Poppy - I Disagree (album review)

I Disagree is the third studio album by American singer and YouTube personality Poppy. It was released on January 10, 2020 via Sumerian Records. The album is her first release on Sumerian Records following her departure from Mad Decent in 2019. 

I am new to Poppy since I seen her on WWE NXT, I was blown away just like; what am i hearing this is awesome and fresh and so unique and here i am with the new album, I ordered this off Amazon back in December last year (2019). I am still learning about Poppy and I have listened to her previous works and i have loved everything she has put out thus far, even her early cutesy pop orientated days. As far as i understand she also has a graphic novel out called Genesis 1 and she has a cult following of her own via youtube and even a wikipedia dedicated to her and a church. Poppy is a post genre pop metal artist combining the rocking riffs and sound of metal with the catchy lucky go happy pop vocals and lyrics of the top charting artists. I have been looking forward to this album for ages and here we go with my first listen through of the album and my thoughts.

1: Concrete - Do you hear that, the war sirens? It's about to go down! DAMN when that guitar hits it's so great and then it transcends into cute lyrical-ness which is not a word but i have now made it. It goes back down to the slow methodical pace of metal before erupting into applause and cuteness again. Stick with me on this album and with Poppy there is so much going on, don't take your ears or eyes away from her. 

2: I Disagree - The title of the album and second track of the album hits hard and fast and catches you in it's groovy riffy chorus. This is the first song i ever heard from Poppy and i was blown away, it starts as if it's telling you to proceed with caution and then oooft when it hits and then it keeps going and going and back to that catchy chorus which has me moving and grooving to the rhythm of the guitars and headbanging to the drum beat. It gets soft but also heavy it's an all round brilliant track and the go to song i show everyone when i talk about Poppy when they have no clue about her, this one shows you perfectly who is Poppy and what she is about, she's a game changer i am telling you!

3: Bloodmoney - A heavy hitter here and Poppy goes to show it in the music video for it too. There's a blend of instrumentals in here from the soft beats to the heavy beats from the soft spoken robotic-ness to the heavy distortion, lots going on a lot of heavy bass and aggression here. 

4: Anything Like Me - Soft start but it just once again transforms into a heavier industrial blend of metal, it's almost nu-metal and industrial kinda Korn meets NIN and Manson if i had to explain it more simpler and around the 2min mark its back to soft and acoustic but like Poppy is declaring no one is going to be anything like her as we end the song heavy!

5: Fill The Crown - A lovely soft toned start which evolves again into a blend of pop metal. The metal instrumentals and back up vocals hit hard and Poppy brings out her sinister side in this one with her vocals. Poppy is promoting freedom and being who you want to be but also about a cult theme with the baptising of children and poisoning children with lies. A complicated song to sing along to for sure but it has a lovely melody with the slow down near the end full of "awww ah ah ahhh, just come with me". Lots of beeping like robotic noises aswell. 

6: Nothing I Need - Most songs start soft but then get heavier but here we have a sweet soft toned like electrical synth instruments with Poppy's soft harmonies and vocals. 

7: Sit/Stay - Hard drum bass electronic introduction here, wonder how this is going to turn out. It's robot-tism comes in waves as it goes robotic electronic to back to soft. I am so amazed by all this blending of music and genre's on this album by Poppy. I have never experienced a listening experience like this nor an album or artist as diverse as this! 

8: Bite Your Teeth - Back to the hard hitting metal now with it's catchy chorus, just don't cry and bite your own teeth! A very groovy edge to this track along with a little break of like whimsical-ness with the pretty pop style before getting back to the heavy breakdowns and grooves and then it goes to soft, honestly this album and track is one you must experience! BITE YOUR OWN TEETH, BITE YOUR OWN TEETH, DON'T CRY JUST BITE YOUR OWN TEETH! Damn that breakdown oooofffttt......AAAAAAAAAAAnnnnd peace.....

9: Sick Of The Sun - Such a chill, melodic soft song here to calm down the heavy metal vibes. I am sitting here moving side to side just chilling grooving to the melody and beat. Singing along to this now the chorus is very catchy. 

10: Don't Go Outside - Another soft one to end the album, like the last song this has a melody that flows and chills you out with it's soft strings and light vocals. However at around the 2mins mark we get a bit more thrash before going back to a bit of acoustic as Poppy tell's us "everything will be ok" before switching back to the thrash and a lovely sweeping, guitar solo with licks to shine up any material. We get a cool down soft almost lullaby compilation of some of the previous songs on the album as way of tribute maybe? This album, the singles, the promotional content, the interviews have done so much for Poppy and this album. It's been number 1 in both rock and metal charts and everyone has caught onto the attention now and message that Poppy wants/needed to get out to the world. 

Poppy explained the album's overall message in an interview with Alternative Press: "The album as a whole is just about not stepping to anyone and disagreeing with people in positions of power and not accepting "no" for an answer or "you can't." And sometimes when people tell you [that], or at least when I'm told that I can't, it makes me want to have it more. It's all about burning down the music industry in a way and stepping out of any box that anyone might have tried to lock me up inside. The message is empowerment, not gender specific. Just empowerment." 

In an interview with Enfnts Terribles, Poppy described the aspects of the album on behalf of her musical reinvention: "People are calling it my third album, but it really feels like my first. I feel like everything that we've been working on is synchronising. I feel like the past two albums were more of a sound bed to the YouTube videos we're making." She has also said this is her fave album she has made to date and she has had a lot of fun making it.

This album is something else, something so special just like Poppy, so unique, there's something for everyone and to think this all could work so well and it's just brilliant, i love every single song genuinely! I can not wait for more, keep your eyes peeled and follow her on the socials, i see big things for this girl. Thank you Poppy!

Thanks for reading and supporting as ever, stay shiny and listen to Poppy!