Malcolm Todd - Do That Again
The latest album from America’s social media sweetheart explores the addictive nature of love — and how that obsession is not always conscious or healthy.
Malcolm Todd seems to have taken over the internet this year thanks to the viral success of “Earrings” and a steady stream of shirtless Instagram photos. His rise feels almost inevitable: his music has always been catchy enough to lodge itself firmly in listeners’ minds. Riding the momentum of the breakout track from his 2024 mixtape Sweet Boy, Todd returns with his second studio album, Do That Again. This time, however, he trades the image of a carefree bad boy for that of a sensitive and vulnerable romantic.
Heartbreak serves as the record’s primary theme, with the exceptions of “Obsessica” and “Breathe”, both of which are more openly concerned with sex and desire. While the former’s flirtatious advances come across as awkward and occasionally humorous, “Breathe” stands among the strongest moments on the project. This is a song where Todd sounds completely at ease. Floating over a breezy bedroom-pop arrangement, he resembles the charming stranger trying to pick you up at a bar long after midnight — and you are already one step away from agreeing to go home with him. Still, the album ultimately revolves around the relationship between Malcolm and the mysterious woman introduced on the brief opening interlude, “Jean Skirt”.
Once lust gives way to vulnerability, the mask of the Los Angeles rock star begins to slip. “I let go of something that I had thought made me slower / Now all I have become is a loner”, he yearns over the overloaded synths of “Free.99”, one of the gentlest ballads on the record. The album’s finest moment, the dreamy “I Saw Your Face”, expands on that emotional territory. Here, Todd sounds more exposed and broken than ever, delivering a genuinely sorrowful reflection on a relationship’s collapse and the depression that follows. He forgets about seeing friends and confesses his love into the void.
The bass-heavy “Difficult Love”, seemingly buckling under its own weight, finds him in an even more devastated state. Confession forms the song’s emotional core. Malcolm is not merely a victim of this “difficult love” — he is drawn to it. He understands exactly what is happening, and both the track and the album as a whole acknowledge that awareness, yet he remains unable to walk away. The repeated phrase “break my heart again” feels hypnotic, as though he derives a strange pleasure from the very thing causing him pain. “Malcolm in the Middle”, named after the beloved 2000s sitcom, continues the narrative by portraying its protagonist as literally caught between two worlds: the urge to leave the past behind and the temptation to pursue something new. The song’s playful flirtation with country influences is charming, although it never develops far enough to rank among the album’s highlights.
On “Ain’t That The Truth”, Todd once again dwells on heartbreak and the desire to win back an ex who has already moved on. His feelings remain painfully intact, yet the line “But you wanna date half of LA” makes it clear that she is living a different chapter of her life. Meanwhile, his tense vocal performance emphasizes just how difficult it is for him to let go. One of the smoothest and most delicate cuts on Do That Again, “X’s & O’s”, focuses on the excuses Todd invents for his lover’s behavior. Those justifications imply neglect and indifference within the relationship, yet he continues to forgive her, openly admitting that he enjoys the challenge she presents. In a sense, he willingly accepts the emotional mistreatment that comes with loving her.
And while all of this makes for compelling songwriting, the album also reflects a harsh reality of dating in one’s twenties. Love is complicated, attachment is real, and even a casual hookup can leave you imagining an entire future for weeks afterward. It may not be the healthiest story, but it captures a full spectrum of human emotion. And if those experiences allow us to learn something about ourselves, then perhaps there is value in doing that again.
7.1/10
