Album Review:Machine Gun Kelly – Tickets To My Downfall

Sex, drugs, rock n roll, and true romance. That is what Machine Gun Kelly’s latest album Tickets To My Downfall embodies. It is different from the usual rapping we have heard from him in the past and thankfully for the better. Produced by Travis Barker, current drummer for Blink-182, each song features a perfected drumbeat that evolves a greater force for each lyric to be reckoned with. The overall sound holds an edge with the power to re-instill the desire for punk rock and love in souls everywhere. M.G.K divulges with us his experience of self-reflection and the lifestyle of a musician today in a light we have not heard as of late. From his relationship with drugs and alcohol to hardships of loss to the confounding exploration of love, this album is honest with it all. It is a heartfelt moment of reality for this young artist that is pure and refreshing for anyone who hears it. Although, there is the track ‘kevin and barracuda- interlude’ featuring M.G.K’s longtime friend Pete Davidson, which contradicts this larger theme of love as it is more of a comedic preface for the next song on the set called ‘concert for aliens.’ Regardless of its preface, that track is catchy and possesses the glorifying jump around groove music lovers around the world love to listen to on repeat. More on brand with the theme is the leading single off of this album: ‘bloody valentine.’ With the clever drums at it again, there’s no need for explanation as to why M.G.K decided it had to be the main introduction to Tickets To My Downfall. Most notably about this single is the music video that came along with it featuring renowned actress Megan Fox, who just so happens to be M.G.K’s girlfriend and the first person he’s expressed as truly being in love with. The romance between the two seemed to be a great motivator for a lot of this album. In fact, there is another piece titled ‘banyan tree- interlude’ in which the two star-crossed lovers are talking about their relationship. It’s a moment that seems so intricately personal and beautiful, especially when MGK professes that he cherishes his time with Fox and would rid himself of some memories to make as many new ones he could with her. The all-around lyrical and melodic mastering, along with various featuring artists such as Halsey, are reason enough that Tickets To My Downfall is destined to receive recognition of high regard within the industry. If you want to listen to something that will bring you back to your punk-rock emo roots, yet holds a modern twist, then this album is for you. This will be a moment in M.G.K’s history that can be looked back upon fondly by fans old and new for years to come.