100 best covers: #89 Rogue Wave “Everyday”

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Like The Raveonettes’ cover of “My boyfriend’s back”, which we saw at number ninety-seven on this list, this cover of “Everyday” by Rogue Wave appears on the soundtrack for the video game, “Stubbs the zombie”. As I mentioned in that other post, I’m the world’s worst gamer and so have never played said game but it sounds compelling, excepting of course, the other problem with it: this blogger is not a huge fan of zombies. In fact, I’m a massive wuss. I used to read all sorts of Stephen King novels and watch any horror flick I could get my hands on when I was a teenager and deep into my twenties. Then, I was indefinitely ruined by “28 days later”, a zombie scenario that almost seemed plausible by comparison and that has set the template for any zombie story that has since followed. I refuse to even watch “Shaun of the dead”, which I hear is hilarious. Nope. I just won’t do it.

But I digress.

The soundtrack for “Stubbs the zombie” is filled with renditions of 50s and 60s classics as covered by hot indie artists of the day. (Check out the rest of the track listing on the Wikipedia page for the game.) For me, this cover of the Buddy Holly standout was the biggest highlight, getting me into a band of whom I had not previously heard. It just feels so different and fresh. A song that is so ingrained in our rock and roll consciousness as Buddy Holly’s original is barely recognizable until frontman, Zach Schwartz starts in on vocals. Instead, it almost sounds like a faithful Smiths cover, all jangle and reverb, resembling a second cousin to “Please please please”, though Schwartz sounds nothing at all like Morrissey.

The original “Everyday” is tap-tappy, like a sped up grandfather clock, rock and roll’s biggest geek, rockabillying his voice and keeping our attention with upbeat chimes. Rogue Wave introduces wave after wave of rolling guitars and a much fuller sound altogether, not quite hiding the tapping rhythms in the back room. It is much more laidback but no less happy.

Which do you prefer?

The cover:

The original:

For the rest of the 100 best covers list, click here.