With the release of her EP ‘No Romeo’ arriving earlier this year, she has become one of the UK’s most exciting new artists.
Raised on classic rock, her music is heavily influenced by her dad’s love of AC/DC and Guns N’ Roses.
The self-proclaimed “rock star stuck in a pop star's body” - successfully packed crowds at Reading and Leeds Festival, has an upcoming sold-out UK headlining tour and has just finished touring with Ed Sheeran’s. She has now released her highly anticipated, debut mixtape ‘The Greatest Thing I’ll Never Learn’ with Island Records.
The singer has always displayed a sharp wit in her music, starting with her hit single ‘You’re Not Harry Styles’ and that has not gone anywhere. In this new record she delves into the experiences of learning to love and be loved, with songs that focus on the preludes and the endings of relationships. No one can tell her that she is not direct. The opening track, ‘Girl Of Your Dreams’ sets the tone of general frankness on this album. It opens with a good rock intro, with a single strumming guitar beat that builds until its exploding chorus, and vocally explores how she doesn’t care about what people think of her or their expectations of her. This bubbly power-pop track comes with very addictive, sing-a-long lyrics.
The mixtape’s lead single ‘Nothing Lasts Forever’ continues the theme of magnetic pop hooks with soaring, classic rock inspired guitars and bluntness. This biting tune serves a dose of realism to a partner, with lyrics like “You fell off a chair when I said that I wanted to kiss all your friends / But life's short and ultimately everything ends / So, I don't care anymore.” The song is laced with an infectious energy, made to be another screaming anthem. ‘Blue’, a track fitting of its title, is the token mid-tempo pop ballad about giving your heart the space it needs to hurt, reminiscent of Taylor Swift’s ‘Red’.
‘Blisters’ was the first song written for the album, and a time where the songwriter finds herself being vulnerable. This one leans more towards rock; there’s an intriguing synth guitar lead in the hook, but there remains the soft verses against the loud pop chorus - a formula often utilised by Dylan. ‘Treat You Bad’ brings the energy back up, with a more hurried, head-banging sound to it.
Closing with an acoustic ballad is a complete 180 flip from the rest of the record. ‘Home Is Where The Heart Is’ is about being alone, and looking for the home your heart belongs in, the classic ‘finding yourself' song. Since it’s so different from the rest of the songs it is a bit of an odd note to end on, but it’s still very beautiful how the singer remains direct, and poignantly charming.
In this new era of pop-punk, Dylan certainly has made her claim and might have the best one yet. ‘The Greatest Thing I’ll Never Learn’ would fit perfectly on a playlist with Olivia Rodrigo or Paramore. It’s like Taylor Swift’s ‘Red’ era and Charli XCX’s ‘Sucker’ era combined, an album of another ‘hot girl summer’ fading into autumn.
The songs of frenzied young love are light, free and fun, carried effortlessly by her undeniably bubbly personality. It’s no wonder she has already sold out her first headline tour.
Hope Orr
Image: ‘The Greatest Thing I’ll Never Learn’ Official Album Cover
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