By Olivia Turner | Arts & Life Editor
I first heard Malcolm Todd sing on a sunny, sweltering October morning in Zilker Metropolitan Park. I didn’t know it at the time, but at his Austin City Limits set, in a swarm of dedicated fans screaming the lyrics to the indie artist’s biggest hits at the time, including “Roommates” and “Sweet Boy,” I found an artist would grow to become one of my favorites in a matter of months.
It was here Todd mentioned he was working on his debut album, but he made an official announcement for the drop date on his Instagram in February.
I can by no means claim that I’ve been listening since before anyone knew who Todd was — it’s clear he’s had an amazing fanbase from the start. But I can say I was able to witness a performance by an already talented artist who would soon gain traction to become something even greater. I truly feel Todd has achieved greatness in his self-titled, 14-track debut album released on Friday.
I was initially surprised to discover that Todd hails from Los Angeles. Upon initially hearing his belting and sometimes screechy vocals and watching tall, blonde, buzzcut Todd on stage, he and his band had a grunginess and rawness that led me to assume they must be a gem of a midwestern indie band. While I did find this album to come across slightly less-grungy than some of Todd’s previous warped synth-heavy work, I think he maintains that edge and charm with songs like “Who’s the Fool,” “Lying” and “Concrete.”
“Malcolm Todd” is a collection of songs that is chock-full of emotions. Whether that be feelings of inadequacy, confidence, longing, betrayal or adoration, Todd masterfully expresses and projects them all into song form. I found that all of my favorites from this album also seemed to be the ones where Todd seemed to be spinning out of control and pouring out his heart. These allow the listener a peek into how he sees, feels and thinks — a picture of beautiful chaos.
The two songs he released as singles preceding the album drop, “Chest Pain (I Love)” and “Bleed (feat. Omar Apollo),” are now his two most popular songs on Spotify and are some of my favorites as well. They’re passionate, alluring and, most importantly, catchy.
However, “Make Me a Better Man” is the track I’ve had playing on repeat in my earbuds and blasting in my car for the past three days. Based on the story Todd tells, it seems he falls in love with a gay girl who breaks his heart, which honestly is so real. The lyrics are simple, but they dig like a knife.
I recommend you hit play on this song to get the full affect, but with words like, “You’re looking bored, you’re looking at me like you look at the ground,” and “The way you talk to her I swear / It’s like you wish I wasn’t there,” — ouch. You almost don’t even need the music to feel the pain.
Other personal favorites include “Doll” and “Concrete,” both of which are also quite wrenching listening experiences. “Doll” details Todd’s feeling of being toyed with by a girlfriend and his allowing her to do so. “Concrete” is about a love-hate relationship that leaves Todd feeling like a “loser” with his hands tied. Both of these tracks use audio samples, a theme common among several songs throughout the album. While Todd sings for himself, these audio snippets cleverly allow the listener to see who he’s up against or who he’s with, like the closing words of endearment in “I’ll Come Back For You.”
Some claim Todd is aiming to be the next male pop sensation, but I don’t think that’s what he was going for at all with this album. Through his most recent work, Todd wholly gives himself over to this listener, admitting loves, heartbreaks and fears along the way, using a multitude of different sounds, styles and voices. After a thorough listen, Malcolm Todd seems not to be funneling himself into a genre but finding himself through his songs, whatever that may sound like at the moment.
It’s been great to see Todd get the love he deserves for his music. Now, Omar Apollo, who was one of his biggest inspirations in high school, is someone he sings alongside as an equal. If you’re interested in seeing (or hearing) what all the hype is about, “Malcolm Todd” is an ideal place to start.
