Not only is Tickets To My Downfall a slick sideways hop from what you might be expecting from Machine Gun Kelly, it’s done excellently. It celebrates everything great about pop-punk without feeling cookie-cutter or third division.
While some songs are more interesting than others and some tend too close to blink-182 worship, Tickets to My Downfall succeeds more than it falters.
The annoying melodrama that made his rap material so exhausting is what gives his new music some real power. For the first time ever, the instrumentation suits Baker’s natural whine.
Clearly, this is the work of a guy who’s found a fresh lease on life by inserting himself inside a new musical tradition.
Thematically, Tickets to My Downfall is hardly a departure from MGK’s past work, but the new surroundings lightens his music up considerably even amidst the hormones and histrionics.
Despite going for a style that many thought wouldn’t find its footing again in the industry, Kelly and Barker construct a design that a lot fans my age would probably enjoy considering the era it’s borne from.
Despite its competence musically, Tickets to My Downfall’s cookie-cutter, antiquated presentation and MGK’s blatant ignorance make it a truly punishing experience to sit through.
#8 | / | The Ringer |
#9 | / | Kerrang! |
#13 | / | Punktastic |
#19 | / | Billboard |
/ | Alternative Press |