Mal Blum finds power in playing The Villain
Mal Blum returns with The Villain, out now via Get Better Records, delivering a bold and nuanced exploration of identity, perception, and power. Produced by Jessica Boudreaux and featuring longtime collaborators Audrey Zee Whitesides and Ricardo Lagomasino, the 11-track album blends textured indie rock, alt-rock, and pop influences with Blum’s trademark searing lyricism and campy edge.
Produced by: Jessica Boudreaux
While the title might suggest a breakup record—as on lead single ‘I’m So Bored’—The Villain delves deeper, examining shifting perspectives and moral complexities. The album rejects a single villain narrative, instead exploring unreliable narrators, misunderstood characters, and the social demonization of trans people, notably on tracks like ‘Killer’ and ‘A Small Request.’
Half the album focuses on relationships with others, the other half on self-identity and rebuilding after loss, all firmly rooted in Blum’s trans-masculine and non-binary experience. This is also Blum’s first LP featuring their lower vocal register after years of testosterone, prompting reflection on masculinity and cultural narratives around gender transition.
Blum explains:
“Around this time I was having to confront my own associations with masculinity and, separately, with self perception versus how others were perceiving me. I’m someone who is already prone to believe that I’m bad… but I also think a large part is about committing to allowing yourself to be misunderstood. The act of giving up control and playing the villain in someone else’s story. I wanted to embrace and play with something that terrifies me in real life.”
The Villain embraces the limits of perception and revels in raw self-acceptance, using the campy villain archetype to challenge harmful narratives and offer a 40-minute antidote to binary thinking. In polarized times, Blum’s album invites listeners to question the stories told about them and find strength in complexity.
Standout Songs: ‘Must Get Lonely,’ ‘I’m So Bored,’ ‘Killer,’ and ‘Gabriel.’
Release Date: July 11, 2025
7.4
We’ve covered Mal Blum previously: ‘Must Get Lonely.’
Connect with Mal Blum:
We’re an independent, ad-free music publication, and we rely on the support of readers like you to keep things running. If you enjoy what we do, consider buying us a beer—every contribution helps us stay focused on bringing you quality music news without the clutter.
More music reviews from the team at The Daily Music Report can be found here.