LOS ANGELES, CA- For those who have been keeping an eye on YUNGBLUD since his 2018 debut, 21st Century Liability, it’s been a fascinating — if at times uneven — journey. That first album, a cocktail of bratty energy and political angst, was an impressive calling card for the Doncaster-born rocker, but to some, it leaned a little too hard into adolescent rebellion. At the time, I found myself gravitating more toward the dulcet melodies of his mate Lewis Capaldi than YUNGBLUD’s frantic yelps.
His 2020 follow-up Weird! offered more polish but, thematically, felt scattered — a hyperactive scroll through identity, love, and loss that didn’t always stick the landing for me IMHO. His self-titled 2022 album YUNGBLUD showed real flashes of growth, finally beginning to channel his punk-pop chaos into something more focused, more formidable. But it’s this year, with the back-to-back release of “Hello Heaven, Hello” and now “Lovesick Lullaby,” that YUNGBLUD sounds like he’s finally found not just his footing, but a proper stride.
Released with a full-throttle, Britpop-blaring video, “Lovesick Lullaby” is a bold, brash tribute to the sounds and culture that raised him. Decked out in Burberry, Fred Perry, and Sir Tom Baker, YUNGBLUD takes a black cab to a raucous London pub, throwing nods to classic British pop culture — including a cheeky homage to the iconic Maxell “Break the Sound Barrier” ad. It feels like visual love letter to Britain, soundtracked by one of his strongest songs yet.
Where 21st Century Liability barked for attention, Lovesick Lullaby commands it with swagger. It’s a banger — loud, melodic, and drenched in attitude. There’s a confidence here that YUNGBLUD has always had, but now it’s matched with a sense of self that’s unmistakable. “Making this song was a f*cking party,” he said of the recording process, describing the lyrics as the kind of thing you cobble together hungover over fish and chips. That looseness works — the song feels natural, effortless, alive.
Importantly, the journey to “Lovesick Lullaby” feels informed by the musical roots he’s actively reclaiming. “Hello Heaven, Hello”, the single he release prior to “Lovesick” itself carried a clear callback to the doom-laden grandeur of Black Sabbath — another sign that YUNGBLUD is digging deep into British rock heritage, not just flirting with its imagery. It’s not nostalgia for nostalgia’s sake; it’s the sound of an artist building a new identity from the bones of the old.
With his second Bludfest on the horizon, a new album brewing, and a new maturity sharpening his razor-edged sound, 2025 is shaping up to be YUNGBLUD’s most exciting year yet.
If you’ve ever doubted him, now’s the time to tune back in. You might just find yourself singing along.
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