I love being surprised by music. After awhile, you think you got things down under control, you figure out where things are coming from and you have certain expectations. Every once in awhile you’re bound to get a nice twist from left field. Today I had the pleasure checking out Or, the Whale and their cover of “Toxic”.

Or, the Whale, hailing from San Francisco, could be considered tried and true Americana but that’s oversimplifying matters. There are plenty of folk elements with hints of some hard rock leanings to make the band stand out. The choice to cover “Toxic” is naturally an interesting one and whatever the reason for inspiration, thank you. It made my Thursday. Enjoy it below and check out the series of west coast dates the band has scheduled, including a stop at SXSW.

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Or, The Whale - Toxic (Britney Spears Cover) [MP3]