Indie artist Malcolm Todd released his first studio album titled after his name with Columbia Records on April 4, 2025. It was well received, charting in the Billboard 200. Todd’s first claim to fame came in 2023 with his songs “Roommates” and “Art House.” This album, however, achieved further traction with his singles “Chest Pain (I Love)” and “Bleed feat. Omar Apollo.” Both songs debuted on TikTok and have gone viral since their release. The singles generated much anticipation for the new album among fans.
The album opens with “Harry Styles,” one of his most distinct songs. Todd mainly follows the same upbeat, catchy rhythm. However, with this song, listeners hear a completely new style emerge from him. The music starts somber with light off-key singing, throwing long-time listeners off. He discusses his struggles with constantly being undermined and overshadowed while in the industry, which sets the mood for how the rest of the album will differ from his other songs.
Todd tends to reveal meaningful topics in an upbeat song, which often causes listeners to brush over serious insecurities he is facing. For example, track 5, “Doll,” talks about how he is just a doll who performs for the enjoyment of others. Everything he does is for the benefit of others, and people constantly take advantage of that and use him.
Still, he does not completely abandon his old style. He appreciates instrumentals in his music, allowing them to carry the tone of the songs. He uses unique background vocals that beautifully complement the instruments and unique sounds that are not traditionally heard in music. He focuses on drums and electric guitars, which can be recognized in almost every song of his.
In my opinion, this was a solid first studio album. It had variety and was not overly repetitive, experimenting with different vocals, instruments and sampling from other media pieces. Specifically, not every single song sounded the same; however, while listening to the album, I did feel as if a few songs were playing again. Since he relies so heavily on the electric guitar and drums, songs can often sound the same because of the limited variety you can get from just two main instruments.
Malcolm Todd broke through with this album, solidifying himself as a serious artist. This album captures the true musical elements people look for when listening to indie artists. He delivered an album that was completely in theme for him while also successfully experimenting. I believe that this album is just the beginning of a long, successful career for the young artist.
