NEW RELEASE: YUNGBLUD - YUNGBLUD

 3 albums in and he just announces his first self-titled one. That works! I was actually a fan of Weird! as an album. It did the pop-punk scene well while sounding original to him. With hearing the singles, it seemed he decided to stay on this trajectory which means I am naturally hoping this is as good as the last one!

The album begins with leading single "The Funeral", which didn't personally grab me. It isn't bad musically, but the lyrics just come off kind of overdone and corny. In the most emo way possible of course...

"Tissues" is a little on the poppier side, about falling in love. Kind of takes me back to the way My Chemical Romance would worry of love leaving when things were difficult.

"Memories" is the single that grabbed me originally for this album and it relates back to love and loss. Willow was a nice and not overbearing duet partner for this, I think their tones go well together.

"Cruel Kids" is actually nice. It falls a little on the generic filler side, but I think it fits within the regular concept. I kind of like it not just sounding like I'M NOT LIKE OTHER PEOPLE! thing and is more I don't want to like what they like since they are mean.

"Mad" captures some teenage angst of feeling all these emotions make you "mad" and crazy for sure. It seems simplistic but I think it captures the mood and emotion well.

"I Cry 2" is a little too autotuned and choppy for my tastes. He has done better. 

"Sweet Heroine" definitely captures the longing when you've been rejected for so long. You sadly close up your heart to people who may work, but you remember all the pains of before. 

"Sex Not Violence" would usually irritate me but in some strange way he made this his own at least. It has a dark wave Cure vibe to it production wise and it should've been a single as far as I see it.

Ah here is the atypical I am depressed and too drunk pop-punk track in "Don't Go" and it captures a perfect amount of nostalgia to something like All Time Low.

"Don't Feel Like Feeling Sad Today" is a bit choppy in my perspective. I see the point but I don't quite connect with it perfectly. Maybe I spend too much time in my own doom for this.

"Die for a Night" is exactly the sort of song my mother would deem as my depressing emo tunes which should spell I love it. I must note it sounds almost just like a Plain White T's song and that is awesome because not enough people acknowledge that band is COOL okay. They did MORE than Hey There Delilah.

The album closes with "The Boy in the Black Dress" which seems more like the starter and the closer should be flipped. Funeral seems to resolve some of the pain expressed in this track. 

LYRICS: 7/10 - They're not particularly special and fall flat in some places, but for the most part they fit and I enjoyed them.

MUSIC: 7/10 - Some of the new ideas did not work but some of them I would love to hear more of. 

OVERALL: 7/10 - Not as good as Weird! was, but definitely a solid follow up. I hope he continues, maybe slightly less "corny" in some places.