Have you ever wondered what Post Malone would be like if he wasn’t as charismatic and made subpar music? Well, look no further than the latest release from HARDY called "quit!" Sure, many will make puns about him quitting music because of the album title, but I say he should keep making music—if only so people have a clear benchmark for what cringey, poorly executed music sounds like. HARDY’s "quit!" serves as an unintentional guide on how not to make an album.
The cringe factor is on full display here, especially when it comes to his lyrics. Take “Rockstar,” for instance. HARDY tries to be clever by acknowledging that everyone else has made a song about being a rockstar, but his attempt feels hollow and unoriginal. It’s the same story with tracks like “I Don’t Miss,” where he boasts about how his “redneck” persona doesn’t miss, or “Psycho,” where he turns a breakup into a threat of revealing his “psycho” side. Then there’s “Jim Bob,” with its depressing and abysmal lyrics about drunken escapades and paying bills. I get what he's trying to convey—his struggles, his life—but it all comes out sounding forced and cringey. There's an undeniable lack of depth and sincerity in his words, which makes it hard to connect with the music.
And it doesn’t help that the lyrics aren’t supported by strong vocal performances. His singing often sounds nasally and strained, like on “Happy Hour,” where the guest vocals end up being far better than his own. His voice just doesn't have the raw emotion or presence to carry these songs, especially when he's trying to push his limits with heavy vocal deliveries. Tracks like “Rockstar,” “Happy Hour,” “LIVE FOREVER,” and “Orphan” all feature forced scream vocals and over-the-top metal influences, but they fall flat. The blend of metal and country rock doesn't feel organic at all. It’s like he’s trying to do too much, but none of it comes together in a way that feels cohesive.
That said, there are rare moments where he shows some potential. On “WHYBMWL,” for example, he sounds genuinely good when he steps away from the cringe-worthy lyrics and focuses on some sincere singing. Unfortunately, that’s the exception, not the rule—one solid track out of 13 isn't exactly a promising ratio.
Musically, the band does a decent job on tracks like “Good Girl Phase,” where the bass lines and drums are engaging, or “Time to Be Dead,” which has a safe, rock-driven vibe. These songs are far from groundbreaking, but they manage to stand out in the middle of an otherwise disjointed record. But as soon as HARDY steps in with his subpar vocals and awkward lyricism, it feels like all that decent work is undercut. He seems to be sabotaging his own music, and nowhere is that more apparent than on “Soul4Sale.” While this track could have been a highlight, Fred Durst’s vocals, which come in at the tail end, don’t fit the slower, more subdued style of the song, making it feel even more awkward.
The album’s genre-hopping—from metal to rock to country—just doesn’t work. It feels disjointed, as though HARDY can’t decide on a clear direction. The result is a clunky mess of ideas that never come together. If you need an example of how not to make an album, look no further than "quit!" It’s a masterclass in how to take multiple genres and mishandle them in every way possible.
In the end, "quit!" might have had some potential, but its lack of coherent direction, cringe-worthy lyrics, and poorly executed vocals make it an album best avoided. It serves as a reminder of where the bar should be set—so that future artists can at least have a baseline for what not to do.
RATING:3.5/10
NOTABLE TRACKS:
WHYBMWL