Every now and again an artist comes along who redefines the music scene, bringing something completely fresh to the table, Declan McKenna is most certainly one of those artists. What Do You Think About The Car? is an album which I have been eagerly awaiting as I remember the night when this 15-year-olds life would be changed forever. I recall my Twitter feed blowing up with demands for hearing ‘Brazil’ to be played on the radio and, once the host adhered to the tidal wave of requests, this teenager’s gateway to stardom was opened. Since then, Declan’s career has been one of a non-stop rollercoaster, winning Glastonbury’s Emerging Talent Competition in 2015, playing shows all over the world and being signed to a Sony record label all by the age of just 18, the only way seems to be up.

What Do You Think About The Car? kicks off with ‘Humongous’, an acoustic-led introduction greets the listener with a sense of familiarity for those who know Declan’s sound, but provides an incredibly fresh buzz for those who are unfamiliar with his strong proactive nuances. The track soon diverts into not only one of the biggest choruses on the album, but one which you won’t be able to resist humming along to even after the first listen. Declan holds a very distinctive tone to his voice through a strong sense of strain and an unfurnished feel which all combines to invoke an even greater sense of passion and meaning behind his lyricism.

This trait holds a subliminal impact which is bigger than I feel even Declan realises. The level of passion behind his words make them far more believable than the vast majority of artists around, the genuine emotion behind his lyrics easily shines through and it is clear that the issues each track addresses still play on his mind, a great skill for any artist to hold and one which Declan carries through to his live shows.

The remainder of the record continues to bounce from various strengths whether you’re listening to the record from cover to cover or in a shuffled mess. ’The Kids Don’t Wanna Come Home’ is a personal favourite, the single may have already been released earlier this year but works brilliantly as part of the collective whole. A very unique pacing keeps it feeling fresh amongst the vast amount of riff raff in the indie scene but packs yet another anthem-inducing chorus which was simply built for crowds to be chanting along to. Likewise, the instrumental interludes do not feel in anyway lacklustre, adding another fiery spark to the already awe-enticing number. ‘I Am Everyone Else’ holds a similar style yet is not afraid to emphasise instead a stronger sense of structure and solemnity atop of a wooden bassline and less of a festival styled chorus in exchange for more of a moving tone to the song.

Older fans of Declan’s music will certainly be more than familiar with a solid proportion of the tracks on the record, with a large amount already being in the public domain. But simultaneously there still remains a suitable amount of newer additions to the record which you will be able to easily sink into. For new listeners however, Delcan’s record will be a purely blissful revelation, hearing ‘Brazil’ for the first time is more than enough to become infected with his hype train and every number only continues to grow in stature from there.

I think the aspect that makes Declan’s music so special is his innate ability to combine not only the naivety of a portrayed teenage adolescence but simultaneously shedding light on some of the most prevalent issues the world faces today. Being a longer term follower of his music, you can certainly see a vast amount of character development through his sound within the space of the album. The recent tracks do hold a distinct level of real world experience compared to the earlier material particularly in final number, ‘Listen To Your Friends’ which really showcases Declan’s creativity fantastically through a solid listen and twisted breakdown.

There is no doubt that Declan is one of the world’s largest rising stars and his transition from your regular teenage kid to a fully fledged musical creator has been one of inspiration and non stop excitement. I truly believe that Declan does deserve every aspect of his success and still has an immense level to give to the world. What Do You Think About The Car? will not only be a summer staple for the years to come, but is one of the single strongest debuts to come out of the past decade.
Ben Walker

Website: declanmckenna.net
Facebook: facebook.com/DeclanMckennaMusic
Twitter: twitter.com/declanmckenna