A Bold Reinterpretation: Crooked Teeth – ‘Swing life Away’ Review

Words: Isobel Waugh

Californian pop-punk band Crooked Teeth’s newest single is a bold reinterpretation of Rise Against’s mellow classic ‘Swing Life Away’. The band consists of lead singer Tyson Evans, vocalist/guitarist Emma Oakley, and drummer Jason Hayes. Since releasing their first EP ‘Out Here, a Lone’, the band have set themselves apart with their signature high-energy pop punk sound and performed at festivals like Aftershock alongside alt-rock legends My Chemical Romance.  

Despite being a cover, Crooked Teeth have reinvented ‘Swing Life Away’ as one of their own, taking what is traditionally an acoustic ballad and adapting it seamlessly as an up-beat anthem. If you haven’t heard the track before, I’d recommend you give both the original and Crooked Teeth’s reinterpretation a listen. The track takes an optimistic tone, finding joy in the mundane and exploring what really matters in life- love.   

From the get-go, the track features Jason’s dynamic drumming, making it instantly clear that this is not just a cover but a reinvention. The upbeat rhythm makes it a track one would be hard pressed not to dance to. The lyricism of the track, however, is not lost as the verses slowly build, allowing Tyson’s powerful vocals to draw attention to every line. The catchy chorus is made for screaming along to and showcases the very thing Crooked Teeth do best- satisfyingly spirited anthems! A climactic guitar solo- another staple for Crooked Teeth- truly marks the song as their own, whilst Tyson and Emma’s vocals complement each other perfectly, all making for a truly enjoyable listening experience, before bursting into the chorus for one final time.   

About the cover, Tyson said, ‘This is the song that Jason and I have talked about covering since around the time that he joined the band. He told me that when he was a teenager that there was a school project where like he wanted to cover this song’. The release of ‘Swing Life Away’ marks a full-circle moment for the band, and one they should certainly be proud of.