Post Malone has had a pretty interesting career to this point. When he first burst onto the scene, I thought he was really special. The way he was able to make engaging and exciting Hip Hop music was unprecedented at the time, and his quality of music was so ahead of his peers. Post Malone’s first two records, Stoney and beerbongs & bentleys, are both great Melodic Trap albums; these two records served as a blueprint for a lot of artists who debuted after him. I think Post Malone noticed a lot of people were biting his signature sound after releasing beerbongs & bentleys, because his next record, Hollywood’s Bleeding, veers away from his signature Melodic Trap sound. Instead, it incorporates a lot of Pop and Rock themes that he had not really dove into to that point. This album was a mixed bag, with some of it being very good and some of it missing the mark. He followed this up with Twelve Carat Toothache. On this record, he veers even further away from the music he became famous for. It is an amalgamation of generic Pop and Folk music that felt very disjointed. When it came out, I did not have many positive things to say about the record, and I still don’t. I do not know if it is because he felt disdain for Twelve Carat Toothache or if he just really had more to say(or if he has a restricting contract he wants to get out of), but just one year later, Post Malone had decided to release a new album called AUSTIN. He has stated that this is his most genuine to this point, and that is exciting because it felt like his heart was not in the last couple of records. With that being said, here is how I feel about Post Malone’s AUSTIN. Please let me know in the comments below what your favorite song is from this record, and also comment on how you feel about it as a whole.
Post Malone gets the record started on a melancholy note with the song ‘Don’t Understand.’ This is a soft Country Rock song with a tone that is mournful in the verses and cheery in the chorus. The instrumental entirely consists of an acoustic guitar and what sounds like a fiddle. Towards the end of the song, a few more string instruments come in, giving the song a full climax. Post Malone’s vocals are very nice in this song. His tone is so clear and the emotion in his voice is so vivid. ‘Don’t Understand’ is a sweet love song where Post is trying to figure out why his significant other even wants to be with him. He knows that he can be a lot to deal with, and appreciates that she is willing to stick with him. ‘Something Real’ is a song with a sound a lot of people have wanted him to try. This is a stadium Pop-Rock song that sounds like it came right out of the 1980s. When I hear this song, I immediately think of bands like Supertramp or Europe. The song is driven by a slow and strong guitar riff that is complemented by blaring synths that make it so grand. Post Malone’s vocal performance on this song is so mighty, matching the power of the song. I could definitely see this song becoming a hit because of how big it sounds; it would be awesome to hear it performed live. On ‘Something Real,’ Post Malone is singing about abusing substances and spending money to get over depression. This is a very real and visceral feeling that so many people(myself included) relate to. ‘Chemical’ was the first song released in anticipation of this album. To be frank, I was very underwhelmed by this song when it came out. To me, it is just so bland and basic. ‘Chemical’ is a Dance Rock song that brings it back to the Alternative music popular in the early 2010s. It immediately brings to memory bands like The Wombats or Two Door Cinema Club. I do not have much to say about it. If I wanted to listen to this kind of music, I would listen to those bands. I do not think this song complements Post Malone’s vocal style well. In ‘Chemical,’ he sings about how a significant other(or possibly substances) have a hold on him in a way that he can not break. ‘Novacandy’ is a song that feels inspired by a different kind of 1980s Pop-Rock album than what we heard on ‘Something Real.’ This track has more of a Jazz-Rock fusion sound similar to bands like Toto or Chicago. The song is driven by a Funky Guitar riff complemented by Synths over an easygoing drum beat. It does not stand out to me, but it is also not bad at all. Post Malone’s vocal performance on this song is solid but nothing special. Like on ‘Something Real,’ on ‘Novacandy’ Post is singing about how he spends lots of money and abuses substances to feel alive.
‘Mourning’ is the second single released before this record came out. Similar to ‘Chemical,’ I do not have a lot to say about it. This is a Country-Trap song that just does not draw me in. The combination of melody and beat is boring. Post Malone’s vocal performance is nice(I like the way he sings-raps and rides the beat), and it feels wasted on this instrumental. On ‘Mourning,’ Post Malone sings about abusing alcohol and not wanting to be sober. ‘Too Cool To Die’ follows a trend in Pop that was brought to life by The Weeknd a few years ago. It has a 1980s-style New Wave Synth-Pop sound that is upbeat and cold and funky. Post Malone’s vocal performance on this song is not exceptional, but he does ride the instrumental nicely and makes the song easy to listen to. This song is solid(definitely better than ‘Mourning’), but it does not grab me much. On ‘Too Cool To Die,’ Post Malone is singing about passing time with the love of his life. ‘Sign Me Up’ is a Country-Pop song that has elements of 1980’s New Wave in it. It has a fast Country guitar-driven kind of melody that makes me think of early Taylor Swift music that is complemented by dynamic synths. It is very upbeat and is the kind of song that will get anyone dancing when they hear it. Post Malone’s vocal performance is very catchy, particularly in the chorus. This track has a sing-along element that makes me think it will end up being a hit. It is definitely my favorite on the record so far. On ‘Sign Me Up,’ Post Malone sings about the process of meeting and falling in love with his significant other. ‘Socialite’ sticks with the Country route, albeit going in a much more calm and slow direction. This song is driven by a warm acoustic guitar riff complemented by some string instruments that are put over a serene drum beat. Post Malone’s vocal performance on this track is very cozy and sweet, making the song feel all-encompassing. On ‘Socialite,’ Post Malone is singing about getting fucked up and goes out as often as he can. ‘Overdrive’ is the last song that was released going into this album. It is a song that sort of fuses Country and 1990s Alternative Acoustic Rock. Even though the acoustic guitar melody of the song has a Country Twang, the way the instrumental is arranged and the beat reminds me of bands like Sixpence None The Richer or Vertical Horizon. Post Malone’s vocal performance on this song is nice and fits the melody well; I particularly like the whistling section on the bridge. In ‘Overdrive,’ Post Malone is singing about wanting to change himself to get someone to love him.
‘Speedometer’ is a song that returns to a theme we heard earlier in the album. This is another track with a sound that is reminiscent of the retro-esque Synth-Pop sound that has become very popular in recent years. This track also has elements of Jazz-Fusion music from Toto or Chicago that I mentioned earlier as well. The bassline and beat feel like more Traditional New Wave and the complimentary keyboard riff and the other various synth sounds feel like Jazzy Pop Rock. Post Malone’s vocal performance on this song is not anything riveting or special. I hardly notice it, because it does not stand above the instrumental in any way. On ‘Speedometer,’ Post Malone is talking about speeding over to his significant other’s house to have sex. ‘Hold My Breath’ goes in a direction that is unlike anything else on the album to this point. This is a traditional Folk-Pop song that is very reminiscent of Norah Jones; I immediately thought of her Come Away With Me when I first listened to this one. The instrumental is so simple and sweet, consisting of a cozy and pleasant acoustic guitar riff that is put over a soft, slow drum beat. As the song progresses, eventually more string instruments and a piano come in to give the song a lush quality. Post Malone’s vocal performance on this track is excellent. The emotion in his voice is palpable, and his range is exquisite. ‘Hold My Breath’ is a major highlight for me; it is like a fully realized version of the Folk music Post Malone tried to make on his last record. In ‘Hold My Breath,’ Post Malone is pleading to his significant other that they profess their love for him so he has something to hold onto. ‘Enough Is Enough’ fuses modern Country-Pop with 1980s Stadium Rock music. It unquestionably has a unique sound, but I do not know if it is for me. The melody and beat for this song have a sound that makes me think of artists like Florida Georgia Line, but the synths and complementary instruments surrounding that basic melody sounds like something from the aforementioned Arena Rock bands like Supertramp or Europe. Post Malone’s vocal performance on ‘Enough Is Enough’ is nice; his voice is very bold and I like the high notes that he hits. I could see this song being a hit among modern Country-Pop fans, but it is not one I would personally want to listen to again. In ‘Enough Is Enough,’ Post Malone is singing about a one-night stand after a night out drinking. ‘Texas Tea’ sticks with the Southern feeling of the last song; it goes with a Bluesy-Rock feeling instead of a Country feel, though. This is the grittiest and harshest-sounding song on the album. It does not possess the sleek element that all of the songs before this have had. The song is driven by a distorted Bluesy guitar riff that is complemented by various synths and sound effects that is put over a thumping beat that will get anyone’s heart pumping when it comes on. ‘Texas Tea’ possesses another awesome vocal performance from Post Malone. The raspiness in which he hits the high notes on this song goes so well with the grating feeling of the guitar riff. ‘Texas Tea’ is a braggadocious song where Post Malone is expressing that he knows he is the man.
‘Buyer Beware’ is an additional song that fuses New Wave and Synth Pop with a style of music it usually would never go with; this time, the fusion is with Country-Pop. This track has a calm and sweet Country guitar riff that is put over a pretty lively beat; the melody is complemented by heavy futuristic Synths that sound like something on The Weeknd’s Dawn FM album. My favorite thing about the instrumental is the clapping that comes in and out of the beat, as it gives the song such an interactive feel. Post Malone’s vocal performance on this song is not breathtaking, but it does drive the song along well. On ‘Buyer Beware,’ Post Malone is trying to tell his significant other that he is not worth it and that they should not risk being with him. ‘Landmine’ is a song that immediately pushed me away when it came on. I know that some people might like and appreciate this sound, but I have never been into it. ‘Landmine’ sounds like a Country version of early 2000s Christian Rock music. It is as if a band like Switchfoot or Lifehouse used a melody created by Tim McGraw. The vocal performance on this song is good, but I can not get over the boring nature of the instrumental. On ‘Landmine,’ Post Malone is singing about how he knows his friends and destructive habits are holding him back and hurting his relationship. Like ‘Hold My Breath,’ ‘Green Thumb’ is a super lowkey song, but it is also one of the album’s most powerful tracks. The instrumental for this song is provided entirely by an acoustic guitar and faded synths; there are sections of the melody that feel downtrodden, and there are other sections that sound hopeful. The light distortion that comes in and out of the melody gives the song power and life. Post Malone does not show off his vocal range on this song, but his vocals are still poignant. On ‘Green Thumb,’ Post Malone is singing about how he misses his ex and uses alcohol to get rid of the pain of their break-up. Post Malone closes out the record on a grand and anthemic note with the song ‘Laugh It Off.’ This is a unique track with a Country-Rock melody and tone and an Alternative Rock instrumental arrangement. The song has a pretty swell and relaxed nature until the end, when the instrumental gets very big and distorted and sort of harsh. The best way I can describe this instrumental is that it is like music from Uncle Kracker mixed with music from Green Day. Post Malone’s vocal performance on this track is excellent; everything about what makes him great as a singer is here, from his incredible range to the unmistakable anguish he sings with. On ‘Laugh It Off,’ Post Malone is trying to(unsuccessfully) come to terms with how his ex wants nothing to do with him. ‘Laugh It Off’ is a very compelling way to end the record, and it brings AUSTIN to a vigorous conclusion.
As I alluded to in the introductory paragraph, I did not know what to think going into AUSTIN. After loving his first two albums, I did not like his last two much at all. In addition to how I felt about those two records, I did not enjoy any of the singles that were released before this record came out. Much to my surprise and elation, though, I actually enjoy this record a lot. It is very cohesive and raw; it paints an easy to follow picture of Post Malone’s self-destructive habits and how they affect his mental health and relationships. Post Malone takes a lot of sonic risks on AUSTIN, and for the most part they work out. Even the songs that I do not enjoy as much do feel like they fit in well with the context of the record. AUSTIN is not mind-blowing, but it is the beginning of a return to form for Post Malone. AUSTIN shows that Post Malone is beginning to understand himself more as an artist; it reignites my excitement in him and makes me more excited to see what he does in the future.
EAST SIDE VIBES 