Yungblud is a divisive figure, there’s been endless debate about his punk credentials, authenticity and influence over his younger audience but surely none of that matters if his music is good and nobody is getting hurt, right? Even outside of that, they value music being made available to everyone and the importance of being a decent human being. Their latest album, Idols, shows off some of their strongest songwriting as well as their clear understanding and respect for the history of rock music. The best part is it’s just the first part of a double album.

The album title Idols is very much representative of the themes of the album, there’s a great deal of worship of the musical heroes of yesterday: from The Who to Elton John, it’s all there.
The album starts on an unexpected note with Hello Heaven Hello, a massive prog rock inspired track, a 9 minute long track complete with strings, Led Zeppelin style solos and Keith Moon drumming. It’s the perfect gateway drug to prog rock, don’t be surprised if kids start asking for Rush albums for Christmas after this album drops.

After the first track the album becomes a more bite-sized experience with mostly shorter tracks. They still use that talk/rap voice on tracks like Lovesick Lullaby but the rest of the record is filled with these beautiful and emotive vocals that have that charm and rasp we’ve come to expect from Yungblud. Zombie and Change showcase some gorgeous impassioned vocals from Yungblud with lavish orchestral backing you’d likely hear on a Pink Floyd album.

Strangely enough, a great deal of these tracks feel like the more pop leaning works of Steven Wilson with tracks like Ghosts making use of more lavish and complex production and darker thematic elements. It’s a strange connection to make but hopefully someone else hears it, the two are very in touch with their influences and have no fear wearing them on their sleeves. The Greatest Parade sounds like it could comfortably fit on To the Bone, an album that also pushed the boundaries of genre bending.

The album ends with an Elton John style piano ballad that leaves on a glorious triumphant life affirming note. Someone will surely pipe up saying “how can you put Pink Floyd and Yungblud in the same sentence?”; you don’t write sentences that way, Yungblud came after and whoever comes after Yungblud will write their name in the same way, maybe they’ll call Yungblud an idol too…

Idols is available June 20th via Interscope Records