Yungblud (Deluxe Edition)

Just two years after his breakthrough sophomore LP Weird!, English upstart Yungblud returned with his self-titled third set. Yungblud further pushes the young artist into an authentic space where his voice and vision are becoming even more seamlessly merged. With that growth, he balances the typical "sex, drugs, and rock & roll" fare with honest, stripped-down confessionals, wherein Yungblud reveals things like, "Its alright, mate/I cry too" ("I Cry 2"). While many of the tracks spiritually fit into the early-2020s pop-punk revivalist wave, digging deep into these songs reveals that the focus is actually squarely aimed at the "pop" side of that equation. Yungblud is fun, catchy, and very accessible, offering punk spirit without ever being truly dangerous or too explicit. Opening standouts "The Funeral" and "Tissues" are irresistible, dance-friendly bursts that sound like My Chemical Romance taking a turn at Billy Idols "Dancing with Myself," while the urgent Willow collaboration "Memories" and the pogoing "Dont Go" come closest to the "pop-punk revival" tag. Bastilles Dan Smith shows up to help with the skittering indie rocker "Cruel Kids" and The Voice alum Carol Ades injects 80s goodness -- handclaps, synths, and all -- into the sneering "Sex Not Violence." That 80s vibe is present across many of these tracks, from the bopping "Mad" to "Dont Feel Like Feeling Sad Today" and "The Boy in the Black Dress," which loosely channel the Cures dreamy guitar shimmer. His rebellious spirit and heart-on-the-sleeve honesty about sexuality and identity make Yungblud a potent combination that endears as much as it excites, which should help him connect to fellow disaffected youth (and those who remember that tender age of angst and confusion). ~ Neil Z. Yeung

8月の〈サマソニ〉公演でも大暴れしたヤングブラッドからの3作目。前作に引き続き、全英1位で発進。ビリー・アイドルの再来かと思わせる"The Funeral"に始まり、"Tissues"におけるキュアーのサンプリングから"The Boy In The Black Dress"でのギター・リフ拝借まで、80sロック・テイストが炸裂。かと思えば、ウィル・スミスの娘ウィローとの共演、バスティルのダン・スミスとの共作など、モダンな要素もちゃっかり。自身の体験を踏まえつつ、メンタルヘルスやセクシュアリティーを歌ったり、〈俺だって泣くんだよ〉と弱みもチラ見せ。Z世代の全チェック・ポイントを押さえまくっているのは、出来過ぎにも思えるが、ロックが次のフェーズに入ったことを教えてくれる、目から鱗な快作だ。
bounce (C)村上ひさし