This is Gospel is the debut single from the University of Chicago's all-male group Run for Cover. The recording and performance are flawless: it's as close to an exact replica of Panic! at the Disco's original as one can get without traditional rock instruments, and that has both pros and cons.

On the plus side, these guys have energy and drive — this comes across in spades in their recording. There are some good dynamics (both vocally and built-in to the arrangement) that come into play; I especially love the transition into the chorus that happens just before the two-minute mark.

On the minus side, these guys are almost too close to the original. That might not seem like a criticism, but this listener's lasting memory from This is Gospel is that Run for Cover would make a great Panic! at the Disco cover band, when the truth is, the group's repertoire covers a range of other acts, from Marc Broussard to Muse. The straightforward nature of this performance gives a listener no peek inside what makes RFC different, or what the group's unique take on a pop song might be.

This is Gospel is a commendably solid step into the recording studio, and Run for Cover should be praised for this. An excellent recording mojo combined with a little more of this group's point of view could certainly take these guys to the next level on future recordings.