Our Track Of The Day comes from Sydney’s Tonight Alive. The band have taken Silverchair‘s “Without You” and made it their own, covering it on the Spawn (Again): A Tribute To Silverchair album (released 17th November via UNFD).
Covers can at times be questionable by way of the intentions behind them. A lesser known band performing a Taylor Swift song, for example, comes off as a grab for attention, especially if it is a ‘straight’ rendition of the track without their own flavour. Covers can sometimes come across as two dimensional; with no heart and soul behind the chords and words.
Given that Tonight Alive’s band bio on Facebook refers to the band as ‘conscious rock’, and clarity of intention would be an element of playing music ‘consciously’, I was curious about how they would apply that while handling another artists’ creative expression.
Vocalist Jenna answered my curiosity by opening up about her connection with the song and its album:
“I was hugely inspired by Silverchair’s Diorama as a young teenager. I knew every vocal and musical intricacy of the record and would jam it front to back on the weekends with the previous singer of our band. “Without You” has a special place in my heart for that reason and the full circle of recording our own version of it was a privilege.”
I feel that this personal connection is what gives Tonight Alive’s version of “Without You” its own strength and has it feel like their own creation, as opposed to an ill-fitting borrowed coat. The elements of nature and brightness in the lyrics seem like a perfect fit to the band’s positivity, the feel of “Temple”, and where they’re heading toward 2018.
“Miles Away
There’s hopeless smiles brighter than mine
And I need for you to come and go
Without the truth falling out”
With clarity and heart, Tonight Alive hand us a version of “Without You” that’s moving and open. The more quirky lyrics of the track feel natural with the lighter sound, and the zig-zagging guitar work and eclectic beats of the verses match their tentative yet positive vibes, while still opening up into strong anthemic choruses.
Have a listen via YouTube or Spotify and tell us what you think.
