Category: Alternative

Charli XCX’s latest venture, Wuthering Heights, is an ambitious concept album that reimagines gothic through the lens of hyperpop excess and emotional chaos. A bold pivot from her Brat era’s party-girl anthems, trading sweat-soaked raves for brooding, wind-swept melodrama. But does it soar like Heathcliff’s tormented soul, or does it crash like a poorly mixed demo?

The album kicks off strong with a monologue or whatever something that wasn’t musical could be heard. Though, That next track “Wall of Sound” It’s catchy as hell, with a chorus that begs for TikTok dances: “ ‘Cause every time I try

Talking myself backwards

Away from my desires

Something inside stops me, oh”

From there, Wuthering Heights dives into familial dysfunction with distorted guitar riffs, shuffle dance in a way that feels both clever and chaotic.

Charli’s lyrics shine. 

Midway through, things get experimental. “Chains of Love” is a standout, blending industrial noise and the albums theme that’s equal parts dance-pop and XCX’s style . It’s the kind of song that could soundtrack a goth rave, showcasing Charli’s underrated vocal range. It’s raw and intimate, a rare moment of restraint in her discography.

Unfortunately, not everything lands. With repetitive loops that mimic the novel’s class tensions but drag on without much payoff.

Overall, Wuthering Heights is a fascinating experiment with pop audacity, but it stumbles in execution. It’s got moments of brilliance that affirm Charli’s status as a boundary-pusher, yet too many tracks but casual listeners might find it more frustrating than fulfilling.

Rating: 5.4/10

A turbulent ride that’s half genius, half gale-force disappointment—much like the moors themselves.

Well This Is Easy To Write

M G K.

Yo, what’s good? Welcome back to the page! It’s your boy OnlyBlackKid and today, we’re diving into something big— The Artist formerly known as Machine Gun Kelly brand-new album, lost americana, which dropped on August 8, 2025. I’ve been hyped to check this out, from Bob Dylan narrating the trailer to MGK’s whole genre-bending vibe.

If you’re an MGK fan, a pop-punk lover, or just curious, stick around, hit that subscribe button, and let’s get into it! Oh, and drop a comment if you’ve already heard the album—what’s your take? Let’s go!”

lost americana totes no guest features, which is fire and a first for him, and it’s super personal as think rehab, his breakup with Megan Fox, and all the chaos of 2024. His seventh album and IAM not looking for the bars out the intro.

Hard to hear what he is saying in the chorus • Is that not what rock is. • OBK on lost americana’s ‘outlaw overture.’ 

First up, ‘outlaw overture’ hits like a lightning bolt right out the gate. It starts with these synths that give off major ‘80s new-wave vibes, then it flips into this raw, widescreen rock anthem and MGK’s screaming about addiction and breaking free. The lyrics? Whew, heavy. He says, “I miss my drugs, they’ve been my friends since 21”— that hit me in the chest. It’s like he’s laying it all bare. The beat switch in the middle threw me off at first, but it’s bold. For a tad second I thought I had already reached a new track and MGK makes music for your workday. I’m feeling this as an opener —sets the tone for the chaos.

More checks than Blanks on track by track hot or nah so that makes it Shai-Gild from the field and note none of your favorite players could stop heem 2024-2025 season.

Still: Angry/Happy & full of vulgar. What has changed in MGK music other than his vocal presence. Not Much

Forced pop; no way that is wat “vampire diaries.”

What Lost Americana lacks in Macys fitting room it garners in Rainbow TEST. 

Their / there RAP on the album and I will get to it. 

1. ‘indigo’ full breakdown

Mood – EMO                    

Punches 20 percent vs 80 percent Wordplay

Beat = 100 can hear every word

Cool; Somber chaos to prove that alternative feel. That’s a sample #HelpABroOut

2. ‘tell me whats up’ piviotal moment to tell somebody to LACE THE FUCK UP. It’s raw, and MGK’s flow is on point. It brings back his hip-hop roots, and it’s confessional—like he’s spitting his truth about his struggles

The back half of the album—‘Can’t Stay Here,’ ‘Treading Water,’ and ‘Orpheus’—oh man, this is where it gets heavy. ‘Treading Water’ is MGK at his most honest, talking about his breakup with Fox and their daughter. Lines like ‘I broke this home, and just like my father, I’ll die alone’ had me shook. These tracks are like a gut punch, especially if you’ve follow his story. The acoustic vibes and raw emotion make this the strongest part of the album for me.

SPOTLIGHT

‘Cliché,’ the lead single. [smirks] Okay, MGK knew what he was doing naming it that. It’s straight-up pop, like Backstreet Boys meets modern pop-country. It’s catchy, got that summer anthem feel. To accompany It’s fun, the music video with all the Route 66, muscle cars, and denim vibes screams Americana. But is it deep? Nah, it’s just a vibe. I can see it on the radio, though—already hit Billboard Hot 100

Let’s get to ‘Miss Sunshine.’ Okay, this one’s got that southern-rock swagger, almost like AC/DC meets Sugar Ray [,]. It’s super nostalgic, lifting from ‘You Shook Me All Night Long’ in the chorus, which is bold. I was vibing, cruising with the windows down energy,. I get that—it’s like MGK’s trying to capture this carefree youth he never had.

Conclusion

What’s fascinating is how personal this album is. MGK’s talking about rehab, his public breakup, and chasing this idea of the American dream. The Bob Dylan cosign adds this wild layer of legitimacy—like, how did that even happen? But it fits, because MGK’s trying to reimagine what freedom and reinvention mean, just like Dylan did back in the day.

It’s chaotic, it’s honest, and it’s got something for everyone

U Know my motto if I can write a letter to the book I’m wit it. MGK is his age and whatever that means. If he does not have perfect line it is the next one or the one after. ‘Starman’ proves that.  

Turn on notifications, and let’s keep the convo going. Until next time, keep vibing, keep dreaming, and I’ll catch y’all in the next post. 

Deuces

Honorable Mentions

‘don’t wait run fast’

Released on October 10, 2025, via Better Noise Music.

Avril Lavigne comes and goes wthelly was that a feature or a sample Ryan Key makes you hit repeat to linger longer savoring the song as intended. Yellowcard, with their chests puffed out after years of silence, returns with their eleventh LP Better Days sounding more alive than ever. Don’t call it a comeback—but it kind of is. Get Top on the phone; this one deserves a push.

Don’t say those days are over. Ryan Key, Sean Mackin, Josh Portman, and Ryan Mendez have something left to prove, delivering a record that bridges generations. It’s grown-up angst—matured but still kicking—hitting the emotional frequency that once lived on Windows Media Player visualizer.

Time moves fast, and you hear those years in every corner of this record. Yellowcard, the band that soundtracked skate-park summers and late-night heartbreaks, has grown up without going quiet. Better Days blends the urgency of youth with the clarity of age. It’s melodic, emotional, and steeped in pop-punk DNA that refuses to fade, no matter how many trends pass.

The album opens with Better Days, a title track that reclaims optimism like a muscle flexed anew. Sean Mackin’s violin slices through the guitars—his signature weapon—and Key’s voice carries the ache of experience without losing its lift. The chorus, built for open car windows and half-sung harmonies, lands like a benediction: “We’ve still got better days ahead.” It’s not nostalgia; it’s renewal.

Then Take What You Want ignites, a perfect collision of past and present. The track bridges eras, blending the restless angst of 2004 with the sharp defiance of 2025.

Avril Lavigne’s feature—not a sample—adds texture and tension to You Broke Me Too. Her voice weaves through Key’s like a challenge and a reminder, proof that pop-punk’s heart still beats, even as its sound matures. Their tones intertwine like static under calm, holding drama without reaching for it. Every lyric lands with restraint, turning heartbreak into focus rather than fallout.

The chemistry sparks, and for a few minutes, Yellowcard sounds both brand-new and unmistakably themselves.

You Broke Me Too

For listeners who grew up blending Jay-Z with Linkin Park, Lil Wayne over rock riffs, or Paramore alongside K. Dot, Better Days feels like honest evolution—genre as conversation, not costume. Just when the mood settles, honestly i kicks the tempo back up. Its classic snare pop recalls Warped Tour heat and bruised sneakers, but with a twist. Key isn’t pretending to be the kid who sang about going missing in action; he’s the adult reflecting on what that meant. Lyrically, the song balances confrontation and acceptance—honestly, I’m fine feels like release, not denial. The band locks in with precision: Mackin’s threads warmth through the chaos, Mendez’s bites without overpowering, and Portman’s keeps the pulse steady. It’s Yellowcard at full awareness—older, sharper, but still wired to the same emotional voltage that made them essential. The track is a streamlined reset, showcasing the band’s technical focus.

Bedroom Posters continues that discipline, shifting toward reflection without sentimentality. The production is clean and measured, prioritizing balance over intensity. Each instrument sits neatly in the mix, reflecting careful arrangement. Lyrically, the track captures time’s passage through concise, image-driven lines—old songs fading through the drywall and faces I once thought I’d be frame maturity as observation, not loss.

The transition from Bedroom Posters to the album’s final stretch underscores Yellowcard’s focus on cohesion over spectacle. Better Days lands now because of its precision—not a return to what worked, but a refined evolution. Yellowcard isn’t chasing familiarity; they’re defining continuity, balancing what’s changed with what still connects.

In an era where pop-punk’s resurgence often leans on past aesthetics, better days stands out by rejecting imitation. It’s not a revival; it’s maintenance. Yellowcard approaches the genre with awareness of its limits and confidence in its craft. [8.7]

By its conclusion, Better Days confirms Yellowcard’s quiet command. Their cohesion remains intact, their sound more deliberate but no less defined. Instead of chasing relevance, they’ve built an argument for endurance—clear, disciplined, and fully realized on their own terms.