Badflower "Ok, I'm Sick" Album Review

By: James Southworth
Rating: 4/5 Stars

I have long been in consensus with a lot of other rock enthusiasts that the mainstream rock scene is in desperate need of change and revitalization. Since rock is the genre I have the most affection for, it is also the one that I expect the most out of. Unfortunately, some of the biggest names in mainstream rock right now just aren't living up to where they used to be. The genre is becoming diluted as so many bands are embracing a trendy, safe sound rather than innovating. This was very indicative in 2018 when some rock bands that I've legitimately enjoyed in the past (Three Days Grace, Fall Out Boy, Disturbed, Godsmack, 5FDP) came out with albums that were either hopelessly mediocre or irredeemably awful. The only big rock band that came close to a good release was Shinedown, and even their release was not amongst their best work. So it has been refreshing to see some new bands coming out and making the scene interesting. Some of the forefronters (in my opinion) have been groups like Nothing More, Kaleo, The Struts, The Fever 333, YUNGBLUD, and most recently Badflower. This band made huge waves on the radio last year with their gut-wrenching song about suicide and self-harm, "Ghost". I am a big fan of the song, but unfortunately didn't discover it until after I made my favorite songs of 2018. That track made me very excited to see what this band could bring to a genre that is not gaining recognition like it used to. "Ok, I'm Sick" is one of the most refreshing rock albums I've heard in a long time, and one of the most surprising in terms of the deep subject matter it seeks to attack.

This album gets off to a roaring start with opening track and second single "x ANA x". If you put those words together, you'll see that it spells out a certain type of medication. This song made me immediately excited to see what the rest of the album would hold. I'll be honest: I haven't heard a straight up rock song with this much energy in a long time. I've heard subsets of the rock genre with energy for sure, but not one that strictly adheres to a rock sound. This one does, and it put a huge smile on my face. Lead singer Josh Katz is an instantly interesting vocalist, because you can immediately see his brash, sarcastic personality in the way he sings. He puts on a persona, which makes the songs sound like they have a unique character to them. The frantic guitar riffs and drumming in the background made me immediately want to head bang along with it. The chorus is also pretty freaking great, having an almost punk flare to it. The best thing about this track is the pace never once lets up. The song is five minutes and constantly stays at the same level of energy throughout, making it a thoroughly invigorating listen. This one is sure to get crowds hyped up in a live setting, and it's one of my personal favorites in an album full of really good cuts. After this comes yet another major highlight in the album, "The Jester". This song is a pretty major shift from the insane previous track, as it slows things down and is more contemplative. But make no mistake: there is still a sense of real desperation to this cut. Katz takes on a softer vocal tone, and it's a beautiful thing to hear. Already within the first two tracks we're able to hear the range he has as a vocalist, and this is only on the band's debut album. This song has a commentary on how Katz feels like audiences don't really care for him beyond his singing abilities, and that the anxiety and mental health problems he has don't matter to an audience who just wants him to perform for them. I think there's probably a hard truth to that, as we as people couldn't possibly understand what another person is going through. The lyrics convey this emotion in a powerful way: "If any chord that I could strum/Made me feel less like a man/I'd slam my fingers in the doorway/And shatter all the bones". The lyrics throughout most of this album are jaw-dropping. They're brutally honest, and sometimes uncomfortable to hear. Instrumentally this album is excellent as well, doing a good job of subtly building up to an amazing climax.

If you want another great example of uncomfortably vulnerable lyricism, look no further than the lead single "Ghost". I read where Katz said that this song was not the one the band thought would work as the lead single, but the label pushed it through anyway. This song certainly isn't your typical lead single, as it is very frank and blunt about a person who is experiencing suicidal and self-harm thoughts. This song is an emotional wreck, but it is probably one of the most important songs released for last year. We need more songs that honestly pursue mental health like this, and force listeners to face the issue head on. It also helps that this song has a musical urgency to it. "We're In Love" brings the heartbreak to a more personal level, as I'm convinced this song is about Katz himself and his doubts of his sexuality. This song is so beautiful, particularly in the absolutely ethereal chorus, and the beauty only serves to bring out the heartbreak more prominently. The compelling repetition of "lights out" artfully represents the singer's insecurities and how he'd rather them be left in the dark rather than come to the light for everyone to hear. My favorite song in the album comes in "Promise Me", which has an existential sense of loss in it that makes the song all the more interesting. This song frames Katz's fears of the future against a relationship he is going through with another person. He is begging this person to promise him they'll never grow up and that they can live forever. The fear of dying is something pretty typical to talk about, but the fear of growing up? I'm not sure I've heard that many songs discussing that fear, especially in the interesting and complex way this song does it. There are some tear-jerking moments in this song that made me feel a personal connection to it, especially in the quiet and intimate bridge where Katz cries out "All I want is one more life with you/When did we get so old?/Why'd you get so sick?/And how could you die?". This song has immediate potential for my best tracks of the year.

The emotional gravitas this album has isn't done yet, and it puts you practically in a choke hold with the horrifying cut "Daddy". I'm not sure I could even describe to you the listening experience I had with this track when I first heard it. It felt wrong, and it's supposed to. It comes from the perspective of a child who is sexually abused by her dad. Katz's almost cracked vocals make you feel that maybe even he is uncomfortable singing about such a harrowing topic, which thankfully keeps this song from feeling exploitative. The chorus of this song may be my favorite on the album, as it soars and brings out the child's fears through beautiful symbolism. Just be sure you're in the right mindset when listening to this song, as it's not the easiest track to hear. "24" is tragic in its own way, as Katz discusses how much better his life was at the age of 24, but now addictions and anxieties have made him lose the happiness and bliss he once had. The soft acoustic guitar and perhaps the best vocal performance from Katz makes this song end out the first half of this album on an incredible note. The first half of this album is, in fact, almost about as flawless as it could be. There's not one song on this part that I dislike. That does make the second half of the album pale a bit by comparison, as the album doesn't delve into as many deep topics there, save one song. That doesn't mean the second half is a total loss, though. "Girlfriend" brings back the frantic energy of "x ANA x" in a great way, as well as the dark satire. I'd love to see Badflower do an album completely of this type sometime in the future. This song takes on the perspective of an entitled man who believes he's entitled to another beautiful girl online despite the fact that he himself acknowledges she's out of his league. The song is a biting indictment of toxic masculinity, complete with hard hitting guitar riffs and a harsh vocal performance from Josh. "Wide Eyes" is the haunting song I was talking about that the second half has, as this song chronicles how a boy has trauma from sexual abuse by priests of a Catholic Church. Because of that, his innocence was taken from him at a young age, and in effect, his originally devoted belief in God was lost. It's a clear and harsh call-out to the church, and it's needed. This song is also indescribably good musically, having a particularly great bass groove.

There are a couple of tracks that keep this album from being an entirely flawless listen. Like I mentioned, after "24", this album does take a slight dip in quality for its second half (save for "Girlfriend" and "Wide Eyes"). There's a particularly weak section of three tracks starting with "Heroin". This song is unfortunately too in line with the cliched topics of mainstream rock, which is a real shame as the rest of this album generally rejects those conventions. This song compares a relationship to a drug. Come on, we've heard that comparison thousands of times now. Even though the relationship is framed as toxic and hurtful, that doesn't make this song feel any more interesting. Musically the song isn't particularly interesting either, having a chorus that just doesn't stick out to me. "Murder Games" is easily the weakest track on the album and the sharpest dip in quality. This song lyrically has Katz forcing his vegetarian views onto the audience and basically calling us murderers. I am sure that there are some places out there that kill animals in a cruel way, but not all of them do. A song like this isn't going to change anyone's minds; plus, it is mind-numbingly boring in the music department. I actually tuned out when I listened to this song around half-way through it, because it just isn't a compelling listen. "Die" is another tiresome drop in the bucket of tirades against Trump. I, of course, do not like the President, but it doesn't seem like Badflower have any compelling new critiques to give him. Also, begging for the president to die (and it almost seems like they imply they'd be okay with someone else murdering him) doesn't necessarily give you the moral high ground. "Cry" is not a song I really dislike, but I do think that "Wide Eyes" would've been a more impactful way to end out the album.

When "Ok, I'm Sick" is good, it's really freaking good- I'd even say it's straight up stellar. There are so many excellently written and performed songs in this album. Fortunately, that makes it easy to just forget about the songs that I don't like as much. The album flows together pretty well, save for that weak three-track bump in the road. Badflower have said that they're not looking to revitalize rock. And yet, they still are doing it even if they're not actively trying. Maybe it's because they're not trying to make a game-changing album, and are instead following their own rules and doing what they want. Maybe those mainstream rock bands who are stuck in a rut should be looking to Badflower as an example. This release is emotionally charged and musically powerful throughout. I absolutely recommend you check it out!

Favorite Songs: "Promise Me", "x ANA x", "We're In Love", "The Jester", "Daddy", "Wide Eyes"
Least Favorite Songs: "Murder Games", "Heroin", "Die"