Review: YUNGBLUD – ‘Strawberry Lipstick’; YUNGBLUD At His Best

Up-and-coming rock icon YUNGBLUD has released a brand new single entitled ‘Strawberry Lipstick’, an ode to the birth of British punk in the 70s with all of the heart we’ve come to expect in his work.

Edging into the song with a build-up of screaming guitar feedback, ‘Strawberry Lipstick’ jumps to a start with the Doncaster singer yelling “This is a song about a person I love”. Lyrically, the track is a charming combination of introspective and brashness, similar to a couple of his most cutting tracks, ‘Parents’ and ‘Original Me’. It is, at its heart, YUNGBLUD at his best. Opening with the words “I’ve got a toxic attitude and lack self control/A reasonably fucked up individual”, YUNGBLUD wastes no time in getting into his raw songwriting. To say that ‘Strawberry Lipstick’ is one of his best ever songs is not said lightly, after the triumphant success of his underrated youth EP, but the new single has no problem sitting proudly against his already great roster of work.

The music video for the track is a celebration of the icons of British punk – liberty spikes, Union Jacks and electric guitars are all images which remind the viewer instantly of the Sex Pistols and their reign over 1970s London. But in an interesting twist, ‘Strawberry Lipstick’ is a love song, subverting the typical politically enraged tropes of a classic punk song.

‘Strawberry Lipstick’ is undoubtedly a success. Loud and rebellious, YUNGBLUD is bringing heavy music back to the mainstream without compromising its original integrity. This is not a case of simply using a genre for artistic gain, but an ode to its timeless power from an artist who truly and authentically understands its roots.

YUNGBLUD’s ‘Strawberry Lipstick’ is out now via Interscope Records.