Released: 16 August
UNFD
Sydney trio Yours Truly are a dazzle of inspiration in 2024. Even with an album title like Toxic, this lot are anything but and they need no introduction here. We’ve been a loyal follower of Mikaila Delgado and Teddie Winder-Haron since the Afterglow days and their growth in the industry has been something else.
Their sophomore LP launches in with steady electronic guitars, meshed with confidence. This style emanating on ‘Back 2 U‘ feels quite different to anything the band have worked on, with Mikaila singing in a strong, almost spoken voice. Follow-up track ‘Sour‘ continues to push that punchy fuse and lyrically sees Delgado have the upper hand, thereby taking back parts of herself: “which part do I get to keep?”
‘California Sober‘ delivers wholesome melodies and explosive hooks, throwing us back into Yours Truly’s pop punkier roots. Through bursts of attitude and this newfound confidence, this is a band that is nevertheless still deeprooted in the pop punk arena. On ‘Let Go‘ they turn the decibels up and we see Teddie deliver a scorching guitar hook over the chorus. It’s a tune reminiscent of the current contemporary alternative landscape and sees this act conquer it effortlessly.
A slower change of pace comes around next, which feels like an album highlight. ‘All That I’m Not’ is a step back to the Self Care LP, allowing Mikaila to shine in her element and take care of herself by owing nobody but herself that raw edge and vulnerability. This is a track on endearment and I can see this being performed on stage with all of the feels – it suits that Yours Truly trademark sound they’ve developed since inception.
While ‘Love Feels Like‘ did feel like a bit of a transition, anti-climactic moment, the experimental pop edginess made for a beautiful transition into ‘Bloodshot Eyes‘. Gaining strength and confidence with personality, this song offers blotches of darkness, but it’s catchy as hell. The darkness makes for the perfect segue into ‘Sinking‘ though. Fleshed out further with grungier tones, molded with snippets of post-hardcore, Bloom’s Jono Hawkey pipes in with harsh, crisp screams. It is a different style for Yours Truly, but they’ve just pushed the door wide open into heavier pastures.
With ‘Desaturated‘ comes light-hearted pop punk with a cynical touch. Similar to ‘California Sober‘, the band’s signature sound is kept well intact while experimenting and nailing that smooth progression into a renowned maturing pop punk act on the world stage. The record closes in with leading single ‘Call My Name‘, an odd choice for both a single and closer but we’ll take it. More and more listeners will be calling their name from the rooftops following this release.
Toxic sees Yours Truly tackle mature lyricism whilst still keeping that youthful tone of their Self Care at the forefront. This band have always written their hearts on their sleeve in their music and this record is no different. In 2024, they’ve just managed to articulate their feelings a little more as they move through this challenging path we call life. The confidence oozing on this record is proof that the band are seemingly comfortable with where they’re at in their career and we cannot wait to see what’s next.
Rating: 8/10
Review By Tamara May
Listen to Toxic here
Yours Truly – TOXIC tracklisting:
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 featuring Jono Hawkey
9. Desaturated
10. Call My Name
