Yours Truly ‘Toxic’
Sydney’s Yours Truly unleash their sophomore album Toxic this week. After the brilliant and musically fluid EP that was Is This What I Look Like?, a tumultuous period pushed the duo to the edge and then some more.
There’s a case that true art can only be created through torment. The twist in your stomach, that knife in your back that comes from betrayal, hurt, anguish. From there, inspiration comes. This album is inspired.
The duo bring in Sam Bassal from Ocean Grove on production duties who challenges vocalist Mikaila Delgado to write differently, to push the content to be all at once pointed, autobiographical and sincere while also having enough broadness to be interpreted in any way that impacts the listener.
The album is called Toxic and that is the theme throughout, from the heavier guitar sound to the vocal range and delivery exceeding what we’ve heard before. Every piece is put together to make sure that every lyric is delivered perfectly, every dynamic twist of sound to illicit emotion.
Opener Back 2 U is feisty and catchy, forewarning that ‘nothing can last forever’ while Sour is choc full of energy, switching between rhythms and grooves.
Delgado’s vocals on this album are in the pocket. Full of rage, she controls that perfectly to make sure her power is channeled in technique and delivery. You feel every word and the music accentuates that further.
While being a much heavier output than previous, there are tracks that show the bands pop punk background such as California Sober and Desaturated which highlight the bands influence of writing songs in America, losing none of the meaning.
The lyrical content itself was mostly conceived during the touring cycle of Is This What I Look Like? and this shows in tracks such as Let It Go and Call My Name which both give a knowing reference to the track Lights On while still being oblique in meaning.
All That I’m Not is a beautifully bittersweet ballad with cries of ‘you’re always the victim’ that showcases the softer side of the band as it pulls at your heartstrings. However, for another left turn there’s the drum n bass influenced blast of Love Feel Like just to make sure you don’t get too sullen.
The track Sinking features Jono Hawkey from Bloom in what is a highlight of highlights, his screams perfectly complimenting Delgados vocals.
The album finishes with the aforementioned Call My Name and the journal of Delgado’s and Winder-Haron’s time is complete. Its darker, its heavier, its mature and it is beautifully and artistically a leap forward. A quite astonishing album, from a quite astonishing time from a quite astonishing group.
Album Review By Iain McCallum
Yours Truly new album Toxic is out via UNFD on Friday 16 August, Pre-Order/ Pre-Save HERE…
