I’m not one that usually goes after hip hop records. So this reviewer is going to get out of his comfort zone with what could be a baptism-by-fire experience. I’m gonna listen to Machine Gun Kelly and react to the songs. Stream of consciousness style. Here we go!

“I am the gunner!” That’s quite the statement to kick off a record. I’m laying here reflecting on MGK’s onstage appearance at the APMAs last year and as gunshots fill the hook of this song (and my mind) his guest spot during Papa Roach’s set suddenly makes more sense. Dark and hard hitting.

“Wake And Bake” has a pretty gnarly beat, but not a whole lot of substance. I suppose that’s not all that surprising. The “wake up” hook is vaguely mumble rap-ish. But that might be just because I watched a Lil Yachty music video before I took on this review.

Listening to “Go For Broke,” the thing that sticks out to me is his pronounciation of Ramen as “Ray-men.” I pronounce it the other way. Now I’m questioning everything. Thanks for the existential crisis MGK.

“At My Best” has all the trappings of a major hit. MGK is aiming to leave his scene-kid Alt Press world, that’s for sure. “Life is about making mistakes / it’s also about trying to be great.” Cliche, but the masses would eat up that line.

“Kiss the Sky” feels almost like M83 with it’s atmospheric synths and ambient production.

“Golden Gods” kicks in and I’m feeling the aggression. This is a statement and meant to be egotistical. It is unapologetic.

“Trap Paris” feels like a hip hop Chainsmokers hybrid, and not because it has “Paris” in the title of the song. The sample is clever and oddly lighthearted.

“Moonwalkers” one of the more straightforward tracks of the album and has an almost foreboding feel to it. I’m not in love with the hook but the beat itself is pretty clever.

“Can’t Walk” ventures back into mumble rap territory. I’m not super into the chorus and honestly feels a little lazy to me. Perhaps it’s my conservative upbringing, but this song about being hungover and strung out on drugs isn’t really doing anything for me.

Is “Out of My Head” by Fastball being adapted into the chorus of “Bad Things”? I have really mixed feelings about this. Not used to hearing this melody in this “dirty” context.

Seems like the album is trending away from bangers into power ballad territory in the latter half of the album. I remember when Nelly and Tim McGraw did that with “Over and Over.” “Rehab” is that song’s long lost baby cousin.

“Let Me Go” keeps the charm going, but MGK is down to rock and roll. “27” wraps up the album in a similar vein, keeping things somewhere between power ballad and full on rock and roll.

Well alrighty. Hopefully that wasn’t too painful to read. I’m not sure I’d say I’m a new MGK fan, but there are some really fun tracks here. What do you think?

Score: 3/5