Upstate New York hard rockers Bad Mothers have had a pretty big year. They opened for Quiet Riot at Alive At 5 (Albany’s free music and vendor fair they hold every Thursday in the summer), played at The Mother of All Hangs in Nashville, and now are about to release a brand new single on October 25 — a heavy, hard-rock version of Led Zeppelin’s classic “Whole Lotta Love”.

Bad Mothers (Matt Dalton on vocals and guitar, Patrick Flores on guitar, Kevin Bohen on bass and Brian Chiappinelli on drums) describes themselves as “groovy grunge”, and that is wildly apparent on this cover. The band uses their alternative style and musical prowess to add their own feel to a classic track by one of the rock giants. Sharp riffs, vocals with an edge and pure rock spirit reinvent this track to sound like it could be one from their original catalog while still capturing the Led Zeppelin essence.

“Whole Lotta Love” simultaneously brings us back to the 70s while also staying in 2019. It adds sounds and tones that exist in today’s music sphere, but there are clear vintage influences — not only in the aspect that it is a cover but in the production. Bad Mothers captures raw yet clean guitar and vocal work, with instruments that truly sound real. Through this single, they let their own sound shine through without overshadowing or completely changing the classic they’ve derived their influence from. Making such a well-known track by such a world-renowned band sound better isn’t an easy feat, but Bad Mothers accomplishes it.

Check them out with Fat Mink and Hasty Page at The Hollow Bar + Kitchen on November 15, and be sure to like them on Facebook. Their debut EP, “Why Bother”, is available for streaming now on their Bandcamp.