Yungblud – Yungblud

Polydor

There is certainly something special about secretly listening to this album sitting on a dirty Paris street lined with overexcited kids eagerly waiting for those venue doors to open, to flood into a tiny downstairs room to hear these songs played live, some for the very first time.

Yungblud is a twenty-five-year-old singer from Doncaster in England, who came up into the alternative pop-punk scenes over the last few years. He comes from a musical background, his father owning a guitar shop and having played with the likes of T-Rex. His first album 21, released in 2018, gained traction with outcast teenagers and young adults across the globe, and he has continued to grow despite the coronavirus pandemic, during which he started The Yungblud Show, a series of livestreamed concerts performed by himself and other artists including Machine Gun Kelly, Avril Lavigne and others.

Yungblud’s fanbase has grown into a veritable army, as many have before him, that prides itself on being a safe space and tight-knit community where everyone, no matter who they are, is accepted and welcomed. They have named themselves the Black Hearts Club in reference to the singer’s distinctive tattoos that many of his fans have inked on themselves as well, myself included.

His fanbase being so large and widespread has granted him access to the fringes of the mainstream without quite breaking through into the ranks of “pop” music, but that’s kinda the whole point. It just goes to show how many of the outcasts there are on a global scale that find solace and community in his socially and politically charged lyrics, and the hybrid of rock, hip-hop and pop musical styles, in songs that intertwine influences from The Clash, David Bowie and Eminem into a modern phenomenon.

His songs have been featured in TV shows such as 13 Reasons Why and collaborating with big acts such as Halsey, Travis Barker, Bring Me The Horizon, Machine Gun Kelly and others helped him gain fans from diverse groups of people already into these artists. His first two albums 21st Century Liability and Weird!, four EP s and many many singles have gained in popularity and success, setting the bar rather high for his third self-titled album.

Despite growing at exponential rates, Yungblud has stayed close to his fans, coming out to meet them after as many gigs as he can, organising almost as many in-store meet and greets and signings as concerts, and an ongoing intimate tour in 500-capacity venues across Europe (the first of which I had the pleasure of attending in Paris), before embarking on his first world tour next year, playing a mix of stadiums and smaller places, from Wembley Arena to small-town venues.

I’ve ended up writing this review in a lot of places in two countries, and this whole album has been an adventure for me. I first heard “The Funeral” in my car, having put it in my playlist as soon as it came out, and it quickly became a staple of my driving playlist for me and my friends. “Sad” came out as a music video straight away, having been filmed at a wild free concert that quickly got shut down near the Festival Pier on London’s South Bank, and as I walk down the very street a few weeks later, I can still almost feel the buzz of that day, just a few hundred metres away from the Queen Elizabeth Hall, one of London’s iconic venues that overflows with musical history.

“Tissues” I first came across on the internet, a mix of videos of Yungblud playing it for adoring crowds; most fans knew the words off by heart by piecing it together from live videos and extracts floating around Tiktok, where its opening line, “I feel left out”, spawned a trend of more and more eccentric videos across the platform.

“Sweet Heroin” and “Cruel Kids” I first listened to on a plane flying across the channel, both of which struck a chord with me, and then again being one of the first to hear them live at his Intimate As Fuck shows in Paris on 26 August and singing it word for word with him. He caught my eye a few times with a look of confusion; so hi Dom if you ever read this, this is how I knew.

What struck me most this album over my first few listens were the lyrics, which are spun in a way that sometimes remind me of Kurt Cobain’s word-vomit lyrics that feature in Nirvana’s songs, but that also stand out and have a strong literal value, without being quite as overdone and confusing. The words build beautiful, almost familiar images of everyday life and struggles a lot of people go through, particularly for those who are drawn to his songs.

A running theme amongst these lyrics is the feeling of being set aside and feeling far away from the norms and expectations of society, with songs such as “I Cry Too” and “The Boy In The Black Dress” touching on the subjects of sexuality and gender, and they way they are viewed. “I Cry 2” speaks of some kind of secret around attraction between two boys, the shame that comes with it, but also fighting back against that shame and turning the questioning back on society and why we feel the need to question it all.

There is also a feeling of solidarity in the lyrics, that those feeling these things are normal, that you’re not the only one crying over them and that ever-present feeling of community throughout this album. I did struggle a little bit with the sound of this track at first, heavy with effects, and autotune that took me by surprise, unexpected from Yungblud whose vocal range is sometimes forgotten but actually rather impressive. So even if this track may lack a bit musically and vocally, and maybe didn’t quite meet expectations of raw, emotional vocals, when stripped back to its lyrics, it’s both familiar and new at the same time and really embodies that Black Hearts Club feeling.

“The Boy In The Black Dress” brings up the discovery of masculinity growing up, the first feeling of its toxicity and pain, the limits that are seemingly set. Yungblud sings of the confusion of things that came naturally to him but that he learned to suppress, and that have become staples of his look, recognisable and expected in his stage attire, having delighted fans and disgusted others in donning various dresses and leather skirts on stages around the world, paired with typical eyeliner and black nail polish.

None of this is unusual, having been seen on many alt bands throughout the years; but his out-there punk rock, ADHD-fuelled stage presence has also landed him in controversy, most notably for spitting on his fans (often to their twisted delight). This track is a bit of a personal anthem for him, one that he holds close to his heart and hearing him talk about it, it’s evident just how emotionally charged it is as a summary of his experiences growing up, of his experience of being different and the way people reacted to his dress and lifestyle, but how all that carved his image that many recognise and adore.

These feelings of being pushed away come out loud and clear in this album, but so does the comfort found in his community and being proud of not being like their tormentors. “Cruel Kids” is the most obvious, with lyrics reminiscent of Echosmith’s “Cool Kids”, though quite opposite, pulling away from the bullies and not stooping to their level but also understanding the reasons they are the way they are: “I don’t wanna do what the cruel kids do, ‘cause they’re so confused”. The song is a cry out to a community of alternative kids and that need to feel part of something, and the way these kind of positive and supportive groups of like minded-people not afraid to be who they are saves many lives; Yungblud’s fanbase can certainly be applauded for doing just that: “Don’t leave me alone, ‘cause I won’t survive it”

“The Funeral” was the first single from the album, an upbeat anthem track filled with more or less obvious references to other bands. The lyrics build a story about the rock star lifestyle, of self awareness of bad habits and where they lead, but turning it into a crowd-pleasing screamable song that really gets under your skin and into your head, and is one that fans absolutely cannot wait to sing their lungs out to. The chorus of “I’ve been dancing at my funeral waiting for you to arrive, but nobody came, what a shame, shame, shame” is a far cry from the truth as audiences flock to his shows, and any move Yungblud makes for that matter; but the aesthetic of both the lyrics and music video have a certain story element to it in an almost cinematic way that just adds to the appeal.

This track is laced with references to iconic songs and figures of the twentieth century, most notably the line “I was hoping it was beautiful, dancing with tears in your eyes” in reference to Ultravox’s “Dancing With Tears In My Eyes” from 1984. Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne also feature as characters in the music video, running Yungblud over with their car before dismissively labelling him as “just some fucking poser”.

These little easter eggs show where Yungblud’s musical culture comes from, who his influences are and the homage he pays to them has featured in many of his tracks throughout the years. “Fleabag” bears a strong resemblance to Nirvana’s “Heart Shaped Box”; or “Mars”, which is very strongly linked to David Bowie’s “Life on Mars?”. “The Funeral” continues this tradition of drawing from the music and people Yungblud grew up with, with a bit of a twist and maybe just a touch of imposter syndrome, finding himself in amongst the ranks of their millennial and Generation Z counterparts.

“The Funeral” is also notable for the vocals, ranging from deep, rumbling verses conducting the despair of the day-to-day struggles of life and self-loathing into the belting choruses that are absolutely fascinating, and have that combination of making you want to sing and at the same time just lay flat on your back and listen to his voice. There is something about the melodic vocals filled with sheer power, but still with that little flare of Yorkshire accent coming through on the end of different sentences.

The way he says certain lines completely conveys the learned and all-too-familiar feelings of resentment in “I hate myself but that’s alright”, and the nostalgic longing and admiration held solely in the word “beautiful”. It’s filled with painful, despairing lyrics but remains a powerfully beautiful song that has already captured the hearts of many, becoming one of the crowd favourites at gigs in just a couple of months.

“Sweet Heroine” is another track filled with beautiful words coupled with enticing sweet vocals; but capturing a different emotion, love. It embodies the feeling of addiction to a person, the attachment to another that becomes physical, and how being close to them is the only goal of anything you do. Sounds unhealthy, right? So is heroin. But this song doesn’t feel toxic, just an outpouring of that strong emotion that overrides any reason, and hopefully it’s all good things.

It wouldn’t be a Yungblud album without a political track now, would it? “Sex Not Violence” fills that role, with an edgy spin on “make love, not war”, that I’m sure will fill venues with rage-filled kids against their governments. A video of Yungblud did the rounds of the internet when he painted a gay pride flag rainbow on a street in Poland in protest at their government’s anti LGBTQ+ policies, and this sentiment reflects in this song, rallying minorities around him and giving them a safe space to express themselves and also meet each other. This track is one that I wouldn’t be surprised to hear at Pride events or other protests, a rough and edgy call for peace.

Just a couple of days before the album itself comes out, Yungblud released “Tissues”, a track well-known by many fans before even hearing a full studio version. It is already a staple of his set lists, having played it at gigs and festivals throughout the summer with various videos of it cropping up online. It’s one of those songs with the most upbeat singalong melody and big catchy hooks with just the saddest lyrics. The song is a bit of a tissue in itself, hiding and drying tears, but still having that edge of sadness.

“Everybody wants to be adored” is an almost desperate cry for affection and love, contrasting with “I’m in love again, and tomorrow I’ll be sad” that comes across with a slight tint of anxiety and dread of what goes with being in love, falling out of it. This is a love song and a sad song swirled together into an anthem, with the feeling of a fake smile hiding the realities of making connections with people and the fear of being left and let down time after time; “I can’t keep holding my breath, God forbid you leave me like all the rest did”

“Don’t Go” almost seems to reflect the outcome of the love described in “Tissues”, the pain of tearing yourself away, the comedown on the other side and the difficult decision to actually step away. It’s that feeling of knowing what is gonna hurt, being torn between resentment of what has happened, but still almost resigning yourself to stay, to keep going despite the pain and seemingly toxic habits between two lovers, the anger caused. This track is almost a letter, an explanation trying to get both the good, bad and confused feelings across, only to end up almost begging for them to stay.

“Don’t Feel Like Feeling Sad Today” again contrasts lyrics and sound, and is a little bit of a confusing one. At first I thought the lyrics were about standing up against depression and isolation and pushing yourself out of the house. Those were the feelings conveyed by both the music video and its whole concept of being filmed as a free-for-all mini-concert at the South Bank, but the lyrics, and the “Sad Version” released to a black and white video of Yungblud in a bed at the top of Hampstead Heath, reveal more of a desire to hide away from the world, to give into the desire to stay at home under the covers to avoid what makes you sad. This song is a bit of a double-edged blade, both a call to stand back up, to live despite the issues; and a surrender, to give into the easy way out.

Contrasting lyrics and melodies are a running theme throughout this album, a mix of personal feelings and subjects both good and bad, with the community vibe of it all that has come from the fanbase rallied behind the singer. It’s a lyrical masterpiece with songs that almost read as well as they listen. Some of the musical aspects differ a little from what we’re used, to with autotune and effects that stand out from the raw, rough around the edges vocals we are used to. However, we are absolutely treated to Yungblud’s broad and captivating vocal range on a few tracks, with power and emotion that don’t go unnoticed.

This whole album goes from crowd-pleaser to crowd-pleaser, made up entirely of songs that fans will (and have already started to) belt out by heart, both loud and out-there anthems and slower, sing-along ballads that’ll keep the Black Hearts Club going strong. Yungblud’s powerful image of the boy in the black dress, smeared in eyeliner and black nail polish is more affirmed than ever, both musically and visually, absolutely ready to storm around the world.

-Frankie Harmonia-