Diandra Reviews It All

When people think alternative pop, they presume an alteration of sound. Yet, Declan McKenna’s debut into the pop world, What Do You Think About The Car?, is pure pop. It sugars and juices i sonics that are as drinkable as a smoothie. Clearly, McKenna aims for the pleasure of pop as a genre aimed to invigorate sonically. Thus, the “alt” comes in his personal aim to invigorate listeners mindfully.
Declan McKenna – Humongous (Official Video)

Sometimes being alternative does not mean in sound as much as style. From his utterances to his vocal annotations, McKenna tussles with emotional exuberance and exasperation. He will drag and crate his voice in “Humongous” and then surf and wave it through “Brazil” as if to show it is not the rhythm of his music that bounces but his own voice. Usually, you rely on a beat to be the float of sonic change, but McKenna makes his voice an anamorphic guide through songs such as, “Why Do You Feel So Down”, “The Kids Don’t Want To Come Home”, and “I Am Everyone Else”. In each track, McKenna plays with his voice to play with the social topics pestering his heart. He may be young and distinct in style, but he is very aware that those are two things appreciated more in verse than reality. “Bethlehem”, “Isombard”, and “Paracetamol” confront the roles of racism, violence, homophobia, and religious -purported prejudice as some of the biggest reasons that being young and “one-of-a-kind” as a person can feel more like a burden in this world than the refreshing honor it should be. Many persons in humanity’s social, religious, and political history have been burned out too young for having the bravery to shine as their own star, especially amongst transgender youth. Thus, it is no wonder that the album can contain “slacker-pop” melodies, like “Mind”, or beached out drums, as in “Listen To Your Friends” because it can be tiring to wait for a world to accept you when all you want to do is live in it.
Declan McKenna – The Kids Don’t Wanna Come Home (Official Video)

What I love about What Do You Think About The Car? is that it casually gets analytical and even confrontative with listeners over how the world works and how he or she works, as well. For some, the album will be a sonic blanket of comfort, as they listen to McKenna sing the truths of their struggles, while for others, it will be a wake-up call to their role in others’ struggles. Either way, McKenna reveals a new, sentimental layer to why youth can feel so “wasted” and appear down-some; when you are young, you are most connected and eager to discover your inner vibrance, but, for many, being themselves is treated as a social threat. For More Information On Declan McKenna And To Buy What Do You Think About The Car? On July 21 Click Here.
Declan McKenna – Isombard (Official Video)