Peter McPoland’s chaotic new single “My Baby” is sonically interesting but lyrically boring.
Released on Sept. 27, “My Baby” has taken McPoland back to his folksy, singer/songwriter roots following an extended period during which the singer was playing darker, more dynamic indie rock.
McPoland rose to success after some of his TikToks went viral during the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown in 2020. These videos often featured the singer in his attic bedroom playing his acoustic guitar, resulting in his songs “Romeo & Juliet,” “Eloise,” and “(Here’s to the) Prom Queen” blowing up. From there, McPoland signed a deal with Sony Records, after which his sound took a turn.
That is why the release of “My Baby” was somewhat of a surprise, as its tone was much different from that of Piggy, McPoland’s debut album under Sony Records. While the song sports a muddled electric guitar backbone and an indie pop tone, “My Baby” still sounds like it came from an earlier era of the singer’s discography.
Yet, even during McPoland’s Piggy era, clips of “My Baby” circulated on TikTok and the song quickly became a fan favourite, with many people begging McPoland to release the track in the comments of his TikTok videos.
While the song starts out muddled and blurry, when McPoland begins to sing, it is as if the sun has come out from behind the clouds. His scratchy, slightly nasally vocals fill the atmospheric space with vigour, building an incredible sonic experience.
Equipped with a catchy melody, “My Baby” intertwines a thick, sonorous lower guitar rhythm with a twangy, plucky upper guitar line, coming together to form a daring mix between indie pop and classic country. While at first, the song could go either way, McPoland’s distinct voice solidifies it as a beautiful combination of opposing genres.
Still, the song is lyrically rather simple, repeating: “My baby won’t mess around anymore/My baby is saying she’s sure/This baby won’t mess around anymore,” for much of the track. While you can paint a vague picture of the narrative McPoland is trying to spin with the lyrics, they aren’t genius by any means. Unfortunately, the singer’s lack of lyrical prowess, which has been displayed in many of his other tracks, diminishes the song, which is otherwise very interesting melodically.
Still, for many fans who prefer the Peter McPoland they fell in love with in 2020, “My Baby” is a step in the right direction. While I wouldn’t say that Piggy was a bad album, many complained that the singer had moved so drastically away from what they had enjoyed about him as a singer. This folksy, singer/songwriter sound is, after all, what made the singer famous in the first place.
There is no way to know for sure whether McPoland is fully making a shift back towards his earlier sound, or if “My Baby” was a one-off. Perhaps the release of his next single on Oct. 25 will give the singer’s audience a better idea of where he plans on going next.