Matt Toka covers Adele

Another Adele cover isn’t exactly what YouTube needs, but punk rocker Matt Toka went ahead and did it anyway. Fortunately, his take differs from the usual acoustic guitar renditions that most people do.

While his style is far from unique, he does a fine job injecting some energy into a song that drags on if played too slow. In Adele's “Someone Like You” her powerful singing makes for a stunning ballad, whereas Toka’s version relies on a upbeat pop-punk style.

The video is pretty straightforward, with Toka sitting on his bed playing guitar and singing a la the majority of YouTube covers.

In addition to his covers, you can find a music video for his single "Say 10," which is also available on iTunes.

Toka’s website states that music saved him from his dysfunctional life in Youngstown, Ohio, where he says he grew up in an abusive household. He listened to Billie Joe Armstrong, whose influence is evident on Toka’s voice, and Green Day to help him escape.

Previously, he was signed to Universal Records, but his band did poorly and ended up getting dropped from the label after only a year. Eventually, Costa left his hometown for Los Angeles, where he worked “sh*tty temp jobs” to pay the bills and posted YouTube covers and originals to build a following. His album, Straight to Hell, doesn’t have a confirmed release date.