IT ISN'T AS IT WAS

I’ve never quite understood the Harry Styles phenomenon, but then again, why would I? I’m not the target demographic for his music, which is ostensibly aimed at younger people than me. However, last year, while scrolling through TikTok (before I deleted the app for my mental health), I found myself infected by a groovy earworm: a retro cover of his hit song As It Was by a band called Prep. Instantly captivated, I added it to my gym music playlist, where it has since become a staple—perfect for drowning out the tyranny of the rowing machine and the cross trainer.

I particularly appreciate the Kenny G-style, 80s sax solo that breaks out halfway through the track, initially convincing me that this song had been around since my childhood. Later, when I played Styles’s original version, I was amazed at how bland it sounded in comparison to Prep’s inventive cover, which perfectly captures a sliding sense of emotional confusion while balancing it within smooth, groove-oriented basslines reminiscent of Donald Fagen.

Perhaps we’re returning to an era when cover versions often outshine the original recordings. While some say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, I believe Prep has utterly annihilated Harry’s original with their tribute here.