British indie pop band James are beloved by many and have released a fine run of singles over the decades. ‘Come Home’, ‘Sound’ and ‘Getting Away With It’ are arguably among their best, but it’s only really ‘Laid’ and mega-hit ‘Sit Down’ that get heard on radio or in public with any kind of regularity. ‘Sit Down’ has become so overplayed over the years that you might not feel like you ever want to hear it again.
That said, Mancunian nu metal/alt-metal band The Fear have ensured it can be heard afresh with their rather smart cover of the omnipresent track. The core melody remains intact – there seems to be very little that can be changed about its lilting sound without completely wrecking what’s undeniably a great hook – by The Fear add enough of their own twists to make the track sound vigourous again.
Their distinctive tones are present from the off, when a quiet intro presents deep electronica tones against an abrasive rhythm track. Branching out into the expected melody, the main riff holds up well under a metallic crunch, and a dual vocal puts in some hard yards in terms of keeping things melodic. The real clincher here, though, is an unexpected lead guitar riff that latches on to a folk influenced, rather busy sound, countering the crunchier elements with something veering towards a jig. The chorus – as expected at this point – sounds jubilant. The main refrain clings onto an infectious, singalong quality and with the help of a filtered vocal captures the perfect balance between heaviness and melody.
Best of all is the bridge into the last chorus. where the band pull away from the familiar and introduce an insanely heavy riff. By blending sludge fuelled guitar tones with an industrial slant, The Fear prove just how heavy they can be, and the sheer weight of their chosen riff comes through with a speaker-breaking intensity. If you’re not sold on this reworking of ‘Sit Down’ by this point, you never will be, but it’s clear these lads mean business.
Check out the full track below.
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