It’s only been a little over a year since Post Malone dropped his last album “Twelve Carat Toothache,” an underwhelming feat that didn’t see much growth from the Grammy-nominated singer. Now a father, it seems like the singer has brought himself back down to earth on his newest addition, “AUSTIN.”
Unlike its predecessors, Post Malone utilizes easy production through guitar ballads and isolated vocals. He also pulls from 1980s and country influences, evident with tracks such as “Speedometer” and “Buyer Beware.” Yet, he still struggles to breakthrough to listeners, wallowing in his vices that the singer can’t seem to shake.
Yes, it’s a heroic display of Post Malone’s honesty as a performer, as it’s extremely hard to sing about addiction, but it also shows how there’s been no growth since arguably 2019’s “Hollywood’s Bleeding.” For example, songs such as “Socialite,” “Overdrive” and “Green Thumb” are just the singer mumbling about the feelings of isolation and burnout, and they would’ve been more memorable if the singer showed off his extensive vocal range or simply used better lyricism.
After going through so many life changes, Post Malone does have a few high points on this record that allow for it to be a decent listening experience even if there are many flaws. The opening tracks are where listeners really see the singer open up, specifically on tracks “Don’t Understand,” “Something Real” and “Chemical.”
On the first track, the singer admits to having low self-esteem as he sings, “I don’t understand why you like me so much / ‘Cause I don’t like myself / I don’t understand why you like me so much / Wish I was someone else,” alluding to the love he receives from his fanbase but also his inner circle.
The transition into the second track is reminiscent of a gospel hymnal, with the singer asking himself why he can’t seem to feel anything, even after achieving renowned success. It’s an excellent display of his vocals, and you can almost hear where Post Malone’s potential as an artist could go if he were to utilize this strength more often.
“Chemical,” the lead single off “AUSTIN,” is one of the stronger tracks on the album because of how vulnerable in sound it is. While it’s meant for Top 40 radio, it also has decent lyrics such as, “Oxytocin makin’ it all okay / When I come back down, it doesn’t feel the same / “Now, I’m sittin’ ‘round waitin’ for the world to end all day / ‘Cause I couldn’t leave you if I tried,” tackling the controversy around his drug use, which is not an easy thing to be so open about in a society obsessed with outing people, most importantly celebrities, for their mishaps.
With 18 tracks, listeners start to get lost in Post Malone’s thoughts, and a lot of the tracks feel like they’re unfinished. Additionally, many have no substance to them at all like “Hold My Breath” and “Enough Is Enough,” the singer getting too repetitive with his songs about lusting after girls and drinking into the morning. Basically, it’s like listening to a washed-out frat boy, which is sad to hear after being a fan for so many years.
Any signs of redemption comes in other songs like “Too Cool To Die” and “Sign Me Up,” both instances where the singer reflects on the moments that have stained his career. The first track mentions an array of topics that somewhat connect such as global warming and dying, and Post Malone seems to fall into a doomsday-esque mindset. The latter discusses a toxic crush, one that has left the singer in disarray.
The last few tracks on the album don’t really signify an end to this chapter in Post Malone’s life, oddly similar to how his last album panned out as well. With no real goodbye, listeners end on “Laugh It Off” and “Joy,” two songs about wanting to move on from being miserable, a side effect of being thrown into a burning spotlight. While they are heartfelt, it’s again too repetitive coming from someone like the singer.
Overall, “AUSTIN” by Post Malone doesn’t showcase the singer’s incredible talent, nor does it show any signs of maturity. Instead, it focuses too heavily on endlessly circling around his problems that have been discussed in previous works. Even if there are wholesome moments on this record, the singer still struggles to connect to listeners about his life, making him unrelatable and repetitive at times.
Rating: 2/5
