Rockin' Romance 2 is the second album in what is now an annual release of romantic songs and ballads covered by up and coming alternative artists. The CD has a mix of new and old hits, some of which have been reborn as YouTube pranks and others were once performed by our favorite 90's boy bands.
Cady Groves – God Must Have Spent A Little More Time On You (*NSYNC)
Cady Groves is a small girl with a big voice. Her rendition of God Must've Spent does the once adored boy band justice and brought back a few memories.
Artist vs. Poet – I Believe In A Thing Called Love (The Darkness)
Never having heard anything by The Darkness before I had no idea what to expect. I now not only listen to The Darkness but Artist vs. Poet as well because of how well the band was able to take on the British bands sound but putting on their own twist by adding their signature screams.
Holiday Parade – Slide (Goo Goo Dolls)
After listening to an intense performance by Artist vs. Poet, Holiday Parade slows it down a bit with their cover of Slide. I can only categorize this song as one you can listen to on repeat, preferably when it's sunny outside and you're in an overall happy mood.
Breathe Electric – Never Gonna Give You Up (Rick Astley)
I was nervous when I read that this song was going to be on the album, even if it was going to be covered by the always amazing Grant Harris and Breathe Electric. The only other cover I've heard of this song was by Ashley Tisdale and let's just say I went into a bit of an auto tune coma. This song is proof that this song can be pulled up and be enjoyable for music fans of all ages.
He Is We – Replay (iyaz)
One of the most modern songs covered by album is one that was a little too modified than the artists wanted. Earlier this week in an interview with Rachel of He Is We (full interview to be posted soon) she told us how the track was to be acoustic but when they were sent the track, it was a much more complex song than the band wanted. The song is still a great cover but I do agree that it is a little overdone and would have been better if it was just a stripped down acoustic song.
Jimmy Robbins – When You Say Nothing At All (Allison Krauss)
The song is a little too slow for my taste but the vocals are still strong and it goes in the same category as the Holiday Parade cover.
Go Periscope – You Belong With Me (Taylor Swift)
Someone who has been blowing up pop/country culture for the last two years has been the country darling known as Taylor Swift. The song being covered by a band made up of boys could have been a recipe for disaster, but in all honesty I like the cover more than I like the TSwift original. This song I actually will dance around my room to with a hairbrush a la Taylor in her music video for the original song.
The Scene Aesthetic – Such Great Heights (The Postal Service)
Another cloud-watching-on-a-summer-day song that proves that The Scene Aesthetic should be professionally adorable. Just listening makes you want to sway back and forth subtly and just smile.
City Lights – I'll Never Let You Go (Third Eye Blind)
If I heard this song without knowing of the Third Eye Blind original I would have believed that this was a City Lights song. They take on the song with such confidence that it just radiates from the speakers. One of the most believable songs in the CD by far.
You Me And Everyone We Know – Build Me Up Buttercup (The Foundations)
Normally, Build Me Up Buttercup would be a song I'd only dance to at a father daughter function or a mock sock hop but this version I'd be more than happy to blast in the car when driving on a long road trip or doing some spring cleaning. A reoccurring quality of this CD is it's ability to put people in an extraordinarily good mood.
Plug In Stereo – Your Body Is A Wonderland (John Mayer)
Being someone who isn't a John Mayer fan I was a little skeptical of how this song would sound. I really need to realize that I should trust Rockin' Romance because they turned a song I didn't even like
and made it enjoyable. Plug In Stereo has been a favorite of mine for a while and they really knocked it out of the park with this one.
Rockin' Romance 2 is a must have for your music collection, especially if you're a fan of albums like Punk Goes Crunk, Punk Goes Acoustic, Punk Goes Classic Rock and other albums of the same idea.
Download Rockin' Romance 2 now on iTunes
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