If the name Sick Puppies looks familiar to you, you’re either part of their massive international fanbase or a recovering emo kid who came to know them from their breakout 2007 hit “All the Same.” It was a track that dug deep into that generation with its powerful lyrics and presence, and people began to really take notice of the group as a result.
For some, however, it truly was just a phase and the music they latched onto stayed in the past — for Sick Puppies, they took the freedom of a smash hit to evolve and grow as a band, and they’ve maintained a steady release schedule and growth in popularity ever since. You’re late to the party, but Sick Puppies aren’t mad — they’re the ones with the gift for you.
As Sick Puppies have been hard at work on their newest still-untitled record, their seventh in twenty years, they managed to sneak in a surprise for fans old and new: a reimagining of “Ready Steady Go,” a Paul Oakenfold track some might know hailing from the early ’00s, about the time the band was first starting. Ditching the dated electronic club pulse for something far more rock-and-drums-driven, Sick Puppies put their spin on an old club anthem the best way they know how. It’s hard, fast, and a confident reclamation of their place in music after six years away.
The song might be a cover, but “Ready Steady Go” is much more than that for the band and fans that have been waiting with bated breath for any new material from the group. Fans aren’t the only ones noticing, however, as the NHL has chosen to option the track for their matchup commercials. The song and concept go well with the ads as the boost of power from the drums in particular bring a reckless, yet calculated, oomph to the visuals onscreen.
The band has gone on the record showcasing and promising a new album on the way and while there’s no indication that “Ready Steady Go” will make an appearance, the more curious members of the Sick Puppies fanbase are already making assumptions about what the sound and influence of the new single means for a new LP. The growth between pre-existing albums already indicates that the band will be in a majorly new headspace with whatever is on the way, but adding in a pandemic and mainstream shift away from rock music on the radio, the band will undoubtedly be taking jabs at a variety of new major events.
SMART URL: https://lnk.dmsmusic.co/readysteadygo
Repeating the success of their breakout record Tri-Polar seems unlikely, but Sick Puppies has never been one to repeat past sounds, anyways. “Ready Steady Go” is an exciting, in-your-face return to form for the alt-metal trio, and the exposure and attention from securing an NHL television spot will bring new fans and old fans back into the fray, ears perked up. There’s an emo revival in the works with sold-out festivals and reunion tours taking the world by storm — Sick Puppies will undoubtedly ride that wave to success once more, and they already have with their latest single.
Patrick Orr
