None of you guys get it.
Poppy is an OG. Known originally for some offputting, yet enthralling videos on YouTube, she later developed her sound through a variety of musical stylings and ideas. Some of the ideas were well-planned and well-executed. Some of them were not well-executed. Some ideas should have been left on the cutting room floor. Such a diversity of sounds makes Poppy an artist whose catalog is ripe for comparison. With as many releases as she has, it's wise to take a look at what makes each one unique before diving in.
#12 - Stagger EP (2022)
As Poppy's only release on big name label Republic Records, you would hope this would be Poppy's most polished release to date. Unfortunately, it ends up being the most muddy release she's done. Clocking in at only 11 minutes, Stagger needed to pack a punch that it simply didn't hit. The vocals on the whole project do not meet the caliber of previous releases. "FYB" sounds as if Poppy is a child discovering curse words for the first time, and "Pocket" is forgettable if anything. "Shapes" is the worst song on the project, being reminiscent of Ford Truck Month commercials and the worst of Muse's recent output. The only saving grace of the Stagger EP is the title track; "Stagger" is a beautifully calm, addictive track that qualifies this project as a worthwhile release. Even if the whole Republic Records thing didn't work out, at least we got a good song out of it in the meantime.
#11 - Bubblebath EP (2016)
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| This was before the name change, and before I had heard of her. |
As Poppy's only release on big name label Island Records, you'd think Bubblebath would have some oomph behind it. Unfortunately, it's easily the most irrelevant thing she's done. It must have been a half-decade or more since I've heard any song here besides "Lowlife," until I revisited it for this article. Nothing here really sticks. "Lowlife" is obviously the most polished song here, being Poppy's big breakthrough single. To this day, "Lowlife" has 50 million YouTube views over the next most popular Poppy song, "X." It worked, too, since it got me hooked by the time Poppy.Computer came out in 2017. Everything else just fell by the wayside, as sorry as I am to say. These 3 last songs do not have the wide appeal of "Lowlife" or the beauty and joy of Poppy.Computer, causing them to sound more like "Lowlife" B-sides than sister tracks on a debut EP. They're just kinda stupid. "If money can't buy happiness, then why is it so fabulous?" Money being fabulous is a false premise; you're gonna need to provide some evidence first. I don't know, man. Everything here is just of its time. I still like "Lowlife" though. Even if the whole Island Records thing didn't work out, at least we got a good song out of it in the meantime.
#10 - Negative Spaces (2024)
I was honestly more impressed with From Zero. The closest that Poppy has come to metal, Negative Spaces suffers from a lot of gripes I have with metal albums since the 2008 depression. The first is that it has what I would like to call "metal drums." For whatever reason, since 2009 or so, the drums on metal albums sound incredibly fake and they hit like wiffle bat hits a home run off a fastball. They are prominent enough in the mix, but they have no sense of space. These albums all sound like they recorded the drums in your imagination, based on ideals and not reality. I would say they almost sound synthetic, but albums with a programmed drum machine, like Big Black's Atomizer, sound perfectly fine. Drums are the backbone of most music today, especially metal. So if you can't stick the landing with the drums, the album falls flat. That's why I never go back to albums like Ø (Disambiguation), Death By Rock And Roll, Sempiternal, or Trauma. (Note how the producer of Sempiternal produced this album!) I think, unfortunately, Negative Spaces will be joining those albums in the past listens which I will never revisit. I like a lot about this album, and not every song has metal drums. "Crystallized" noticeably features some really great programmed drums. Poppy's vocals are on point as always. The melodies are just as memorable and fun to sing along to as they were on the last few albums. Any time a piano comes in, it sounds beautiful and spacious. It just really killed my mood when I got to "They're All Around Us" and realized that this album has nothing to offer me because the drums kill the mood most of the time.
#9 - A Very Poppy Christmas EP (2020)
Yeah. This one's fine. It's so short that I can probably listen through the whole thing before I'm even done writing about it, so I will attempt to beat the clock by saying that I don't have much to think about A Very Poppy Christmas. It's unlike anything she has done before, as it doesn't fit in with Poppy.Computer's cute optimism, Am I A Girl?'s purposeful pop, or I Disagree's hardcore experimentation. In a certain way, this EP is homeless in Poppy's larger catalogue, struggling to find its place in the larger progression from album to album. In another way, though, I can respect it. Poppy set out with the goal of making some simple Christmas songs that are a little outside of her style, and she accomplished that goal well enough. One thing I guess I can praise about A Very Poppy Christmas is how cold everything sounds. If there's anything connecting it to its predecessor I Disagree, it's the frozen sterility that cuts you off from Poppy's humanity. The echoes place me in an ice cave, protected from the blustering winter wind while I try to melt my frozen mustache. Maybe if we "Kiss In The Snow," it will help warm me up, but somehow I feel more alone than ever as I listen. A Very Poppy Christmas is not an essential listen, but especially with a runtime under 11 minutes, it's harmless at worst in a larger listen of Poppy's discography.
#8 - The ambient albums (2016-2020)
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| 3:36 (Music To Sleep To) (2016) |
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| I C U: Music To Read To (2019) |
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| Music To Scream To (2020) |
Consider this a dividing line. These three albums, 2016's 3:36 (Music To Sleep To), 2019's I C U: Music to Read To, and 2020's Music To Scream To are here together because I really don't have much opinion on them at all. I like ambient music, instrumental music, and soundtracks. These albums are all distinct from each other, and I have listened to them each multiple times. But they leave such little impression on me that I'm just gonna mark them down together as decent and nothing more. Maybe being generic enough to leave no impression is a great sin; love it or hate it, there's no denying that Negative Spaces and Stagger have a lot more meat on the bones. But I do not feel like devoting more time to the philosophy of boring ambient music is worth it in any way. Listen to these albums if you want to read the books they soundtrack, but don't feel bad about skipping them otherwise.
#7 - Eat (NXT Soundtrack) EP (2021)
Eat is an interesting project as it's made to back WWE's NXT programming. Since it isn't designed to stand on its own, it's hard to evaluate it fully. Though I have no stock in NXT, what I can tell you is this. Eat is a pretty fun EP. It feels awfully short, but it leaves its mark with such a runtime. The distortion on the vocals here sounds really cool. There is a lot of screaming on Eat, more than on any other Poppy project thus far. Her clean vocals are sharp as well. The two blend together surprisingly well in a way previous projects didn't even touch. Eat is heavier than any previous Poppy project, but it never feels unnatural or unpolished. I think the little switch-ups here and there contribute greatly to that. There is a nice little jazz section in the middle of "Say Cheese," and the slower tempo of "Dark Dark World" provide a great bookend to the whole thing. "Cue" may not be the strongest cut here, but the melodic chorus is addictive. The drum breakdown is a nice addition on top of it. It's like a drug (sha la la). Heavy, but sweet rather than overwhelming. Yeah. I like Eat well enough.
#6 - Choke EP (2019)
The Choke EP had something to prove. Am I A Girl? proved that Poppy could handle a blatantly darker, heavier style in her music. Choke was made to show that it wasn't just a gimmick. This was forward momentum. The sounds were not only as scary as the tail end of Am I A Girl?, but they were made fresh with new musical and lyrical stylings. If I were to describe Choke in 2 adjectives, I would say it's bleepy and bloopy. Choke stands out as Poppy's most synthetic project to date, which is pulled off with a sense class unseen before. "Voicemail" blew my mind when it first released as a single the winter prior. The only weak song on this project would be "Holy Mountain." The drums sound like they were meant to be redone at a later date that never came, and the lyrics need a rewrite. God is praying for Poppy? Who is he praying to? Himself? (This can be solved with good trinitarian theology; consider this a nitpick.) Overall, Choke is a groundbreaking release that could have used a bit more time to be perfected. But compared to what came after it, Choke isn't worth the bleeps and bloops it's made out of.
#5 - Poppy.Computer (2017)
I don't know that there are too many Poppy fans these days that care for Poppy.Computer, but I was there from day one. I'm locked in. The best way to describe Poppy.Computer is that it's cutesy. It has a vast sense of optimism in how it sounds and what it says. This is the only album, as far as I can recall, that plays into Poppy's character as a YouTube star and pop singer. With songs "Let's Make A Video" and "My Microphone," Poppy plays well into her character, sounding like a seasoned professional YouTuber. (If such a thing can truly exist, she is one!) The computer theme comes into play with "Software Upgrade," "Computer Boy," and "Interweb." On songs "Bleach Blonde Baby" and "My Style," Poppy sings about herself being beautiful, which is fair. These songs are all fun pop songs that give Poppy.Computer a distinct identity as an album. Some of my favorite lines in any song come from Poppy.Computer: "Not everyone was born this perfect, but it's just my burden to bear," from "Bleach Blonde Baby." "And you are never in the mood, so come on baby, tell me: Are you gay?" from "Software Upgrade." And of course, "I want your floppy disk to be my hard drive," from "Computer Boy." It's a great album that I have loved for years. But I don't know if this album is an essential in Poppy's catalogue unless you're really into the lore already. There are two songs that I think stand out nonetheless; "Pop Music" and "Moshi Moshi" are the most cute adorable songs I've ever heard in my life. They make me feel a certain way, like I'm teaching my firstborn daughter how to ice skate; and I don't have a daughter. Even if you only heard of Poppy for her metal albums, there is still something great here on Poppy.Computer for the metalheads with a soft spot for a pretty girl with a sweet voice.
#4 - Am I A Girl? (2018)
Am I A Girl? That is the question. Following a year after Poppy.Computer, on Halloween Day 2018, Am I A Girl? was an exciting album to experience at launch. Singles "In A Minute" and "Time Is Up" brought Poppy to a less saccharine sound. It was less bubblegum pop and more conscious. I was interested to see where the project was going. But nothing could prepare me for the album itself. Am I A Girl? Is a concept album outlining the creation of Poppy X. You may not be able to tell unless you read the Genesis 1 graphic novel, so the concept isn't super obvious; yet it is present nonetheless through interludes dividing the album into three sections. The first two acts are lush pop songs that have varying levels of depth. "The Rapture Ball" and "Fashion After All" aren't really that deep, but "Time Is Up" is about environmental collapse because of global warming, and "Hard Feelings" questions relationships, asking what it means to have feelings. These are hard questions. But the third act is where Am I A Girl? really stands out. The record turns into what is known as "poppymetal," clashing the fun pop music from the first 2 acts with thundering guitar solos, burning down Walmart, and a lot of blood. Despite the drastic tonal shift, the record still holds together quite nicely through this third act. It may seem a bit dated, since certain songs from the first two acts do reflect 2018 quite a bit. Even then, it's still a solid project worth checking out at least once. If you want more information, you can watch this video I made when the album was new to get a slightly different perspective.
#3 - Flux (2021)
From here on out, it gets easier. I've already ranked and reviewed Flux in my "Best of 2021" list! But I'm not going to copy and paste that segment, because my thoughts have developed further since then. Flux is a great album. Part of me wanted to put it at #1. Out of all Poppy albums, Flux is the one that feels the most mature. The most complete. The most universal. At first, I was underwhelmed by it because of how lowkey it is. I Disagree and Am I A Girl? are in your face. They present something entirely new. Flux isolates itself into one idea and just... does it really well. Like, really well. And what it does well is bringing the two extremes of I Disagree together. I Disagree features both sharp metal songs and soft, slow, even beautiful rock songs. Flux is made up of sharp, yet beautiful rock songs. Thankfully, the merger is more than a success. At first I was bored with this style, but nowadays I can't imagine being bored with such a good fusion. The peace I feel listening to "Hysteria," "Never Find My Place," or "As Strange As It Seems" pairs well with the lowkey fun vibes that radiate from the title track, "Her," and especially "Lessen The Damage." The one problem with this album: I can't hear the verses on "So Mean." They are too quiet. I've been trying for years. If that were fixed somehow, by a remix or otherwise, this album would probably be #1.
#2 - Zig (2023)
Yay! Zig! Zig is like the really cool younger brother that you love taking into the city because every experience with him is something new. He might throw a tantrum once or twice, but you're still gonna hang out with him, and you're gonna tell your friends that he's a cool lil guy if he's ever brought up. Zig is certainly not as sophisticated and mature as Flux is. It never "grew on me." I understood Zig from day one, and my opinion hasn't changed; this album goes hard. There are a few songs I don't like. The title track is too percussive for my liking, too in your face. Besides that, the closing track "Prove It" features some terrible vocals. The shouting is unappealing, and the volume at which you hear them sounds like how I'd imagine it feels to wear the Master Chief helmet. No Poppy album has the lows that Zig does. Fortunately for Zig, the highs are so high that the album still has the power to crawl its way up to #2 on the ranking despite its lows. If Zig has anything of its own to say, it's "Dance." The bass and drums are the closest Poppy has come to actual pop music in years, with tempo driving enough to keep you energized. And she's spitting bars the whole time too. "I don't want no fake love." Me too! "I flicker between fear and a vision of forever. That's too much time for you to change your mind." I feel this way about a lot of relationships in my life. Hopping between optimism and nihilism is so frequent that I'm seeing a psychiatrist over it, but the problem will probably never be fixed. That's why I sing along to "1s + 0s," where she says "Don't call me the one, less I'm the only one." I don't know if my name is safe in your mouth. But now I'm just pouring out my heart on Blogger.com, and I don't think that's necessary. Your mileage may vary with Zig, but I love it so much.
#1 - I Disagree (2020)
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| The standard edition. |
Since I finished my Best of 2020 list over 3 years ago, my opinion of I Disagree has grown immensely. If I were to write that list today, I Disagree just might take the #1 spot. Everything about this album is just fantastic. It's fun. It's dancy. It's incredibly memorable and infinitely applicable. Too cold? "Don't go outside." Too hot? "I'm sick of the sun." Someone at work bothering you? "I disagree with the way you are failing to pleasure me." Disagreement with the wife? "Bury me six feet deep. Cover me in concrete. Turn me into a street." I don't know who created Pokemon Go mixed and mastered this album, but it sounds fantastic all the way through. Every drum beat, every guitar, every scream in "Bloodmoney"... somehow, Poppy made it perfect. I Disagree continues in the footsteps of the heavy direction that Am I A Girl? and Choke left us with, but makes it more polished and distinct. I like "X" and "Voicemail," but to this day those songs feel like novelties to show how heavy Poppy X is compared to Poppy.Computer. (Read the comics if you don't understand this.) "Sit/Stay" and "Anything Like Me" are the real deal. The character aspect of Poppy starts to fade away and her real person starts to appear through the image. Especially since "Anything Like Me" is about the real life legal battle Poppy had with Brittany Sheets of Mars Argo. Even with the stark tonal and musical shift, nothing in I Disagree feels disingenuous or false, which is especially noticeable compared to her previous work where she portrays a character on purpose. It's legit. It's growth we like to see. I Disagree ends with a wonderful medley of some of the album's highlights, packaging everything up in a bow. It was a great time. If you like it, check out the bonus tracks that were released on I Disagree (more), which came out the following summer. "Don't Ask" is a top 5 Poppy song. But that might be a discussion for another day. *wink*
Buy these albums:
Stagger
Bubblebath
Negative Spaces
A Very Poppy Christmas
3:36 (Music to Sleep To)
I C U: Music to Read To
Music to Scream To
Eat (NXT Soundtrack)
Choke
Poppy.Computer
Am I A Girl?
Flux
Zig
I Disagree
Fun fact! Poppy might have been dropped by Republic after Stagger because it sold 185 units first week. Not 185 thousand. 185. Merry Christmas everyone!
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