Badflower, This is How the World Ends | Album Review 💿

Los Angeles rock band Badflower, led by Josh Katz, deliver an engaging and entertaining sophomore album with This is How the World Ends. 

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n 2018, I was acquainted with a band that truly spoke to me.  That would be Los Angeles’ own 🎙 Badflower.  Led by expressive front man 🎙 Josh Katz, on their debut album, 💿 Ok, I’m Sick (2019), the collective showcased a knack for entertaining songwriting, dynamic music, and a high level of musicianship – Rock TF on 🤘!  On their 2021 sophomore album, 💿 This is How the World Ends, Katz and company continue to impress, showcasing incredible versatility over 13 tracks.  Clearly, the collective has lots to offer.  

 

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“Adolescent Love” 

“I was only a boy, I looked younger than the others / Only hair on my head and a voice just like my mother’s…” 🎵 “Adolescent Love” commences This is How the World Ends narratively and reflectively.  Honestly, given the firepower of Badflower, it’s a surprise start.  Despite being surprising, it’s rewarding. Josh Katz does a fabulous job of depicting the awkwardness of adolescence, particularly the beginnings of experiencing romantic feelings.  If “Adolescent Love” takes most of the song to percolate, follow-up ✅ 🎵 “Fukboi” is assertive, dynamic and unapologetic.  

“He could be anyone’s mistake / Just say your boyfriend’s out of town / Don’t let him bum a cigarette.”  As you’d expect, Katz isn’t a fan of fuckboys, evidenced in several instances:

“Respect? No Way!
He’s from California
Show up! Get Laid!
They can’t all ignore ya
La- La- La- La- La- La- La- La- La-
Good luck, fukboi
No one’s rooting for ya.”

Katz highlights the ‘fuckboy playbook’ and how utterly shameless they are.  What really sells this brief number are the aggressive, expressive vocals.  He’s proven to be an animated, electrifying front man.  Worth noting, I like the change of pace on the bridge before Katz and company rachet up the aggressiveness once more.  Also, “Fukboi” isn’t merely about those godawful fuckboys, or those filthy f-bombs uttered.  There’s a compelling instrumental, comprised of driving bass, aggressive guitars, and pummeling drums. Woo!

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“Family” 

Badflower kills it on ✅ 🎵 “Family”.  There are several components that make it stellar.  For one, this a ‘musical’ track.  Early on, the band pulls back rather than showcasing the full deck of cards. Katz takes the time to sing with poise while still holding the audience’s attention.  He tells this authentic, personal story about family, that leads to a huge climax.  On the magnificent peak, Josh, and band kick things up considerably, trading poise and control for aggressive, bad ass, hard rock. “‘Cause I let you down / And I lost my fucking mind / Then everything got messy / And everyone got angry,” he sings assertively and emotionally, continuing, “I cursed my blood tonight / It happens all the time / Is everyone against me? / Has everyone goddamned me? / What happened to this family?” Katz ‘brings it down’ after that gargantuan burst of aggression, again exhibiting awesome musicianship. Ultimately, “Family” is epic to the nth degree – a fabulous record featuring great vocals, personal songwriting, and superb attention to detail musically.

 

“Yeah, if Johnny wants to fight, let him fight / Let him kick my fucking ass into the ground.” Day-um! Katz remains blunt and brutally honest on ✅ 🎵 “Johnny Wants to Fight”. He gives us a compelling story, which involves “shit’s been going down with your girl” – Johnny’s girl.  Katz expounds on this on the verses, asserting, “He’s [Johnny] looking for somebody to pound /… He’s fucking mad ‘cause he knows that somebody was with her.”  Later, on the second verse, we find out that Josh was ‘with her,’ hence, why, as the chorus confirms, “Let him break my fucking nose until I’m barely breathing / … Give it everything you got / Because your girlfriend put her body on me / Shallow loser.”  In the process, Katz keeps those f-bombs flying.  The music = energetic AF.

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“Stalker” 

Looking for a successor to 🎵 “x ANA x”? Perhaps the wild ✅ 🎵 “Stalker” is the answer.  Josh Katz is unhinged ladies and gents, perfectly embodying the stalker he sings about.  Like much of This is How the World Ends, the profanity is out of control, the energy out of this world, and the music loud and in your face.  As creepy as the stalker Katz portrays is, he does make you consider the loneliness this person feels.  Fittingly, another profane joint follows – the charmingly titled, 🎵 “Everyone’s an Asshole.” “Everyone’s an Asshole” contrasts “Stalker” by slowing the tempo and exhibiting more control.  The dynamics are softer, with Katz showing a more sensitive side.  Even so, Josh still delivers a heaping dose of drama, and as “Asshole” progresses, it grows louder, maintaining the spirit of rock.  Does Badflower have a point about everyone being an asshole? Sometimes it sure feels that way, particularly to a person who seems to have bad luck. 

✅ 🎵 “She Knows” also shows a gentler side of Badflower.  Like “Adolescent Love” and portions of “Family” and “Everyone’s an Asshole,” we hear his poetic, quieter approach from Katz.  Furthermore, the melody is radiant.  Add to that radiant melody some gorgeous, harmonized vocals.  If you thought “She Knows” ran nearly five minutes without upping the ante, you were wrong.  The band ‘brings it on home’ the final minute-and-a-half, making it clear, “Now she knows.” 🎵 “Only Love” maintains the musicality that’s been present throughout This is How the World Ends.  Once more, the band pulls back initially before things percolate. Sure, “Only Love” doesn’t latch as quick as the creepy stalker, but it shows the band’s versatility and ability to build-up to the highest heights instead of showing the deck of cards early.  By the end of “Only Love,” we hear Josh give us those aggressive, whiny vocals.

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“Sasshole”

“You kinda like me so much better when I’m sassy and drunk.” For sure, Josh Katz, for sure.  Also, we enjoy when you swear too: “I’ll preach some anarchy and show the motherfucker who’s boss (Hey!) / ‘Cause I don’t give a fuck.”  Woo! Rather than give us another ‘asshole’ song, we get ✅ 🎵 “Sasshole” which is sassy AF. “Sasshole” is one of the most fun songs on the album, with Katz on autopilot, and the band delivering some of their best playing.  The groove kick ass, the guitars are ripe, and all feels right.

“Don’t hate me, don’t hate me / Don’t hate me more than I hate myself / Don’t let me destroy me / Don’t hurt me more than I hurt myself…” On the mid-tempo ✅ 🎵 “Don’t Hate Me” record, Katz sings about his insecurity. On the first verse, he’s upset about losing his ex, admitting, “I lost my mind today / I checked up on the guys you date.” Stalker! On the second, more of the mental health aspect enters the picture: “Am I more than just a friend? It’s not grandeur, I’m off my meds / I’m no danger, so call the feds / I’m no stalker / I just ignore restraining orders all the time.” Wow… On an interlude, he even ponders patterning his band after her boyfriends’ band – yikes! The downward spiral continues on the bridge: “Depression makes no exceptions, except the rich and sexy / My delusion is better than facing the truth about me.” “Don’t Hate Me” is disturbing, like a few other joints from This is How the World End but incredibly entertaining. 

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“Tethered”

The final trio of This is How the World End is thought provoking.  It begins with 🎵 “Tethered,” which tackles sexual abuse – heavy.  The victim is a woman who can’t seem to escape a vicious cycle: “Down the rabbit hole / She wakes up in his bed / Confused about her heart / And bruised between the legs / But she’s too afraid to leave.”  A sad, unfortunate situation that happens every day to folks worldwide.  I love the chorus on this record.  Here, Josh is aggressive, making you feel the pain on behalf of the victim. 

On ✅ 🎵 “Machine Gun,” the songwriting shifts from abuse victim to soldier.  “Machine Gun” explores war, patriotism, and the “manipulation of the broken.”  It’s as intriguing as everything else, continuing to show the range of Badflower.  Again, the chorus represents the crowning achievement, highlighting the titular lyric of the album: “This is how the world ends / This is how they suck you in / Manipulate the broken / To suffer every consequence.” 🎵 “My Funeral” concludes heavily too, exploring death, specifically via suicide.  Mental health and suicide reared their heads on 💿 Ok, I’m Sick too. One of my favorite lyrics appears on the third verse, where this suicidal kid asserts, “And here I am a privileged me with no concept of suffering / I think I’ll shut the fuck up and donate to a charity.”

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Final Thoughts 💭 

So, how does This is How the World Ends stack up? All in all, Badflower deliver a fantastic sophomore album.  What makes This is How the World Ends so successful is the balance.  Badflower have the knack to be fun and unapologetic, amplified by shouted vocals and profanity-laced lyrics, or they can be serious and thought provoking.  At times, they even manage to do both – go figure.  Ultimately, folks who still haven’t checked out Josh Katz and company are missing out – this is a special band.

 

✅ Gems 💎: “Fukboi,” “Family,” “Johnny Wants to Fight,” “Stalker,” “She Knows,” “Sasshole,” “Don’t Hate Me” & “Machine Gun”

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🎙 Badflower • 💿 This is How the World Ends • 🏷 Big Machine / John Varvatos • 🗓 9.24.21
[📷: Big Machine / John Varvatos]

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