SINGLE REVIEW: Jay D Stryder - "21st Century Vampire" (Lil Huddy Cover)
Jay D Stryder crushes cover of “21st Century Vampire” with star-studded lineup
Written by JD Walker
Covers are fun, there’s no denying that. When a well known artist covers a well-known song, some die-hard fans of the original artist may worry that the artist covering the song won’t stay true to the original or make it too much of their own - Jay D Stryder rode the line brilliantly of staying true to the original while adding his own flair with his cover of Lil Huddy’s “21st Century Vampire”.
Jay D Stryder, who rose to fame on the popular social media platform TikTok, brings a bit more of a pop-punk flair to this already upbeat and bouncy tune. His vocals are almost reminiscent of the recent chart-topping album from Machine Gun Kelly in which the Cleveland-based rapper explores his pop-punk and alt-rock side. Stryder’s cover features a bit more overdriven guitar, more exploration with vocal harmonies, and an absolutely killer lineup backing him.
The lineup featured on the song include John Tagge and Paul Raymond of Worst In Me playing guitar and bass respectively, and Devin Attard of Hollow Front pounding the drums. Tagge’s soaring solos and ambient melodies pair with Stryder’s vocal delivery perfectly while Raymond and Attard matched wits on the rhythm section. Attard was a real standout on the track and his signature high energy grooves brought the track to life.
The video amplified the band’s performance and was entertaining to watch altogether, combining a juxtaposition of very bright blues and greens with darker shots filled with reds and yellows. Some post-production effects were added such as lens flares, a pulse monitor, and even some glitch effects to subtly add to the production value of the presentation as a whole. All in all the video was professionally shot and edited and created a unique, engaging experience for the viewer.
Covers can be very hit or miss, but Stryder’s take on “21st Century Vampire” was undoubtedly a hit. Stryder’s vocals compliment the sound of the original song flawlessly and the virtuosic musicians he had backing him played their parts beautifully and made the group more than the sum of their parts, something that truly truly sets bands and projects apart from the rest.