Peter McPoland’s sophomore album, Big Lucky, returns to his roots of independently produced tracks, a breath of fresh air after his dance-inducing, synth-loaded debut, Piggy. Big Lucky, however, is less a nostalgic throwback than it is a step in the wrong direction.

Released on Sept. 26, Big Lucky starts off strong with a guitar-led, 30-second intro aptly named “Intro.” “The Song” quickly picks up where “Intro” left off, presenting a driving guitar riff backed by McPoland harmonizing over his own crooning and a steady drumbeat. “The Song,” however, falls flat when the listener realizes it’s simply an elongated introduction, as there are no lyrics besides McPoland’s repetitive ohs. “The Song” is over before it begins, begging the question as to why it was relevant to begin with.

The first real song of the album, “Look It’s Your Boyfriend!,” doesn’t keep up with the pace set by the two preceding tracks. Once again, listeners are dragged back into a high school-era story, much like McPoland’s 2021 single “(Here’s to the) Prom Queen.” While the latter listened like a cute tale of reminiscing, two songs of a similar theme are one too many for the 24-year-old singer.

Storytelling, however, is McPoland’s claim to virality—his 2020 single “Romeo & Juliet” follows a similar trope and gained popularity on TikTok, leading McPoland to sign with his first record label, Columbia Records. Big Lucky is not free from these chains, though, as many of the songs sound more like anecdotal ramblings than cohesive lyrics.

Track four (or two, not counting the double intros), “I Love The Animals,” could be a societal commentary if you squint, except it’s not. McPoland admitted to the song simply being what it is in an interview with Melodic Magazine, where he says, “I just really love the gift shop and I talk about it in the song.” While every song released does not have to contain profound lyrics, a metaphor or two could add depth that isn’t already there.

These first few tracks, being as weak as they are, make the rest of the album a difficult listen, if one even makes it past those alone. While McPoland previously recorded all of his own music under the fabled Peter’s Room Records before signing to his current record label, Sony Music Publishing, Big Lucky lacks the polished finish that older singles like “Eloise” boast. Songs sound more like layered voice notes rather than completed products and don’t demand the same attention that they once did.

This is not to say that McPoland isn’t a talented songwriter; he’s demonstrated that time and time again through his other releases. Even with the extreme shift that Piggy was from what fans associated him with, the album presented itself as a confident one. Big Lucky couldn’t be so… well, lucky. 

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Image taken from Spotify