Photo Credit: Max Pasalic
After a turbulent year or so Yours Truly are back with their second album TOXIC, released under UNFD. The record is the follow-up to 2020’s Self Care and the 2022’s Is This What I Look Like EP. Presented with a line-up change it was perhaps uncertain what the future would hold, however as founding members Mikaila Delgado (vocals) and Teddie Winder-Haron (guitar) welcome drummer Henry Beard into the fold, they emerge with their best and most creative album yet.
Back 2 U is an energetic start to TOXIC and Delgado’s vocals are the standout on this pop-punk track, as she opens the record with “I heard you say nothing lasts forever.” The title of this album is perfect as it deals with subject matters such as toxic relationships. One of the early releases from the album is Sour, another high-energy song that works really well between Delgado’s vocals and Winter-Haron’s guitar work. It’s barely noticeable here that the band are a member down, the three-member set up works well on the album.
California Sober is a trademark Yours Truly song and ticks every box for what you would want from a pop-punk track: explosive vocals alongside ripping guitar work, making this one of the best on the LP and set to be a live favourite, while Let Go sounds more upbeat with almost electronic drums from Beard. All That I’m Not is the nearest we get to a ballad on TOXIC, the cohesion between the three band members shines through here, while Love Feels Like seems to lose the trajectory of the record slightly with an slight drum and bass feel about the song. Bloodshot Eyes brings it back together and is another one that will go down well live. The one collaboration on the album, Sinking, is next up with fellow Sydney band Bloom. It’s a decent effort with explosive lyrics from Delgado and Jono Hawkey a highlight of the track.
Without a doubt the best track was saved until last. Call My Name was the first single taken from the record way back in January and is musically very upbeat, with a chorus that will stick in your head – it’s a song that we keep going back to. The very well produced song should gain the band many new fans when played live, while Delgado is at her finest on the vocals as she sings: “Is there anything left of this mess that we made/And as hard as I try, we’re stuck in a way/And I can’t explain, but you keep calling my name, name, name.”
Our only complaint about TOXIC is that the ten-tracks run less than 30 minutes in total and we’re left wanting more.
Yours Truly are set to embark on a tour across England and mainland Europe, before they head over to the US. Sadly no Scottish date on the tour for this guy… there will always be another time.
9/10
Standout Tracks: California Sober, All That I’m not, Call My Name
For Fans Of: Against the Current, As December Falls, Hot Milk
Written by: Alan Brown
