Waterparks - INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY Album Review
I'm going to be honest, I'm still trying to comprehend this album at the time I'm writing this. There's just so much going on, lyrically and sonically. The themes of this album are very personal and are vulnerable topics. Religious trauma and finding his definition of true love are very prevalent within the lyrics. The songs were placed in an extremely specific order because the album is meant to tell a story.
Before I dive into the songs, let's talk about the album cover. It may just come across as a blue poison dart frog on top of a red background at first glance, but there is a deeper meaning to that. The bright red is supposed to be a passionate, violent, and hyper-sexual aura surrounding the frog. Awsten always represented himself with the color blue, since the color blue reminds him of his most vulnerable self. Frogs are seen as dirty and foul creatures through a biblical lens, which made Awsten feel that way because of religion. In a way, the frog is a metaphor for Awsten and he's surrounded by this violent and hyper-sexual aura. He specifically chose a poison dart frog because they are not naturally poisonous, they consume stuff that makes them toxic.
Even the title has some meaning to it. Intellectual Property represents the mental real estate that you'll give something in your head. It creates an environment to explore the themes of religious trauma and true love. These themes are placed separately throughout the album so you won't feel overwhelmed and there is time to explore each theme thoroughly.
ST*RFUCKER
This is a really pretty song. It makes me feel like I'm flying. It works really well as the opening song of the album since it introduces the themes of the album. Lyrics like "Jesus Christ won't text me back" hints at the theme of religious trauma, while "it's been a pleasure, it's nice to meet you" possibly represents letting people go and meeting someone new. This short track attracts you into the album, leaving you wanting more.
REAL SUPER DARK
Oh boy, this song is bonkers. It feels so evil and goes hard. It sounds like a sensory overload but in a good way. This is a fast emo-punk song that doesn't hold back. Awsten's online persona is usually goofy and chaotic, but this song portrays that that's not who he is all the time. He feels these really super dark and negative feelings sometimes and in this song, he really lets it all out.
FUNERAL GREY
This was the first single released for the album and it felt very appropriate to kick off this era of Waterparks. It's light and summery, and it's supposed to make you feel warm inside. It introduces the love story aspect of the album. This song sounds like falling in love for the first time. There is a playful twist with the theme of religious trauma, as heard in the lyric "I know your dying wish is to be baptized in my spit." Honestly, this is a really good song to introduce Waterparks to someone. It's fun, playful, and can get stuck in your head every now and then.
BRAINWASHED
One of my personal favorites on the album. It gives off a similar vibe that FUNERAL GREY does, but it's not exactly that. It's still bright and summery, it has some negative undertones though. It's about meeting someone for the first time and forming a hyper-fixation around them which isn't necessarily healthy. This hyper-fixation is shown with the lyric "It's like my brain isn't mine/you moved into my mind." Though, Awsten is self-aware of it and recognizes it's a problem. It's like he's wrapped up in the honeymoon phase of a relationship. "The syndrome feels Stockholm" is a line demonstrating that he's already established trust in this person. Overall, this song is really cute and sweet and sounds like pure serotonin.
2 BEST FRIENDS
This short and infectious song has such a positive energy, it sounds like I'm at the beach. It's about the feeling of being in a one-sided relationship or showing interest in a potential partner, so Awsten hangs out with 2 best friends to not think of that person. The funky synths and simplicity of the song make it such an earworm, you'll have a hard time getting this one out of your head.
END OF THE WATER (FEEL)
This song is astronomical. The falsettos make my brain so happy. It feels like being transcended to an alternate, mystical realm. The title of the song is a reference to the Pixar movie Onward, as it is a quote from that movie. This song deals with the infatuation with someone, focusing on the lack of a relationship while being invested in this person. The instrumentals complement the meaning of the song really well, passionate and mystical. It's another of my favorites on the album, and Kurtis Conner at the end is the icing on the cake.
SELF-SABOTAGE
In this song, we can hear the change in tone of the album. It's still a pop-rock anthem but is not really a cute song. This song signifies the realization that he is sabotaging the relationship. He is struggling to find time for his partner, though his mental health is holding him back. The repetition of "What the fuck is wrong with me?" in the track represents that Awsten is self-aware that he is the problem in the relationship. The meaning and lyrics of the song contrast with the catchy and fun sound of this track. The woohoos in the chorus are infectious and the bass line just makes you feel all kinds of funky.
RITUAL
Oh buddy, oh God, this song is absolutely off the walls. Waterparks has gone full metalcore on this one. It's so dark and evil, everything feels like it's caving in on Awsten. The distorted vocals, heavy guitar, repetition of the refrain, and breakdown all just work so well in this song. "My inner child needs a bulletproof vest" could possibly mean that Awsten wishes that he could protect his younger self from being exposed to religious ideologies. The final refrain literally sucked the life out of me. I need this song injected into my veins.
FUCK ABOUT IT
Coming out of the darkness, this hard-hitting pop-rock track navigates through the strain of the relationship. Whether it's communication issues or reflecting on each other's actions, they try to fix these problems with sexual intimacy. With a feature from blackbear, he delivers a quick and catchy verse as the partner of the relationship. Awsten's and blackbear's vocals complement each other very well, blending in with each other seamlessly.
CLOSER
In all honesty, this song wrecked me. Accompanied by an acoustic guitar, this ballad is about one's relationship with love. The opening line "Nothing stays the same/I feel love a different way" shows how love changes as you grow. Awsten looks back at the past and realizes that his love was maybe more of an obsession. Some relationships were soft and some ended more catastrophically. As he matured and grew as a person, his love matured with him. The way someone looks at the concept of love, it's always evolving as you mature. Love has different meanings at every stage of your life. From the bridge all the way to the final chorus, I always get choked up. It's beautifully devastating.
A NIGHT OUT ON EARTH
Okay so, there is a lot to unpack in this song alone. The sound is a lot more electronic-heavy with hyperpop and punk influences. The lyrics are the most vulnerable and personal I have ever heard. Awsten vents about some hyper-personal problems he's been facing for a while. The theme of religion pops back up with lyrics like "Now, Jesus hates my guts it's getting personal" and "Am I going to Hell in my sleep or will God forgive me?" He is also learning to use his negative feelings as an advantage. Feelings like jealousy, exhaustion, guilt, and heartbreak are prevalent in this bombastic track. Awsten clearly isn't afraid to hide his negative traits anymore and learning to be authentic with himself. This is heard with the line, "I wear my red flags like a cape." This song is so theatrical and instrumentally complex, it scratches every part of the brain just right. After my first listen, I was left speechless. The outro will never fail to give me chills.
In conclusion, this is the best album Waterparks have ever made. They reach new heights both sonically and lyrically. It's a really personal one for the band, especially for Awsten. I highly recommend listening to this album, it's ambitious in all the right ways. If you listen to the album, the general rule for Waterparks albums is to listen in complete darkness, with no phone, but you can listen along with the lyrics. They suggest that because you don't really get the first listen back. In general, I give this album a 10/10 across the board. Each song is unique and has its own quirks in them, and the pacing works really well to keep you engaged. This is the essential Waterparks album.