Richmond melodic post-hardcore quartet Conditions have just released a brand new cover of U2’s “With Or Without You,” and it’s kind of amazing. For starters, you have to give them props for sheer audacity–it takes guts to step out with a cover of the best-known song from one of the biggest rock albums of the 80s. However, Conditions pull off the track in fine fashion, rendering a faithful cover version that nonetheless puts their personal stamp on the song, mainly through singer Brandon Roundtree’s excellent vocal performance.
Richmond melodic post-hardcore quartet Conditions have just released a brand new cover of U2’s “With Or Without You,” and it’s kind of amazing. For starters, you have to give them props for sheer audacity–it takes guts to step out with a cover of the best-known song from one of the biggest rock albums of the 80s. However, Conditions pull off the track in fine fashion, rendering a faithful cover version that nonetheless puts their personal stamp on the song, mainly through singer Brandon Roundtree’s excellent vocal performance. Having set their minds on doing a cover, guitarist Alex Howard explains the thought process that led the band to approach such an all-time classic song: “When we were talking about songs we all love, we kept looking back at some of the classics rather than recent music. ‘With Or Without You’ is one of the best songs ever written. We wanted to try our hand at something that helped shape all of us as musicians and music lovers.” They sure set themselves a challenge by doing so, but we think they rose to the occasion quite well. Decide for yourself by listening below (and if you dig it, grab yourself a copy from iTunes):
Conditions released their second album, Full Of War, earlier this year, and while they’ve been playing some dates locally and around the Northeast since it came out, they haven’t headed out on a full-scale tour until now. They kick off a full US tour accompanying You Me At Six, Cute Is What We Aim For, Tonight Alive, and Dinosaur Pile-Up tonight in Dallas TX. The tour will eventually work its way around to Virginia in October, and while it won’t hit Richmond, local fans will have the opportunity to catch Conditions at Springfield’s Empire (f.k.a. Jaxx) on Saturday, October 19. Tickets are $16 in advance, and can be ordered HERE. If you haven’t picked up Full Of War yet, you can still grab it on CD HERE or on iTunes HERE. And while you’re at it, check out this gorgeous acoustic version of “Open Eyes,” the album’s first single, released earlier this month:
