Album Review: Maggie Lindemann - SUCKERPUNCH
By Natalia Pfeiffer
Reviewed: September 26, 2022
Genre: Pop Punk/ Rock
With the release of her EP titled PARANOIA in January of 2021, Maggie Lindemann solidified her confidence within the punk/alternative genre. Now back again with her debut full-length album, SUCKERPUNCH, Lindemann pours the gritty rock style influences found in her previous release into fifteen new tracks, coming in just short of forty minutes long.
SUCKERPUNCH serves as an ode to Lindemann’s life experiences from her teenage years to her early years in the music industry. The album pours through themes of loneliness, toxic relationships, judgment, pride, and confidence among many more to be heard. Lindemann also has two notable features on her debut album — Siiickbrain and Kellin Quinn of Sleeping With Sirens.
Lindemann opens the album with a short instrumental track, titled intro/welcome in. This is an eerier instrumental than you would expect from Lindemann given her usual hard-hitting drum beats and electric guitars. intro / welcome in starts with moody piano keys leading into an inviting siren-esce sound then closing with an escalating drum beat to lead into the first full-length song. Rock and pop punk share the spotlight throughout the album, each providing the tracks with their uncompromising edge. Songs like take me nowhere and casualty of your dreams utilize heavier drum beats and splitting electric guitar chords to drive home intense feelings of loneliness and being lied to by someone you trusted. Whereas songs like she knows it and phases use similar simple starting tempo’s leading to recurring guitar picks that match the repetitiveness of the lyrical content.
One of the most surprising tracks on SUCKERPUNCH comes in the second half of the album without trying; it ends up being quite a standout among the rest . we never even dated takes a break from all the piercing instrumentals, instead offering a heartfelt acoustic in its place. Most of SUCKERPUNCH relies on instrumental personality rather than intense lyrical content but here Lindemann decides to let her feelings take center stage.
Closing out the album well is cages, an anthem for Lindemann’s newfound self-confidence. Through and through SUCKERPUNCH is a fun mix of belting vocals and head-bang-worthy percussion. Many exciting influences can be found within Lindemann’s work here, mostly reminiscing on the previous work of artists like Avril Lavigne and Paramore, similarities between the sound of SUCKERPUNCH can also be paired well with Demi Lovato’s HOLY FVCK. While there is a little left to be desired lyrically in some areas, Lindemann packs her debut album full of bold stand out tracks that are sure to maintain her pop punk following. Any future releases from Lindemann are sure to be worth your attention.