YUNGBLUD “YUNGBLUD” Album Review

YUNGBLUD

YUNGBLUD

• • Genre: Alternative
  • Date: 02 Sep, 2022
  • Content: explicit
  • Region: USA
  • Track(s): 12

• ℗ 2022 Locomotion Recordings Limited, under exclusive license to Geffen Records

Although “Yungblud” is an album about coming of age, it doesn’t lack on enthusiasm. The motivations behind Yungblud are love, sincerity, and vulnerability. It’s much more focused than anything that’s come before, and Harrison has replaced his child-in-a-candy-shop approach to music with a scorching confidence. He may be clear on his goals for the first time in his career.

Album Cover Art

Harrison is donning a black suit embellished with different designs from a patch on the right sleeve to the skull and bones patch on left side of the jacket to the broche and hanging cross on both sides of his jacket. He can also be seen rocking some jewelry, but what is most striking is his demeanor that has him looking a bit spellbound, somewhat confused and sad, with his red-tinted hair matching the emotions shown.

Tracks and Features

“The Funeral,” the album’s opening track, features Harrison courageously expressing all of his insecurities in an effort to become “bulletproof.” This is a far cry from the brooding emo of that song. However, he challenges that casual attitude in the acoustic song “Die For A Night” to his own detriment. Harrison wonders how people would feel if he weren’t there in the 93-second track, which is incredibly raw and simple.

Harrison’s three-minute, jubilant burst of carnage, “The Emperor,” is a victorious eruption of energy that condenses his entire philosophy. “Not gonna stop someone with no limits,” he sings, before adding “don’t be the same as everyone.” On the album there is a lot of melancholy, including tracks about dying, depression, and toxic masculinity. Sure, he indulges in that negativity on songs like “Die For A Night,” but for the most part, all that grief merely appears to inspire Harrison to effect change.

The upbeat song “Don’t Feel Like Feeling Sad Today” exhorts action and rejects all internet criticism as “playground games.” Other songs include the funky electro stomp of “Sex Not Violence,” which talks on trans rights, and the glitching sounds of “I Cry 2,” which draws inspiration from The 1975 and Radiohead. Harrison’s lyrics provide consolation before making fun of the queer-baiting rumors.

The song “Tissues” is blatantly about love. Built around the recognizable guitar riff from The Cure’s “Close To Me,” this swaying gothic banger displays its heart on its sleeve without any guile. Similar to ‘Don’t Go,’ which is a rumbling percussion music that finds hope on the verge of a split, and ‘Sweet Heroine,’ an understated electro track that lets Harrison’s lyrics shine.

Then there is “Memories,” which features Willow, where the duo forgoes the pop-punk resurgence in favor of gritty alt-rock. Both artists have worked together quite a bit recently, but this track shows them at their best. This track is full of ambition and shows both artists grappling with escapism. A song of self-acceptance, self-discovery, and fierce self-belief, “Boy In The Black Dress” is filled with gothic cinematic elements. “They hate what he is and they hate what he’s not,” he sings, coming to terms with his divisive position at the forefront of a new generation of guitar heroes. Tying the hate he receives now to the violence he faced as a kid for being different, it explains why Harrison is so determined to keep speaking up for those who resonate with his angsty outsider anthems.

Tracklist

NO	TITLE	TIME
1	The Funeral	3:30
2	Tissues	3:35
3	Memories	2:35
4	Cruel Kids	2:52
5	Mad	2:25
6	I Cry 2	1:56
7	Sweet Heroine	2:31
8	Sex Not Violence	3:22
9	Don’t Go	2:29
10	Don’t Feel Like Feeling Sad Today	1:56
11	Die For A Night	1:32
12	The Boy In The Black Dress	4:17

Album Theme

He speaks passionately on contentious topics like mental health, gender fluidity, and transgender rights. He interjects attention-grabbing, egotistical sound-bites into the dialogue. Rather than fury or cynicism, this tellingly self-titled third album is driven by love, sincerity and vulnerability.

Production Credits

Chris Greatti, Dylan Brady, GRANDMA, Jake Torrey, Matt Schwartz, Paul Meany, YUNGBLUD & Zakk Cervini handled the album’s production.

Stream