music, and lots of it. Therefore, in honor of finals week, we're going to talk about the universal music of friendship, Christmas, and college- cover music. Every college band plays covers of Oasis 'Wonderwall'; every Christmas song has been sung by just about everyone who's ever sung in the first place. Friends sit around the coffee table at five in the morning after pulling all-nighters for exams they've been studying for all semester and sing songs from Youtube. Covers are ways to tell someone something that's already been said perfectly and covers are ways of telling stories in your own voice, and nothing is better for the week of regurgitating information than listening to songs sung twice. For everyone who's awake and trying to keep their minds on organic chemistry, here are some of my favorite covers-
FLORENCE AND THE MACHINE- HALO
This is the type of song that was all right the first time around, but only really hit gold in my eyes when it was sung by someone else. It makes me sad, it makes me find beauty in things that aren't real, and it's the perfect song for sitting and studying when you're too upset to focus on what you're reading anyway. So for all those newly single, heartbroken, not-wanting-to-head-home students out there- study hard, and let me see your halo.
FOUR YEAR STRONG- FLY To be completely honest with everyone, Four Year Strong is a total 'bro band'. Guys love them. This is a fact. But as far as covers of nineties rock go, this one is one of the more solid ones I've ever come across- and as a nineties music fanatic, that means a lot. They sing what was completely sugared pop rock in their own, frat house, loud and rather raucous style and make everyone want to sing along.
This one needs no oratory explanation. Simply listen and absorb, and best of luck with all that may come your way.
