Album Review: Yours Truly - Self Care

The downside to being a critic is.... being a critic. When you spend so long analyzing music, it becomes hard to listen to something new without hearing the flaws and dwelling on them. It's the nature of the beast. Even among the albums that populate my yearly Top Ten lists, including the winners for Album Of The Year, I can always find something about each one that you could call a nit I have picked. That didn't happen, however, when I was listening to Yours Truly's "Afterglow" EP last year. Those five songs flew by in a whirling dervish of near perfection. Not only did the music fit into the category of pop/rock I grew to become a music fan listening to, but the only complaint I was able to register was that the band wasn't giving us a full-length album.

That is changing with "Self Care", the biggest statement yet by Yours Truly. Across their two EPs, they have already established themselves as one of the catchiest rock bands on the planet, and with more to sink our teeth into this time, this record is where the world should take note of this young group. I was sold on the potential alone, but when the first singles were released, it was evident to me we were on the verge of something great. "Composure" and "Together" both showcased the band doing what they do best, putting thundering drums and crunchy guitars behind Mikaila Delgado's sharp voice and sticky hooks. The feeling I got listening to them, "Together" in particular, was the same thing that happened when Green Day was moving into their "American Idiot" phase. Yours Truly has the songs and sound we used to call 'arena sized'.

Perhaps the current situation of the world explains this, but one of my favorite records last year, Dream State's "Primrose Path", was a therapeutic cleansing of the mind that rang true with a sense of optimism that we'll get through this. As the title might suggest, "Self Care" follows a similar line of thought, working through issues in song, and coming out the other side with a better understanding of who we are, who we want to be, and what it takes to keep ourselves from sliding back under the black clouds. Because of that, I don't just think of this as another record coming along to entertain us, it's something more important than that. "Self Care" is a means for us to do exactly that; to care for ourselves.

In the opener, "Siamese Souls", Mikaila says a line about there being nothing left but a sense of regret, which is in the context of a breakup, but also speaks to this moment in time. Sometimes it feels like our connection to humanity as a whole, and not just to one special person, has been severed, and with it our ability to be optimistic. But the way she asks these questions atop a melody so sunny and uplifting gives us the impression that the pain is only a chapter, and we will soon be able to move on with a better sense of understanding.

Later, in "Vivid Dream", Mikaila sings about how nothing lasts forever. When Axl Rose said the same thing in "November Rain", it sounded like the end of the world. In Mikaila's voice, it's a statement of how we can grow and evolve into better people than we are now, and where we are now is not where we are always destined to be. There's no weeping guitar solo, because she is defiant in the face of pain, not giving in. The difference in attitude is palpable, and propels this album forward.

The songs on this record are rooted in the best parts of pop-punk, with riffs that get your toe tapping as a catalyst to get you to take the first step forward. This is a record with songs exploring our darkness, but the music remains upbeat, bright, and overwhelmingly fun. Whether you want to confront your own demons or not, "Self Care" can be there for you. It will ask the tough questions if that's what you want, but it will also just put a smile on your face with catchy songwriting if that's all you're looking for. The choice is left up to you.

Mikaila want to know "if tracing over all your scars helps with your closure". Isn't that the question all over-thinkers ask themselves? No song can quell those thoughts, but it can tell us it's ok to feel that way. Sometimes, acceptance is half the battle.

Yours Truly has grown and evolved since their first EP, and even since the already great "Afterglow" EP. They had the sound and the hooks, and Mikaila has dug even deeper on this record, which adds weight to their songs, like the bait on the end of the shiny hook. The only way to find out our destiny is to act, even if it may hurt. I've bit. "Self Care" is this year's most important album, and quite frankly, it's my favorite album of the year so far.