1	The Funeral
2	Tissues
3	Memories
4	Cruel Kids
5	Mad
6	I Cry 2
7	Sweet Heroine
8	Sex Not Violence
9	Don't Go
10	Don't Feel Like Feeling Sad Today
11	Die for a Night
12	The Boy in the Black Dress

Yungblud

Yungblud

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ft. Willow.
Genre: Pop Punk.
Released: 02/09/2022
Via Locomotion Recordings

Album Review: Yungblud – Yungblud

Yungblud is a name that most people in the rock community know. Whether you love him or hate him, you can’t deny his success. His latest album ‘Yungblud’ has received a tonne of attention from both press and fans alike. There seems to be a shift in motion in the Pop Punk realm and artists like Yungblud are front and center. Here is how I found his new album!

Opening track ‘The Funeral’ kicks things off with an upbeat swing that almost contrasts the lyrical content yet works well. A simplistic structure allows the song to get its message across without any unnecessary interference and gets the ball rolling for the rest of the record. Building on that momentum is ‘Tissues’, a more pop focused track that utilises harmonies and a synth driven instrumental to add a little bit of pep to the record. In the latter half of the song, there is a great build up section that culminates in an instrumental delivery of the song’s chorus melody before dropping back in for one final chorus.

The track ‘Memories’ turns up the synth and uses both Yungblud’s and Willow’s vocal styles to create diversity throughout the track. Willow’s vocal performance on this one really makes the whole track. It’s an empowered performance full of emotion. I think she was the perfect fit for this track and her harmonies work well with Yungblud’s more rash vocals. ‘Cruel Kids’ brings a much more Pop Punk aesthetic to the album and it is more in line with some of Yungblud’s previous releases. Emotions, angst and reflection is what this song is built off and creates a mental story in your mind as the song flows gently through your head.

As the album progresses you come across the punchy ‘Mad’. A repetitive track that is going to get stuck in many people’s heads whether they like it or not. Its use of repetition seems almost intentional as if it were the random ramblings of a “Mad” man. Half way through the album is ‘I Cry 2’, a short track that dials down the explosive instrumentals in favor of a more vocal focused performance. The auto tune may be a little much at times throughout this one as there are moment’s it sounds a bit goofy considering the severity of the lyrics being sung.

Up next is the track ‘Sweet Heroine’. A powerful song exploring themes of Love, care and compassion on top of an almost lo fi beat. This is going to be one of those song’s fans of Yungblud will echo around the venue they are seeing him in. Bringing back a bit of energy is the track ‘Sex No Violence’. Opting away from the more somber tones of the previous few tracks, this song preaches to lay down your arms and… get laid? It’s certainly an odd premise however we could use less violence in the world.

That modern Pop Punk sound that may seem a little over used by now returns in the form of ‘Don’t Go’. It’s not a bad song however it sounds oddly similar to the sound of The Kid Laroi and MGK… and any of these new wave Pop Punk esc artists. Unfortunately, over saturation is something that happens in music and can unfortunately hurt otherwise good songs. Thankfully, ‘Don’t’ Feel Like Feeling Sad Today’ changes that up and brings a much more energetic instrumental with a driven vocal performance to boot. If you’re looking for an optimistic track to dance around your room to, this may be the one for you.

As the album draws closer to a close, ‘Die For A Night’ brings out the acoustic guitar for a more compassionate song. Yungblud’s softer vocal delivery allows fans to hear the passion behind the words he is singing. It may be the shortest song on the record however it packs quite the punch, Closing out the album is the track ‘The Boy In The Black Dress’. A powerful song with an even more powerful message. Yungblud has always been someone who has been a massive advocate for the “Dress however you want to dress” mentality and this song further solidifies his stance on that. It’s an extremely positive message that will hopefully resonate with both his younger and older fans.

This album is quite something. Yungblud has proven he is able to appeal to both the rock scene and the pop scene by blending the two styles together and adding a tonne of his charisma and personality to the music. There will always be gatekeepers who will dismiss a release like this without giving it a try but I’d urge all you open minded fans of music to give this one a try. It surprised me and I’m sure it will continue to surprise other’s.