Punk Goes Pop, Vol. 3

The third installment of Fearless Records' cover series, Punk Goes Pop, Vol. 3 finds yet another crop of post-hardcore and metalcore bands tackling songs from the other end of the radio dial. With a mix of faithful re-creations and radical departures, the compilation covers the full spectrum of covers. On the extreme side of the fence, Miss May I gives Jay-Z's "Run This Town" the heavy metal treatment, while We Came as Romans turn Justin Timberlake's "My Love" into a breakdown-heavy, rave-metal extravaganza. Playing a little closer to the vest, This Century turn in a more atmospheric but otherwise intact version of M.I.A.'s "Paper Planes." The surprise of the album comes by way of Family Force 5's dubstep-touched cover of La Roux's "Bulletproof," which adds a dark, wobbling bassline and a club-ready thump to the synth pop gem. Definitely geared toward fans of the "punk" side of things than the pop, Punk Goes Pop, Vol. 3 is perfect for fans looking to hear their favorite band take on a club hit, or anyone who's ever wondered what an Akon song would sound like with "cookie monster" vocals. ~ Gregory Heaney