The Resignators have been skanking across Australia for two decades now, and I have failed to engage with their music at every turn. They released an album back in November that I initially intended to review, but instead, I got overwhelmed with school for the month and didn’t review any new music- or even listen to any new music and by the time my schedule cleared, I forgot about The Resignators album altogether (and I still haven’t listened to it yet, but that will change as soon as I finish writing this).
On February 6, I got an alert that the Resignators had released a new song. The title seemed familiar, “Sugar High”. Sure, it’s a Chappell Roan, and I am very vaguely aware of it, but as I’m nearly 50, my first thought was Empire Records, and my answer to the question, “What is your favorite song from a fictional TV band.” But the Resignators wouldn’t release a cover song as a single on streaming, would they? Well, to my excitement and shock, the answer to that question was a resounding “Yes, yes they would”.
First, I have to say, while I really enjoyed the original in the 90s, I’m glad they did so much to make it their own. Some covers work best when they don’t occupy the same space as the original, and this is definitely a very different take. The version from the movie Empire Records is different from the original, yet, for some reason, the original appeared on the soundtrack, as opposed to the version from the film. The Resignator cover is inspired by the film version.
The Resignators’ version begins with a blast from the horn section and a powerful intro that feels like something straight off a Reel Big Fish album; the guitars on this track are sped way up to set a pace the original doesn’t compete with. In the original track, it felt like the vocals were driving the song forward while the music dragged the pace down. The sugar high, so to speak, was vocally driven. In this version, the vocals are at the same pace as the original, but the music is driving much faster and more energetic. The real highlight of this track is Stacy Kilpatrick covering the backing vocals that Zellweger had in the movie, adding so much more than the original song had, plus, Kilpatrick sings the final verse in Spanish, which adds another great vibe to the song. It’s fast-paced, ska punk with an amazingly talented horn section (you’ll love the solo in this track), great guitars and drums throughout the track, outstanding vocals from the lead and backing, and a really fun song that you are probably already familiar with. If you’re like me and have been sleeping on The Resignators, it’s time to wake the fuck up and get a Sugar High, and once you’ve discovered how much you love this cover, go check out their back catalog!
Written by Gimp Leg
