September 25th, 2020 was the day that Machine Gun Kelly (Colson Baker) dropped his new album, Tickets To my Downfall. With this album, Baker runs in the opposite direction of his usual sound and brings back a pop-punk sound that has an alt-flare with help from Blink 182’s drummer, Travis Barker.
As a big Machine Gun Kelly fan, I was excited to hear his new style of music that he has slowly been teasing. With tracks like “My Ex’s Best friend” and “Bloody Valentine,” this new sound is much different than his past rap albums. Of course, Baker’s girlfriend, Meghan Fox, is included on the album on the track “Banyan Tree – interlude.” His best friend (and a personal favorite of mine), Pete Davidson, is also included on the track “Kevin and Barracuda – interlude.” Instead of telling people that he switched genres, as many people were speculating, on the Howard Stern show, Baker said: “To me, I just added on to the multiple things I’ve already done anyway, but, sure, what a narrow-minded way to look at things.” Sure, this album may be the complete opposite of what people were expecting from Machine Gun Kelly, but I think it just goes to show what talented of an artist he is and the range that he holds.
After listening to the album in its entirety, I was impressed with what I heard. With artists like Halsey, Trippie Redd, and Blackbear, all making features, Baker is not short of any talent on his fifth studio album. A personal favorite of mine is the track “Lonely.” This song talks about his upbringing and the people he has lost in his life. MGK sings about the struggles he has in life and how they have made him the person he is today. Not only does he speak of struggles, but throughout the entire album, he is telling a story. So, while we are still stuck in quarantine, take 36 minutes out of your day and listen to the album from the first track to the last, just as Machine Gun Kelly intended you to. Grab a friend, get in the car, and turn the speakers up as you listen to MGK’s new style of music.