We’re glad to announce that London, United Kingdom-based alternative punk band Young Fatigue have released a new single, entitled “Am I Pretty Now?” It’s the second track released by Young Fatigue (you can check out their excellent debut single from last year here, entitled “Dislocation,”); and it is the first of a handful of new songs that are set for release throughout 2021.
“Am I Pretty Now?” fuses 00s pop-punk and 90s grunge-inspired guitar lines with hard-hitting lyrics, expressing the mental and physical torment that we endure in our attempts to fit society’s unattainable body standards. Recorded in December 2020 with producer Chris Coulter (Arcane Roots, IDLES), “Am I Pretty Now?” is now available on all streaming platforms.
Regarding the inspiration behind their new single, lead singer Ash writes, “The journey of writing ‘Am I Pretty Now?‘ was met with a lot of discomfort, but also relief and liberation. Throughout my teen and adult years, my body weight has played a painfully integral role in how I value myself. Being visibly underweight in a landscape awash with images of strong, muscular men inevitably led to a rock bottom self-esteem and incredibly toxic behaviours. And for our generation, the issue is only exacerbated by the constant bombardment of perfect photo- shopped bodies on social media. Genuinely believing that no one will love you or will find you attractive is an intense thing to go through as a teenager, and while my journey of accepting myself is still ongoing, I feel releasing ‘Am I Pretty Now?‘ is a therapeutic step in the right direction.
It’s always uncomfortable highlighting something you normally try so hard to hide, but both Charlie and Michael welcomed the song with such open arms that it made the task so much easier. Watching them embrace it with such care and pride has been a real highlight for me. I hope that same love and support is extended to everyone who listens to the song.
The title in itself is something I think we’ve all asked ourselves at one point. While the song is from a male perspective, body insecurities are a universal struggle we all go through to some degree. I hope by sharing my own struggles, our fans can find some solidarity and comfort when their own self-esteem takes a hit. After all, while the body standards we impose on ourselves are often unachievable, the steps to love and self-acceptance are.“
For their new single’s artwork, the members of Young Fatigue unearthed an old Polaroid of lead singer Ash as a 5-year-old in a toy muscle suit; as they write, it’s “a poignant example of how body expectations are imprinted on us from a young age”. The band has also released a music video for “Am I Pretty Now?”, which you can check out here.
Young Fatigue’s new single is introduced by a bright, reverb-laden guitar melody, which contrasts nicely with the grungy, distorted riff that soon follows. As the vocals join in during the track’s first verse, “Am I Pretty Now?” takes on a more reflective mood, sustained by the steady rhythms of the bass and drums. The distorted electric guitar chords then return during the track’s anthemic pop-punk-like choruses, highlighting the thoughtful lyrics quite well. Throughout this wonderfully dynamic track, Young Fatigue bridge together the catchy, distortion-laden choruses and calmer passages rather nicely with hard-rocking instrumental sections, showcasing the band’s excellent musicianship and creative compositional skills as well as their diverse musical influences.
“Am I Pretty Now?” is quite an enjoyable listen, and I would highly recommend this new single to fans of grunge and punk rock alike.
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