It's been a little quiet on the Vancouver front for NewRockNews43 lately, but Mass Undergoe have decided to change all that with a little cover of a classic song. Fleetwood Mac's "Go Your Own Way" was classic and amazing the first time I heard it: Stevie Nicks' voice was strong and determined, and Mick Fleetwood's guitar was driving and solid.
But that's the original version of the song at this point. Now this classic track gets an alternative update as Mass Undergoe make sure that the guitar chords, still driving and forceful, are filled with post-grunge sneer, and the vocals, still melodic and catchy, are painted over with a pop-punk slick that makes them irresistible. I still listen to Mass Undergoe periodically for some of their tracks like "I Saw You on a Rainy Day" and "This Abundance of Truth" which still rock harder than ever. But while those tracks start of with a post-grunge lick of the bass under David Isbister's alternative-style vocals, "Go Your Own Way" is presented on the backs of catchy guitar chords mixed with smooth pop-punk vocals. While MU didn't write it, every time an artist covers a song, especially one as classic as Fleetwood Mac's "Go Your Own Way" they leave their stamp seared into the flesh of such a brilliant piece. Alan Calimba's palm-mutes lend a certain perplexity to the opening seconds of the song, and the minute that Brandon Lazeby kicks in on the drums and enters with Marino Mestrovic on bass, this version of "Go Your Own Way" is immediately different from the original. And to top it all off, Isbister's voice is just choice when the chorus rolls around: strong, smooth, and full of energy and attitude.
If their own particular musical quirks weren't enough to set their version of the song apart from all others, Mass Undergoe sweeten the pot by throwing in a few more surprises. The dynamic group-vocals during the choruses just make this song irresistible, and are immediately some of my favorite things about this song. But something else seems out of place at first, though it soon makes its way into the line of my favorite new things about this version of the song. Following the second chorus showcasing the vocals of the entire band, Mass Undergoe change it up, dropping the classic rock skeleton of the song and opting for a ska-punk rhythm and vocal set. Lasting less than a minute, this brilliant change-up is one of the greatest new things about this cover; it's catchy and clever, and blasts right back into a post-grunge rhythm that feeds directly into the classic rock sear of the last minute.
And then before I know it, it's over. The only way to describe this song is brilliant. I wish very much that I could find a studio version of it to post here, but the only video on Youtube is a live performance with Mass Undergoe tearing this song up. Don't despair though, the live version is pretty good for the non-professional quality, and the blasting chorus is still clear and powerful. The studio version, meanwhile, is on Mass Undergoe's Myspace page (here http://www.myspace.com/massundergoe), so if I was you, I'd high-tail it over there and check it out. Mass Undergoe have covered "Go Your Own Way" like it's never been covered before, and in their version, the song grows in ways it's never seen. If I was Mick Fleetwood, I'd wanna shake hands with these Mass U guys, because they just made one of the most classic songs in American history all that more amazing.
But that's the original version of the song at this point. Now this classic track gets an alternative update as Mass Undergoe make sure that the guitar chords, still driving and forceful, are filled with post-grunge sneer, and the vocals, still melodic and catchy, are painted over with a pop-punk slick that makes them irresistible. I still listen to Mass Undergoe periodically for some of their tracks like "I Saw You on a Rainy Day" and "This Abundance of Truth" which still rock harder than ever. But while those tracks start of with a post-grunge lick of the bass under David Isbister's alternative-style vocals, "Go Your Own Way" is presented on the backs of catchy guitar chords mixed with smooth pop-punk vocals. While MU didn't write it, every time an artist covers a song, especially one as classic as Fleetwood Mac's "Go Your Own Way" they leave their stamp seared into the flesh of such a brilliant piece. Alan Calimba's palm-mutes lend a certain perplexity to the opening seconds of the song, and the minute that Brandon Lazeby kicks in on the drums and enters with Marino Mestrovic on bass, this version of "Go Your Own Way" is immediately different from the original. And to top it all off, Isbister's voice is just choice when the chorus rolls around: strong, smooth, and full of energy and attitude.
If their own particular musical quirks weren't enough to set their version of the song apart from all others, Mass Undergoe sweeten the pot by throwing in a few more surprises. The dynamic group-vocals during the choruses just make this song irresistible, and are immediately some of my favorite things about this song. But something else seems out of place at first, though it soon makes its way into the line of my favorite new things about this version of the song. Following the second chorus showcasing the vocals of the entire band, Mass Undergoe change it up, dropping the classic rock skeleton of the song and opting for a ska-punk rhythm and vocal set. Lasting less than a minute, this brilliant change-up is one of the greatest new things about this cover; it's catchy and clever, and blasts right back into a post-grunge rhythm that feeds directly into the classic rock sear of the last minute.
And then before I know it, it's over. The only way to describe this song is brilliant. I wish very much that I could find a studio version of it to post here, but the only video on Youtube is a live performance with Mass Undergoe tearing this song up. Don't despair though, the live version is pretty good for the non-professional quality, and the blasting chorus is still clear and powerful. The studio version, meanwhile, is on Mass Undergoe's Myspace page (here http://www.myspace.com/massundergoe), so if I was you, I'd high-tail it over there and check it out. Mass Undergoe have covered "Go Your Own Way" like it's never been covered before, and in their version, the song grows in ways it's never seen. If I was Mick Fleetwood, I'd wanna shake hands with these Mass U guys, because they just made one of the most classic songs in American history all that more amazing.
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