“Dragged through heaven to end up in hell with you.”
Pop-punk. A truly nostalgic and ever-lasting genre that has stood the test of time. However, its longevity has led to its stagnancy and familiar sound that is lacking in evolution compared to many other scenes. Australian up-and-comers Yours Truly have been hot on the radar for many viewers of the alternative side. If they’re susceptible to the same saturation plague that encompasses all of pop-punk is an answer that can be found in their upcoming EP is this what i look like?.
From an overall perspective, is this what i look like?‘s immediate flaw lies on its release realistically being 2 new songs. Prior to the full release, 4 of the singles are already available on streaming platforms, while title track “is this what i look like?” is an instrumental interlude. Whether it is a major flaw on the record is debatable, as the singles hold enough diversity in their influential outreaches that it doesn’t inherently spoil everything. It draws from the likes of Tonight Alive, Hey Monday, with a little bit of All Time Low and VersaEmerge in the fray. That being said, it still stands out as a solid overall release that is sonically digestible.
In terms of what can be expected from its sound, it’s simple. At its roots, it’s still pop-punk and alternative rock, which is not to be taken as a bad thing. If anything, wearing modernized pop-punk on its sleeve allows the record to shine that much more, and is one of its strengths. It maintains its catchiness and driving tap-along beats in tracks such as “Hallucinate“, featuring You Me At Six‘s vocalist Josh Franceschi. Similar sounds grounded in heavier fashion can be seen in “Bruises“, donning a more aggressive and accentuated instrumental, this time with the aid of Stray From The Path‘s Drew York. These can be slightly contrasted in comparison to the more melodically driven “Lights On” and the softer and mellow tones in “Careless Kind“. Its shining star and hidden gem in the entire EP lies in “If You’re Drowning (I’ll Learn How To Hold My Breath)“, which beautifully incorporates all of these elements in a perfect hybrid to create a luscious and resonating sound full of captivating nostalgia.
is this what i look like? in its entirety is a fairly well-honed piece of work that should be given its fair chance. With Yours Truly being a spotlighted act in the eyes of many, its obvious as to why many are looking in their direction. The EP features a handful of tracks that allows the group to stand out as a force to be reckoned with. With pop-punk, there is only so much innovation to be had. However, Yours Truly are slowly pushing that envelope, and I hope they continue to drive that force in the scene.
7/10
is this what i look like? releases on Friday, July 15th via UNFD on various streaming platforms. You can pre-save the album here.