Badflower 'OK, I'M SICK' Album Review

This is a review of the American rock band, Badflower's debut album, 'OK, I'M SICK.' I'll be reviewing and critiquing the songs one by one based on their meaning, music, and execution. At the end, I'll share my final thoughts on the album as a whole and give it a number rating out of ten. This review is purely my opinion on the album; no hate to Badflower or anyone else is intended. With that being said, let's dive into the review.



Song #1 - X ANA X (Explicit)

The first song off of the album deals with strong feelings of anxiety. For being such a tough topic to discuss they do a good job of portraying it in a way that doesn't undermine the effects of mental health. Somehow, they even managed to make a song about mental health fun without joking about the issue at hand. The spoken parts in the track are a nice touch and make it different from other songs like this. It tells the story of someone taking Xanax and wishing they were in control of their own heart and head, while also loving the drug at the same time. You can tell that Josh Katz is singing from his own experiences which adds to our own experience of listening to the song. He gets personal with his own anxiety struggles which give this song, even more, meaning when you listen to it. It's so genuine, happy and sad at the same time - which is incredible if not a little scary. A great opening song for an album.

Meaning - 5/5
Music - 5/5
Execution - 5/5

Song #2 - THE JESTER (Explicit)

The lyrics are really heartfelt and touching. It tells a story of anxiety and depression while also painting a picture of a medieval scene and even connecting the two. The lyrics "Is anybody out there looking out for me" are relatable to the youth of today without sounding forced. You can tell in Katz's voice that he relates heavily to the topic they're discussing which is nice in music today. Basically, they aren't just using mental health to sell more records which is rare in the industry today. They're giving their music a purpose and meaning, not just to their fans, but to them as well. This is a song that you will have to blink back tears while listening to.

Meaning - 5/5
Music - 5/5
Execution - 5/5

Song #3 - GHOST (Explicit)

The lyrics tell the story of someone dealing with suicidal thoughts and self-harm, even ending the song with him assumably taking his own life. They are detailed and heart-wrenching. In the live version of the track, you can see the pain in Katz's face as he sings about ending his life. Even in the studio version, you can hear the pain in his voice. It's refreshing to have an artist who is so honest and willing to tackle subjects that aren't necessarily easy. You can tell that they care about the message that they're sending. Of course, there's also the other side of this song, being that sometimes the story ends awfully, sometimes (although it only happens once) you succeed. They aren't afraid to admit that they know that, but they're also examples of people who made it and are begging their fans to do the same thing. In an interview, Katz was discussing his personal connection to this track. He said that it was basically a page from his own diary about how even though he's never attempted suicide before, he still thinks about ending his own life all of the time. He went on to talk about how he deals with anxiety and depression in his own life and how even though this song was made primarily as a therapy for him, he hopes that others can take from it too. You don't see this type of honesty today.

Meaning -  5/5
Music - 5/5
Execution - 5/5

Song #4 - WE'RE IN LOVE (Explicit)

This track is a bit slower than the last three, which is nice. This track talks about the LGBTQ community and seemingly tells the story of finding out that someone is trans and still loving them anyways. "I know what I am/ Woman or man/ We were in love" and the lyrics "love is love" share the band's stance on the community in a way that isn't marketing on them. It isn't in your face about it but still puts it out there. This trans romance love song is once again different than a lot of what is heard today.

Meaning - 5/5
Music - 5/5
Execution - 5/5


Song #5 - PROMISE ME (Explicit)

Finally, a love song that isn't cliche, but instead stands out against the millions of others. In it, he talks about his broken family and promises that his own family won't end the same way. He also discusses his fear of growing old. Like most of the other songs on this album, it tells a heartbreaking story with a message. The story being of a young couple growing up in denial of their age and one of them eventually dying from heart failure. The message is to savor every moment that you have. You can hear the pain in his voice as he screams about losing someone who he loved.

Meaning - 5/5
Music - 5/5
Execution - 5/5


Song #6 - DADDY

This one is more complicated, as it discusses a very serious issue that is rarely seen in music. The track tells the story of a young girl growing up being abused and raped by her father. Their story ends with her suffocating her father on his death bed. They handle the topic quite well and show their maturity, even as a newer band. They don't make it seem comedic in the slightest.

Meaning - 5/5
Music - 5/5
Execution - 5/5


Song #7 - 24

It tells the story of someone losing everything that ever mattered to them, and giving up on life, choosing to die. This one is by far one of the saddest on the album, because of it's heavy lyrical content and slow music. It focuses in on everything that he lost and him missing his old self but knowing that that person is gone. Katz's vocals on this track are incredible, as he goes from singing a ballad at one moment to belting out the lyrics the next. It's a raw and powerful track that perfectly capsules the pain of not knowing yourself/hating yourself.

Meaning - 5/5
Music - 5/5
Execution - 5/5


Song #8 - HEROIN

This song dives into an abusive relationship that you can't get away from and comparing it to the effects of heroin. Like with the previous tracks, Katz shines through with an incredible sense of self-control over his voice. You can hear his voice shaking in some parts of the song, which adds more feelings to the track which easily affect the listener. It's a powerful and emotional ballad, which reminds me a little bit of Nicotine by Panic! At The Disco. You can tell that he feels close to this subject as it reflects into the song.

Meaning - 5/5
Music - 5/5
Execution - 5/5


 Song #9 - DIE (Explicit)

If I could choose one song on this album to disappear, I would pick this one in a heartbeat. There is nothing wrong with putting your opinion about politics into a song, but telling the president of the USA to die is taking it a lot too far. Upon doing a little research, I was able to find the true meaning of this track explained by Katz. According to him, they aren't actually into politics at all and don't know enough about either party to truly pick a side. The band also don't really want anybody to die and have said repeatedly that everyone is welcome to their shows; including President Trump. The song is more about Trump's views on climate change than anything else. Katz also went on to say that the song isn't really about Trump as much as it's about people who see an issue and refuse to do anything about it. With this being known, I am more open to listening to this track. Compared to the others on this album, it is easily the heaviest in terms of the music and the vocals. It's still not a track I favor, but it is redeemable and has given me a better outlook at who this band is; a good-hearted group of people who care passionately about their beliefs and what they stand for.

Meaning - 3/5
Music - 4/5
Execution - 4/5


Song #10 - MURDER GAMES

Now, this one is special, as it talks about a matter that isn't really seen in music all that much. This track calls for awareness to animal abuse and what happens to the animals as they're "murdered" and cut into the food we eat. The band is calling attention to the issue in one of the angriest songs on the album. My one critique for this song is that it is overall extremely repetitive, but he does get his point across by repeating himself for more than half of the track. However, it is powerful enough to make me want to question the meat industry and reconsider even eating meat. In fact, after listening to this one a few times I've looked into possibly going vegan some time in the future. Katz is obviously very passionate about this subject, and it reflects well into the song. He's begging for listeners to think about the slaughter, not just the meal. He even goes into extensive detail of the horrors of that industry. It's a song that opens your eyes, and that's quite rare in today's music. Once again, the spoken part of the song adds to the feeling and highly improves it.

Meaning - 5/5
Music - 5/5
Execution - 4/5


Song #11 - GIRLFRIEND (Explicit)

Besides DIE, this track is probably one of the ones that is going to be taken the worst until you understand the meaning. In the song, Katz sings a story about stalking a girl on the internet and objectifying her. He rates her based on appearance then goes on to sing about how he wants to see her naked. The story ends with him becoming obsessed with her, finding her, and possibly even murdering her. This song stood out to me because I cannot name another song which talks about pervs on the internet and stalking. It's a highly detailed track and it's honestly, really interesting. At first, I wasn't that into it but it has grown on me. It's different in a good way. Once again they're calling attention to something that gets too overlooked.

Meaning - 5/5
Music - 5/5
Execution - 5/5


Song #12 - WIDE EYES (Explicit)

This song talks about hiding the true you from others. He sings about how he feels like he doesn't deserve to love anyone else because of who he is. He then goes on to show his true self "the kid with the rage." Hearing Katz just go off and scream his heart out was really enjoyable to listen to.

Meaning - 5/5
Music - 5/5
Execution - 5/5


Song #13 - CRY

The longest song on the album, passing six minutes, talks about coming from a broken home and having to find a way to make peace with it. It ends the album on a sad, but hopeful note. He sings about growing numb to the pain and holding onto hope of overcoming everything he's gone through. Hearing the song pick up and Katz screaming was a treat too. Then hearing his voice crack as he slows down was beautiful. There was a perfect mix of singing and then just plain music, but there was too long of an outro to the track.

Meaning - 5/5
Music - 5/5
Execution - 5/5


Overall Songs From Favorite To Least Favorite:
1- GHOST
For its brutal honesty and its subject
2- THE JESTER
For its subject and heartfelt lyrics
3- X ANA X
For being a fun mental health song that captures the battle of self-medicating
4- WIDE EYES
For being a fun, yet deep song
5- HEROIN
For its subject and heartfelt lyrics
6- PROMISE ME
For its heart-wrenching subject matter
7- GIRLFRIEND
For being a song we never see about something we need to care more about
8- 24
For its deep lyrics and dark subject matter
9- DADDY
For its dark subject matter and lyrics portrayed in an incredible way
10- CRY
For its subject and heartfelt lyrics
11- WE'RE IN LOVE
For its subject and heartfelt lyrics
12- MURDER GAMES
For its important call to action
13- DIE
For it controversial but redeemable topic

In all honesty, the songs on this list are subject to change position as I continue to listen to this album. They were all amazing and it was near impossible to list them from favorite to least favorite.

Overall album review:

Each song tells a different and unique story which is refreshing to hear in music today. Katz's voice is incredible and he has amazing control over it. The rest of the band are the masters of what they do. The lyrics are meaningful and actually have an impact on the listener. You don't hear songs like this anymore. Every single one was important and told a story which the world needed to hear. Known of them seemed comedic or like they were making fun of the issues at hand. In fact, they brought many issues to the music industry that weren't clearly visible there. Their music is calling people to help make a change in the world and it's incredible. While listening to this album, I without a doubt felt every emotion in the book; from burning rage to sadness. This is real music because it makes you feel. The entire album fits together perfectly, no song feels out of place. Their songs are all so genuine and you can tell that they care about the messages they're putting out. Not one of these songs struck me as just a play for fame or money - like many pop songs do today. Katz has spoken out multiple times about putting out music that was highly personal to him and never straying away from who he is, especially in his music. His brutal honesty pays off tremendously in this album. This has easily been one of the best albums I've listened to a long time. I will be anxiously awaiting their next music release. There is little doubt in my mind that this band will one day be huge and a common name everyone knows. Badflower has made a huge statement with this album.

Overall album rating:
9.5/10

But 10/10 would recommend.

Which Badflower song is your favorite? Let us know in the comments!

Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07K2DPQCS/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1

Youtube:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvfYXeI2wFREaFGj22Okmu42odLDmX2F5