John's Track of the Week: Title Tracks' "Tougher Than The Rest"

Song: Tougher Than The Rest

Artist: Title Tracks

Album: It Was Easy

Rating: 7.0

Trying to cover a music legend's work is never easy. And doing it on your first release is probably even more difficult. Yet, Title Tracks proceeded anyway with their iteration of Bruce Springsteen's "Tougher Than The Rest." Surprisingly, not only is the track pulled off successfully, but the band also manages to incorporate the slow, deliberate ballad into their debut It Was Easy flawlessly. For those who don't know better, it may as well have been theirs' originally-- pretty much the blueprint for the best covers out there.

The song's function is partially to show off the band's chops on their first release, and also to break up an album that's otherwise filled with fairly sunny, tongue-in-cheek pop. The bright, bubbly collection masks its sense of spite with beach-like arrangements. Though the band is from Washington D.C., it seems to gush with a sense of California pride. Honesty is the main focus however, and with that, It Was Easy succeeds mightily. Even with a song like "Tougher Than The Rest" that's not even their own, Title Tracks manage to convey who they are through confident, albeit a bit damaged statements. Though it may not be the most stereotypical of songs on It Was Easy, this one's still worth a few listens. Check it out below.

[Previously on Animal Noises: Tuesday's Releases (2/23): Now Streaming]