I’ll be honest, I didn’t see this one coming, but I’m sure not complaining.
Up-and-coming Texas country rocker Austin Upchurch and his band teamed up with early 2000s pop-punk outfit Bowling for Soup to deliver an angst-filled rendition of their 2004 hit “Almost,” and hit streaming platforms this past Friday.
Originally released on the Wichita Falls, TX band’s iconic sixth album A Hangover You Don’t Deserve, which also included mega-hit “1985,” “Almost” is one of those songs that everyone loves, whether they admit or not. And deservingly so.
Written by Butch Walker and BFS lead singer Jaret Reddick, the song boasts deceivingly clever lyricism and an absurdly catchy melody that makes it difficult not to sing along.
The story follows a presumably teenage protagonist reminiscing on all of the “almosts” in his young life as he thinks about the girl he almost had.
There is a pretty funny music video that accompanies “Almost” as well.
Fast forward almost 20 years, and up and coming Godley, TX artist Austin Upchurch has teamed up with his Lonestar State counterparts, Bowling for Soup, to release a reimagined version of one of the soundtracks to his childhood.
And it might be the coolest collaboration of the year. Checkout their version of “Almost” here:
I’ve been saying it for quite some time, Austin Upchurch is a name you need to know.
Aside from his sick cover of “Almost,” Upchurch has several spectacular originals under his belt as well.
Here are some of my favorites.
“Honey” – Breakdown (2020)
“Somebody” – Sometimes the Sun Hurts Me EP (2022)
“Rain Coming Down” – Breakdown (2020)
“Falling Out” (2021)