Future Islands cover Wham! song ‘Last Christmas’
It’s officially the first week after Halloween, so you know what that means: it’s Christmastime! Sure, the leaves may still be on the trees, and there still isn’t any snow to be found (unless you’re way up north), but according to our consumerist society, it’s officially time to break out the trees and get the gift-giving juices flowing.
One artist that has been waiting a while for this moment (not named Mariah Carey) is Baltimore synth rockers Future Islands, who have been sitting on a cover of Wham’s holly-jolly classic ‘Last Christmas’ for what I can only assume has been far too long. Now that October is officially in the past and pumpkins are officially thrown in the trash, now is the perfect time to get a jumpstart on the winter season.
What’s the point of covering ‘Last Christmas’? Who knows, maybe they just really like the song? But Future Islands are uniquely qualified to take on the Yuletide track about giving away your heart and feeling super bummed about it. With their arsenal of keyboards and willingness to play ball with even the cheesiest of synthesisers, Future Islands have blazed a trail in indie rock that says it’s OK to be an out-and-out keyboard band again.
Sure, Samuel T. Herring ain’t no George Michael, but that’s probably for the best. Herring has one of the most interesting voices in indie rock, so hearing it trying to replicate the silky tones of Michaels’ original helps make this cover one of the more singular takes on ‘Last Christmas’ that has come out over the last 30 years or so.
The band’s press release claims that Future Islands are going where “few bands have gone before” in covering the song, but that’s not exactly true. A casual look around sees that everyone from Jimmy Eat World to Arctic Monkeys have covered the track over the years. In fact, ‘Last Christmas’ is arguably one of the most popular Christmas songs ever written. That’s not to knock Future Islands’ version, but it’s definitely not a major risk to be covering Wham!
Check out the cover of ‘Last Christmas’ down below.
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