machine gun kelly – CHRIS PHILPOTT

In a weird way, I think this was both an improvement on previous album Tickets To My Downfall AND somehow worse than its predecessor.

If nothing else, Mainstream Sellout shows that MGK is committing to the bit: this is an unashamed pop-punk album, and continues feature hip-hop stars in guest spots (Lil Wayne and Young Thug are probably the biggest names to show up here). And musically, I think this is a marked improvement on Tickets – the songs are a little more clever in their composition, still based around the sharp distortion and fast-paced drums that made Blink-182 so popular.

Lyrically, it is utterly banal. There is nothing profound here, and you’d be wasting your time to even hope there would be. But its hard to make that a knock on the album since it has never been MGK’s approach to lyricism. And it is a pop album, after all. Its not like the biggest names in the genre are singing about much more than falling in love, feeling sad and disillusioned, getting back at their ex.

I enjoyed this one. It isn’t the album of the year. But it is upbeat, it sounds like somebody having a good time, and it features a killer verse from Willow.

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CLTM (Chris Listens To Music) is my attempt to listen to a new album every day; you can follow my efforts on Instagram here (and send recommendations), and if you like what I’m doing, support my efforts by shouting me a cuppa at Buy Me A Coffee.

“Like a ticking time bomb, I’m about to explode. Motherfuckers, let’s go!” The opening track of Love Sux is something of a statement from Lavigne, who has returned with her best and most punky pop album in years, complete with appearances from current pop-punk darling Machine Gun Kelly, and pop-punk forefather Mark Hoppus; the Blink-182 stars guest appearance elevates “All I Wanted” to best track on the album.

But what could Lavigne have to explode about? Maybe its the fact that she is a clone who is still forced to pretend to be someone else.

Okay, I know that sounds crazy. I discovered a few months back that there is an elaborate conspiracy theory that Avril Lavigne was replaced by a body double in 2003 after dying in the wake of her debut album. In order to make more money from the star, the record company brought in a body double named Melissa to take over. Lavigne has actually been Mel ever since.

Evidence? Try the fact that the singer was seen buying cheese at a time when she supposedly had Lyme disease. Or the time she did a photo shoot with ‘Melissa’ written on her hand. Or the subliminal messaging on her single “My Happy Ending”.

It doesn’t account for the fact that she switched record labels before this most recent album. Maybe this is the real Lavigne and she didn’t die but was just sidelined so that Melissa could make pop music?! I think I cracked it.

THIS IS NOT HIM. THIS IS HIS WEBSITE.

Tag: machine gun kelly

CLTM2022 #082: Machine Gun Kelly – Mainstream Sellout (2022).

CLTM2022 #056: Avril Lavigne – Love Sux (2022)