PREMIERE: Strange Neighbors – “Oh! You Pretty Things”

Brooklyn-based band Strange Neighbors have been making an impression with their catchy pop songs that blend sharp edges with jangly warmth. Featuring the talents of Aidan on vocals, Dana on bass, Beau on drums and Zach on guitar, together, they write songs that pull from every corner of the pop spectrum to deliver a sound that’s bright, hook-focused and brimming with charm.

Following a string of impressive singles, their debut album How to Human in 2019 crystallised their infectious take on power pop, followed by a run of releases that confirmed their status as one of New York City’s most exciting underground bands. With the Illuminasti and Party of None EPs, Strange Neighbors continued to develop their knack for intricate melodies and playful songwriting.

By the time their sophomore album People Pleasers Pleasing People arrived earlier this year via the Mint 400 Records imprint, the band had firmly found their groove; unapologetically pop but with a DIY spirit and lyrical wit that struck a chord with a growing fanbase. Now, the band returns with a dazzling reinterpretation of David Bowie’s “Oh! You Pretty Things,” set to be featured on Mint 400 Records’ new tribute compilation Sound & Vision (The Songs of David Bowie).

The project celebrates one of music’s most legendary figures, reimagined through the lens of the label’s diverse roster. Known for their inventive tributes, Mint 400 has previously tackled everything from Pet Sounds to In Utero and this latest releasedeatures a varied mix of artists including Those Mockingbirds, Renee Maskin and Fairmont.

Taking on Bowie was both an artistic challenge and a chance to explore the parallels between their own creative mission and the pioneering spirit that defined his legacy. Their version of “Oh! You Pretty Things” trades Bowie’s minimalist piano arrangement for bright guitars and stacked harmonies, reimagining it as a jangly, dreamlike pop track that feels at once nostalgic and forward-looking. “It feels like an unusual love letter to each young generation who simultaneously thinks they’ll never die and also that the world is ending,” the band explains. “We can relate to that in this day and age — and as musicians, we aren’t strangers to driving our mamas and papas a little insane.”

That playful yet poignant perspective runs through the cover, which was recorded entirely DIY, a fitting approach for a song about evolution and uncertainty. “A big reason we picked Oh! You Pretty Things was how sparse the original recording is. It gave us a blank slate to build from. Recording everything ourselves had its challenges and rewards, but it fits the themes of change and figuring things out as you go,” they share.

The result is a cover that captures both the absurdity and beauty of existing in a world constantly in flux, a theme Bowie understood better than most. Strange Neighbors’ shimmering version of “Oh! You Pretty Things” both pays respectful tribute to the timeless quality of David Bowie while reframing his work in the band’s own vision.

Set up by Aidan’s elegant vocals and the twang of soft guitar chords, the track progresses with pulsing bass lines and delicate percussive taps before gently slipping into a smooth groove of laid back drums and lightly crunchy guitars as overlapping vocal lines glide above, resulting in a spectacular rendition of this beloved song. Mint 400 Records’ Sound & Vision (The Songs of David Bowie) compilation is set to land this Friday on Halloween, featuring Strange Neighbors’ version of “Oh! You Pretty Things” alongside an array of other covers from band’s on the label’s roster.

Listen to the premiere of Oh! You Pretty Things below