LA-based multi-hyphenate producer Eli Hirsch, AKA Eli Hurts is making music that is meant to be screamed at the top of your lungs. His debut album, Ouch, Eli Hurts is a grungy, poppy, nostalgic and most importantly, incredibly relatable release for the outsiders and the weirdos, both those who grew up in the heyday of MySpace and 2000’s emo as well as those who are just now trying to find their place in the world today. Bookended by opening track, “Hot Shit,” which is an explosive anthem for those who have fallen out with their old best friend and miss the old friendships that they used to have, and the closer, “Them,” which is about wishing you were someone else while trying to be proud of who you are, Ouch, Eli Hurts is filled with anthemic songs that’ll have you singing or screaming along in no time.
Following the powerful opening track comes the 90’s pop-rock influenced “Runts”, which continues the themes of “Hot Shit”, offering up an anthem for those who have never felt like they fit in with lines like, “With lips unkissed and thighs untouched / Thumb’s the only thing that’s sucked”. The unconventional love song, “Rather Do” follows suit with glitchy, gritty guitar and lines like, “I’d cut my hands off for you if you thought no hands was cool.”
Throughout the album, Eli proves his musical diversity again and again as well. While “Member Of The World” feels like a classic pop-punk track, leaning heavily into the pop in the chorus, “Parking Lot Philosophers” is driven by nostalgic synth and a massive chorus. Then comes the acoustic-driven “Virtually Reality”, which marks the first point in the album in which things really switch gears and slow down a bit, proving that Eli Hurts is no one trick pony. Lyrically “Self Destruct” and “I Hate Me (I Don’t Anymore But I Did When I Wrote This Song)” also sit nicely side by side, leaning a little bit into the melancholy with lyrics such as “Like a bomb blast in my mind, I self-destruct sometimes” and “Fuck me, I’m so lucky / I hate me”. Emotionally vulnerable and incredibly raw, these two songs are sure to become fan favorites.
Driven by honest lyrics, stunning vocal work and a sound that is bound to withstand the test of time, Ouch, Eli Hurts is a spectacular debut release from Eli Hurts. Each anthemic track stands strong on its own, but as a collection, Ouch, Eli Hurts will easily become a staple in modern pop-punk/emo music.