Admittedly, even though Machine Gun Kelly is from my neck of the woods, I’ve never really given his music much of a chance in the past. A large part of that has to do with the fact that he’s primarily a rapper, which just isn’t really my cup of tea. Yes, I’ve seen him at rock and emo shows, both as a fan and as a performer, but I just attributed that to the fact that he was local. Turns out, he can make some really good emo and punk music! Let his new album, Tickets to My Downfall, put all your fears to rest.
That’s what it certainly did for me anyway! Back when the pandemic was still fresh, MGK released “My Bloody Valentine,” which I honestly loved straight out of the gate. However, in my mind this was just a one-off, and even though he had said he wanted to make a scene album, I wasn’t buying it at the time. Nor did I think it was going to be as good as that one song. Low and behold, he came through on his word and delivered a very solid record! Despite it taking a turn for the punk and emo world, he still got in some rap world collaborators, but more importantly, he got in emo ones!
That’s right, Bert McCracken of The Used shows up, and Travis Barker lends his drumming skills, but you also get to hear Halsey and Trippie Redd assist on other tracks. Aside from getting some vocal cameos, MGK also decided to do an excellent cover of Paramore’s “Misery Business.” Seriously, it’s fantastic. Some songs that really stuck with me off the album were “Drunk Face” and “Concert for Aliens,” but I don’t think any take as much of an emotional toll as the closing track, “Play This When I’m Gone.” Clearly a letter to his daughter about how he’d feel if he left this world early from an accidental drug or alcohol death. I recall reading that he wrote the song when a lot of his friends were dying in similar ways, with the most notable being Lil Peep. That song will definitely tug at your heartstrings.
The album overall played loose and fast, and had the whole world not been shut down, this album would have been so fun to play in front of live audiences. It’s clear MGK wants fans to have as much fun as he’s having. This record was also such and fun and creative deviation from his usual output, and clearly he can thrive in this emo world if he wants to. I also can’t ignore the fact that this is the first time SNL has recognized his talents (friendship with Pete Davidson be damned). I think this was the push of creative focus that MGK needed to break through and he’s doing it in marvelous fashion.
Aside from a good number of music videos, you can also check out a movie that was made dedicated to the album, Downfalls High. I myself have not given it a viewing, but I’m looking forward to doing so in the near future! All in all, this was a really great listening surprise! Similar to the band girlfriends, this spunky scene album will hit folks in their late twenties and early thirties “in all the feels.” Check it out!