Malcolm Todd is young, in love and lonely on 'Do That Again'

Recommended tracks: “Breathe,” “Gun To My Head,” “Lonely Song,” “Goodbye”
Similar artists: Omar Apollo, Daniel Caesar, beabadoobee

In the span of five years, Malcolm Todd has released four albums and one compilation — and his latest release shows the singer-songwriter growing into his own even more. The most consistent and fleshed-out of his releases, Do That Again makes easy work of balancing the alt-R&B and indie-rock influences that Todd draws from. Reflecting on a year of love, heartbreak and newfound fame, Do That Again refuses to hide any personality that makes Todd a strong force in modern music.

“Jean Skirt” opens Do That Again and builds anticipation for the album as Todd sings over a crescendo of guitars: “I had my tank top / You had your jean skirt / now they’re on the floor.” While the introduction is short, the mix of rock-heavy guitars and indie-pop riffs gives a clear idea of what the rest of the album is set to sound like.

Todd’s vocal delivery in this album changes depending on the tone of each song and adds to the slight playfulness of the entire record. In “Obessica,” the singer-songwriter lets his infatuation lead to a more raspy delivery on the line, “I think I’m a little bit obsessed with you.” The muted guitars and music box elements on either side of the mix only add to the cheekiness of Todd’s lyrics, particularly with the second verse: “I’m a virgo, you’re a taurus / charts say no, lets just ignore it.”

The heavy overload on the guitars of “Free.99” gives a sense of an enclosing space, perfectly aligned with the song’s lyrics. In the song’s opening line, Todd admits, “I couldn’t breathe with your hands on my neck / Now I got too much air.” The entire song raises the question of whether or not a relationship was as bad as he made it out to be, with Todd debating if he mistook affection for confinement. Across the album, there’s a growing emotion of self-resentment, and “Free.99” is the first song where this regret is spotlighted. This can be seen in Todd’s choice to keep his lyrics sounding raw and “of-the-moment,” highlighted by the chorus: “I let go of something I thought made me slower.”

The album’s lead single, “Breathe,” gave a great insight into the album’s overall sound. The record’s experimentation with percussion is most evident in this song, with the brushed drums providing a complementary texture to the tighter bassline. Sarah Space’s review of the single highlights the flirtatiousness of the song, with Todd’s doubled, softer vocal delivery only adding to the sultry tone.

“I Saw Your Face” was another of Todd’s leading singles ahead of Do That Again’s release and sits comfortably in the realm of indie-rock. When released as a single, “I Saw Your Face” contrasted with the more R&B-influenced sound of “Breathe.” While “I Saw Your Face” features fun guitar layering and a nostalgic, bittersweet tone, its choice as a single feels odd in hindsight, as the song doesn’t really stand out compared to the rest of the album, nor does it reflect Do That Again’s overall sonic aesthetic.

Getting to the middle of the album, “Difficult Love” is the most reminiscent of Todd’s earlier work, with its over-saturated vocals and slower pace. If the first third of Do That Again was about falling in love, “Difficult Love” marks the end of the honeymoon, with Todd desperate for a lover to “rip my heart out like you did last time.” The production on this song is relatively bare compared to the rest of the album, with the audio effects mostly focused on the guitars and vocals. A smooth but punchy bass line is therefore highlighted by the more bare mixing and its central position in the mix.

Coming in seventh on the track list is “Malcolm In The Middle” — a reference to the early 2000s sitcom. The song’s overly “go-happy” tone walks the line between genuine love and delusion, which is reflected in the lyrics. In the chorus, Todd stresses, “Don’t fall asleep / ‘Cause there’s no way to tell if when you wake I’m the one you still want around,” showing an anxious attachment to a relationship. The guitar in the song is similar to a dream sequence in a film, which cleverly hints that this sudden burst of euphoria is not going to last long.

And indeed, this euphoria does not last in the following track, “Ain’t That The Truth.” The heavy distortion of the guitars returns in what is the angriest moment on Do That Again. Frustration takes centre stage as Todd threatens to leave again and again, singing, “I could walk / I could walk away.” Taking inspiration from the rock sounds of the 2000s, Todd’s vocals are more restrained but heavier in this song, which helps reinforce its overall bitter tone. While not a clear highlight of the album, “Ain’t That The Truth” does well to transition into the last act of Do That Again.

A more alt-R&B sound returns in “Gun To My Head” as Todd falls deeper and deeper into heartbreak, all the while trying to keep up with his growing career. The bassline and vocal melody work in tandem, further emphasizing the song’s funky rhythm. Decorative and scattered samples keep the song moving in different directions. This is a fun way to mirror Todd’s lyrics, drift as he avoids the clearer realization that the relationship is long gone. The chorus line, “We’ll play pretend in my bed with its different now,” is in one form or another distorted until the outro of “Gun To My Head,” where he finally comes to terms with his loss of love.

Todd continues to struggle with letting go as he admits that, “I can’t control my emotions when you’re near” in “X’s & O’s.” The song starts more acoustically before Todd’s more well-known electronic elements enter. Still, there is a greater focus on live drum textures, which is a nice shift in sound from the more heavily produced songs earlier in the album.

“Lonely Song” features synths that have a grainier texture than most of the rest of Do That Again‘s production, which gives the song a video game-like quality. Finally alone, Todd now has to deal with his own loneliness as he admits, “Feeling fine / Feeling new / I’m a mess / That’s two lies and a truth.” No matter how blue he gets, there remains a sense of distance in Todd’s lyrics as he uses humour and games to avoid confronting his own emotions. This is prevalent in the entire album, and whether or not it comes from Todd’s own humour, a fear of getting too close to his emotion or a mix of both remains to be seen.

The least distorted electric guitar sound on Do That Again app appears in “Goodbye.” Along with Todd’s small vocal cracks in the opening verse, this song feels the most raw of the album as the singer-songwriter reflects on the end of a relationship. Despite accepting that “we just fucking said goodbye,” Todd still imagines “three little kids for our yard will live in my mind.” As the song moves into the last third, more production elements are introduced, but there is still a sense of bareness ot it. This production, mixed with Todd’s signature stylistic songwriting, makes “Goodbye” a clear standout on Do It Again.

Todd’s title track closes Do That Again with a fever of amped guitars and vocal layers as the singer asks a heartbreak to “do that again.” The heavily panned backing “I’m sorry” in the chorus shows listeners how, despite the hardships he faced, Todd wants nothing more than to go through falling in and out of love. “Do That Again” has a much calmer pace than the rest of the album, but this slower pace feels well-suited for a song about accepting, well, Do That Again.

Todd’s Do That Again is somehow able to be the singer-songwriter’s most mature yet lively work, especially within an already substantial discography for a 22-year-old. Todd’s songwriting is filled with personality, and he’s able to back this up with production that matches. Do That Again keeps listeners engaged with fun production that flows effortlessly between indie pop, rock and R&B, and it showcases the quirky world ot Todd.