Yours Truly – Toxic (Album Review)

Sydney pop-punk trio Yours Truly is back and showing everyone how it’s done with their second album Toxic!

Kicking off the album is Back 2 U, a pop-punk style track reminiscent of the likes of Paramore, full of energy, a showcase of powerful vocals and album direction sure to get everyone nodding their heads right from the get go. Sour takes it in a different direction with an emphasis on the drums keeping the rhythm pounding with similarly heavy and gritty riffs adding a darker tone to the track. California Sober focuses more on the pop elements both lyrically and vocally,with the punkier energy coming from the instrumentals, the combination creates an easy listening experience, one I would use to introduce non-metal friends to the genre.

Let Go embodies early 2000s energy, energetic and full of life whilst also the first opportunity for the bass to come to the forefront, thrumming away throughout the track while the different layered styles of vocals add an interesting depth. All That I’m Not is a heartbreak track, the lyrics perfect to scream over the relentless instrumentals with quieter guitar sections oozing emotion by the bucketload. Love Feels Like is the shortest of the album and another track that uses guitar melodies in the front, this time taking the track into a different style completely with the use of synths creating an ethereal energy different to what we’ve hear before.

Bloodshot Eyes is the return of the typical pop-punk influence with interesting pauses throughout the track that emphasis different points in the lyrics whilst effectively capturing the attention of the listeners. Sinking features an almost alien voice effect in the opening and closing notes of the track before speeding on into more of the strong music we’ve become accustomed to. Desaturated is similar in energy to Let Go, the contrast of the repeated talking sections with the melodic energy of the the rest creates an interesting effect before abruptly ending. Closing the album is Call My Name which is where we yet again see the rise of the bass and the lean towards to typical pop influences before diving headfirst back into mighty riffs, a great end to the album.

Overall, Toxic is a strong album full of heavy riffs and insanely powerful vocals, sure to steal the hearts of pop-punk fans everywhere!

Tracklist:

1. Back 2 U
2. Sour
3. California Sober
4. Let Go
5. All That I’m Not
6. Love Feels Like
7. Bloodshot Eyes
8. Sinking
9. Desaturated
10. Call My Name

Yours Truly: Facebook

Release Year: 2024
Label: UNFD
Category: Album
Country: Australia

Reviewed by Jodie Louise