This past Wednesday, Brooklyn, New York, shoegaze band, smush, released their take on Norah Jones’ jazz-pop classic, “Don’t Know Why.” With comparisons to My Bloody Valentine and Mazzy Star, smush is trying to make a name for themselves in the modern shoegaze sphere, and this cover is just the first step.

My personal criteria for a good cover comes down to how well the song is adapted to their sound while keeping the integrity of the original. And I believe smush hits it right on the head. By turning a classic song one may associate with being in the backseat of their mom’s 2000s Dodge Caravan, into something fresh and new, with soft synths and drowning vocals. 

Taking on a song as classic as “Don’t Know Why” can be a daunting task, especially for a smaller band like smush. But the feedback speaks for itself, with many hailing this a “perfect cover,” with many even sharing their personal connections with the original. Blending pedal notes with bendy pitches, Smush transforms this classic into the perfect soundtrack for walking to class on a blustery day. With only one album out, I am so excited to see what they do next.