REVIEW MOD SUN honors his better half on ‘God Save the Teen’
Jan 30, 2023 10:20:05 GMT
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Post by Jimmyzz on Jan 30, 2023 10:20:05 GMT
REVIEW: MOD SUN honors his better half on ‘God Save the Teen’
Mike DeWald
January 30, 2023, 12:01 am
Mod Sun, “God Save The Teen.”
Derek Smith, better known as MOD SUN, is one-half of pop-punk’s foremost power couple, along with fellow singer and fiancé Avril Lavigne. The Canadian artist plays a leading role on his fifth album, God Save the Teen. Not only does the pair collaborate on songs, but the Minnesota-born Smith penned a song to Lavigne and covers one of her favorite tracks. Their relationship carries a heavy lyrical weight throughout the album.
A refreshing quirk for the release is that no advance singles will be released before the album drops, meaning fans will hear the 12 tracks for the first time together.
“Your face is painted on the inside of my eyelids/ I hear your voice every time there’s silence,” MOD SUN screams a cappella on album opener “Eyelids.” The track is a no-frills, fist-in-the-air pop track heavy on riffs and vocal hooks.
He spells out “Revenge” in the opening bars of the aptly named track. The song keeps up the momentum, with a high-energy rhythm mixing in elements of pop and hip-hop in some of the loops, the shout-along continuing into the chorus.
Acoustic ballad “Avril’s Song” is about, well, you guessed it. It’s both a testament to how Avril Lavigne has turned around Smith’s life, but also a recognition of the self-doubt he feels that he doesn’t belong in the relationship.
“I sleep next to an angel/ But my demons keep me up at night,” he sings with an introspective magnetism.
Lavigne arrives in the flesh on the next track, “Shelter,” a sequel of sorts to the couple’s explosive duet “Fire” from Internet Killed the Rockstar. While this one doesn’t quite match the urgency of the former, the pair still delivers the goods on the heartfelt ballad, especially when it kicks into the soaring bridge.
“When I’m feeling like shit/ When I drive off a cliff/ When I hate my own skin/ You take care of me,” the two harmonize in the chorus.
The album takes an 180-degree turn on “Courtney Fucked Kurt,” a full-on old-school punk track. The four-chord thrasher clocks in at just over 90 seconds with some of the most vocally aggressive moments on the album.
Things take just as dramatic of a turn for “SOS,” a mid-tempo pop ballad heavy on melody. It features the second collaboration on the album, this time with Royal & the Serpent making an appearance. The standout is slickly arranged and well-delivered, sounding like nothing else on the record while being one of its highlights.
Atmospheric ballad “Single Mothers” is a heartfelt ode to the singer’s mom, autobiographically recalling the story of Smith’s upbringing while honoring the work his mom put in to make ends meet. “There’s no one tougher than a single mother,” he sings. At the end off the song, he plays a voice recording of his mom encouraging others in her situation.
Then there’s a surprising cover of Goo Goo Dolls’ “Iris.” It remains faithful to the original, even down to some of the orchestral flourishes, though the guitars in the chorus may hit a little bit harder.
The pop-punk returns, to a point, on acoustic-driven “When We’re Dead,” which features a powerful lyrical delivery in the chorus and a lyrical honesty that calls back to the singer’s self-doubt. Things shift more in the alternative direction on “Wolves,” a brooding but valiant power ballad that shifts from soft to loud and back.
“I will protect you from the wolves outside your window,” MOS SUN proclaims. The infectious mid-tempo rocker keeps up the streak of acoustic-influenced anthems, even mixing in a variety of strings and mandolins on the bridge.
The album closes out with “Delusional Confidence,” its most traditional ballad, on a sweet and somber note. There’s even a Twenty-One-Pilots-esque rapped verse. God Save the Teen is not lacking for variety.
Follow writer Mike DeWald at Twitter.com/mike_dewald.
Mike DeWald is a Northern California journalist and reporter. Mike has been a Reporter with the Bay Area's KCBS Radio since 2022, and on staff since 2020. Previously, Mike produced KSRO’s “The Drive with Steve Jaxon” drive-time radio show since 2008, covering news, music, pop culture, politics and more. Mike has contributed to a number of digital music podcasts and publications including the Rock’N Vino Podcast and The Download Parlor. He is an avid live music fan and photographer.
