A revolution is a struggle to the death between the future and the past – Fidel Castro
Believe Castro’s words; this is the future.
Spitting fire and fury, UK starlet Yungblud is back with his debut EP. Yungblud is a fresh face in the music industry, but has already caused a storm, with a crossbreed of rap and punk that comments on society and all its misgivings.
Opening track King Charles was Yungblud’s first release, fusing Arctic Monkeys bass lines with rhythmic vocal lines. Make no mistake, this boy’s got flow! “The mindless/divide us” shoots a sideswipe at the political landscape in the UK, furthered with “it’s real real scary being under 21″.
I Love You, Will You Marry Me has the best chorus on the album, and you’ll certainly hear fans all over the globe don their best Yorkshire accent to scream it back to the stage. This young punk’s suburban poetry is shown best with “Versions of Romeo and Juliet/This time with Adidas sneakers and cigarettes” here too, whilst Tin Pan Boy harks to the developers who attempted to tear down London’s beloved Tin Pan Alley.
The two new tracks are the real talking point here though. Taking a step away from the raw punk sound you’ll know from his live show, ‘Polygraph Eyes’ is a hip-hop romp that deals with the delicate subject of sexual assault. Reminiscent of the Monkeys famous’ When The Sun Goes Down, Yungblud tells the tale of a North-Eastern night out gone wrong. “Leave it alone mate, she doesn’t want to go home with ya” will sit with you, even if the relaxed vibe is more pop than punk. Kudos are deserved for speaking out, and this more approachable sound will hopefully reach far.
Final track ‘Anarchist’ feels like a cry for help. Again taking the more pop vibe – it feels like the Yungblud sound changed even while recording this EP – the lyrics recall Eminem. “They chucked me off a cliff but I’m still not dead” offers itself as the song’s emotional peak, though we can be thankful that he’s not.
Revolution is a pretty lifeless word these days. There are revolutions for your hair, your commute, your drinking, your lifestyle, your cat… but, rest assured, if there is a true revolution any time soon, this fella is going to be on the crest of the wave.
UK fans of Yungblud can find tickets for his upcoming shows here.
The Friendly Critic 