Search - New Found Glory :: From the Screen to Your Stereo 2

It Isn't What It Ain't

Flap Jackson | State Road, NC | 03/27/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I've always loved covers, the takes that artists give to known, old classics. New Found Glory, who I've never really cared for with their other work, now gives a whole cover album, with not just any songs, but songs from movies. Some of the best are covered very finely in this album, and unless you are just so stubborn in love with the originals, you can't help but love them.



"Kiss Me" adds new life to the teen romantic comedy song, that we now have to thank for so many bad ones. This is a rather impressive take on the song, improving some elements, before losing some in the chorus. "It Ain't Me Babe" creates a new genre in the form of punk rock-bluegrass. The song is exactly what its genre suggests, interesting to say the least.



"King of Wishful Thinking" continues the trend of guest spots on the album, with Patrick Stump, but rather than taking over the song, he adds for a rather appropriate background vocal, that makes for a great song, that'd I'd never heard of before this cover. "Stay (I Missed You)" is a cover of Lisa Loeb, featuring, Lisa Loeb! Now, I've never liked Loeb, and she's become sort of a running joke in the music world. But amazingly, she really adds a great element to a cover of her own song, making this another great track for the album



"Lovefool" is great on the verses, but falls short on the chorus, and makes for one of the weaker, but still great, tracks on the album. The classic love song known as "Iris" is also covered rather nicely, with verses by Will Pugh of Cartel. Both verses and chorus alike come off in unexpected amazing ways, that add another level of emotion to the song, making it less sappy than the original radio smash-hit.



The next song, that's French in title is a rather short instrumental, and a useless filler in the album, and even though its the lowlight of the album, it still isn't bad, it just doesn't fit with the rest of the album. "Crazy For You" is another good song that's a duet with Max Beamis of Say Anything, and though the song has could have been better, it's still pretty good.



As the highlights, "Head Over Heels" is an amazing cover of the Tears for Fears classic, that as much updates it, as much as it is a fun pop-punk love song. The last minute of the song also not only takes out the song on a high note, but takes the album off into the sunset of pop-punk greatness.



But wait that's not all, "Don't You Forget About Me" is another great take on a great song, with a little of a hardcore element of the song that works amazingly well, and combined with the stellar vocals, and excellent guitar work, this could be the best cover of the song, period.



And that's not all, "The Promise" which is most famous as the Napoleon Dynamite credits song, is covered to such a perfect degree, it could actually be better than the original with its great verses, and even more amazing chorus. And even though it has an element of pop-punk, it still has an unexpected element of emotion, that really makes this song.



Overall, it may be short, but every moment is pure gold, and makes for one of the best, if not the best pop/punk album of the year. This album is totally unexpected, with its surprise elements of great vocals, amazing emotions, and flat-out incredible guitar playing, you can't help but love, and buy this album."