By Ryan Broderick

Perhaps you’re familiar with the “Punk Goes…” series of compilation CDs that come out every year. Sure the bands are the farthest thing from punk music, but every year the CD produces some pretty enjoyable stuff.

The newest one is by far the series’ most ridiculous. “Punk Goes Crunk” is pop punk, emo, screamo and powerpop tributes to rap songs. It’s one of those ideas that makes so little sense that you, upon listening to it, realize that nothing in the world has or ever will make more sense.

The album features covers from Say Anything, New Found Glory, Set Your Goals, The Devil Wears Prada and many others. What’s funny though (besides every single track) is that regardless of whether or not the band doing the cover is any good, almost every one of the tracks is enjoyable.

If you’re coming from the rap side of things of the songs covered, here are a few: “Baby, I Got Your Money” by Ol’ Dirty Bastard, “Men In Black” by Will Smith, “Put Yo Hood Up” by Lil’ Jon and “Nuthin’ But A ‘G’ Thang” by Dr. Dre,

The joke does get a little stale, though, and not every band’s cover is as good as some of the gems. Say Anything’s spoken-word version of “Baby, I Got Your Money” is unbelievable, and one of the funniest covers to come along in years. It includes singer Max Bemis speaking Ol’ DirtyBastard’s rap very politely with the rest of the band singing the girl’s part in the chorus.

New Found Glory’s cover of “Tennessee” by Arrested Development falls pretty flat, and it raises some questions of how faithfully a band of white dudes can cover a song about the roots of slavery and racial injustice in Tennessee.

Also, a few of the covers are a bit random. With bands covering hip-hop classics put next to those of Rihanna’s “Umbrella” and Akon’s “I Wanna Love You.”

But with all that being said and done, “Punk Goes Crunk” is a completely enjoyable compilation. Its harmless and hilarious good fun can’t be marred by those tracks that don’t live up to the rest. Also, if you do come across the album, try figuring out which song The Devil Wears Prada even covered. The song features blistering guitar and screaming and is essentially just another The Devil Wears Prada song.

It’s definitely not a good idea to go into the album hoping to find anything serious, but with bands like these doing the covers, that’s a good thing.

Set Your Goals, among other bands, are featured in the newest compilation album out from Fearless Records. (myspace.com)