Deciblog Screamo Cover Elimination Bracket (Sweet 16 con't)

Posted August 26 by nick

Confide, "Such Great Heights"

VS

Escape the Fate, "Smooth"

First thing I'd like to say is that I recently attended the Warped Tour in Toronto (I took my wife, son and a couple of his friends - yeah, that's the ticket...) and saw what may have been these bands live and in the flesh. Folks, I have nothing but fear for the youth of today and the long-term future of our planet. I guess it's a good thing the universe is supposed to implode in 2012, because i'm already sick of sounding like my dad. Anyway... I used to think the Jennifer Aniston hairstyle was pretty sweet, it even made certain certain chicks look hotter than they had any business being. That was until I started seeing "the Aniston" on dudes. Dudes in bands. Dudes in bands headbanging. Dudes in bands headbanging unnecessarily to chugged E strings in dropped tunings. So thanks, Confide, for ruining a perfectly viable women's hairstyle and doing so while "breakdowning" a perfectly mediocre indie rock tune. But, I still declare Confide victorious here because their version of The Postal Service's "Such Great Heights" is a little more palatable than the faux-Nikki Sixx haircuts of the klunkerheads in Escape The Fate who glam-rocked-up a song that should have been dead and buried to begin with. Plus, Confide's drummer's drumkit is an awesome shade of white.

Winner: Confide, "Such Great Heights"

--Kevin Stewart-Panko

Surrender the Dance Floor, "Let's Dance"

VS

The Devil Wears Prada, "Still Fly"

"Screamo band who 'NEEDS A SYNTH PLAYA' (according to their MySpace) covering Lady Gaga" vs. "Christian screamo band covering Big Tymers." Just shoot me. If you don't know the originals, Lady Gaga's "Just Dance" is Ashley Simpson-esque synth-pop that will soundtrack aerobics classes in 30 years. Big Tymers' "Still Fly" is 808/synth hip-hop about being ghetto fabulous. Despite disposable musical shells, these songs have surprising lyrical insight. Too bad it's wasted on white boys from MySpace. Surrender the Dance Floor take the kitchen sink approach: pop-punk riffs, auto-tune-o-rama, some guy growling in back, techno interludes (hello, Attack Attack!), and a breakdown at the end to kick you while you're down. The Devil Wears Prada sound like a record exec's "good idea." Expensive production, screaming/growling/singing (hello, 2004 metalcore!), and a breakdown in the middle to kick you while you're down. StDF win because their cover is shorter. Here we are now, entertain us.

Winner: Surrender the Dance Floor, "Let's Dance"

--Cosmo Lee

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