Mannequin Pussy’s second album, Romantic, runs just over 17 minutes across 11 tracks. That brevity is the point. The band trades the sprawl of their debut for tighter songwriting and a consistent lineup, and the result sounds less like a collection of singles and more like a statement. This is a band that knows what it wants to be, and it gets there fast.
Opening With Kiss
The record starts with “Kiss,” a 1:16 burst of noise and hooks that sets the tone immediately. It is the shortest track here and also one of the sharpest, a quick strike that announces the band’s intent before the album even settles into its shape.
“Romantic” follows at 2:40 and slows the pace slightly, letting the melody breathe while the guitar work stays tight and controlled. It is the title track and the heart of the record, and it earns its place as the longest song on the first half of the album.
“Ten” is a brief interlude at 0:58, a pause rather than a statement, and it does not demand much attention on its own.
The Middle Stretch
“Emotional High” picks the tempo back up at 1:27, and it is one of the tracks critics singled out for good reason. The song builds tension quickly and releases it with a payoff that lands.
“Pledge” is the album’s emotional core, a 1:20 track that critics flagged as one of the standout cuts. It is shorter than most songs on the radio, but it carries weight that bigger records often miss.
“Denial” stretches to 1:58 and gives the record a moment of breath, though it does not quite match the energy of the tracks around it.
“Everything” and “Anything” sit back to back, both under two minutes, and they function more as transitions than destinations. They are competent rather than essential.
The Back Half
“Meatslave One” is another standout, a 0:56 blast that critics flagged alongside the rest of the album’s best work. It is the shortest track here, and it packs a punch that belies its length.
“Hey, Steven” runs 1:55 and closes the album’s main stretch with a quieter, more reflective turn. It is a welcome shift after the record’s earlier aggression.
“Beside Yourself” ties the record together with a sense of resolution that the shorter tracks before it could not manage on their own.
| Track | Length |
|---|---|
| Kiss | 1:16 |
| Romantic | 2:40 |
| Ten | 0:58 |
| Emotional High | 1:27 |
| Pledge | 1:20 |
| Denial | 1:58 |
| Everything | 1:21 |
| Anything | 2:02 |
| Meatslave One | 0:56 |
| Hey, Steven | 1:55 |
| Beside Yourself | 1:19 |
What Works Best
The tracks that stand out across reviews share a common trait: they are the ones that commit fully to the band’s sound rather than diluting it. “Pledge,” “Meatslave One,” “Emotional High,” “Kiss,” and “Beside Yourself” all get singled out for their sharp writing and their willingness to push the band’s volatile mix of punk, pop, and shoegaze into something cohesive.
| Track | Length | Critical Reception |
|---|---|---|
| Pledge | 1:20 | Critically singled out |
| Meatslave One | 0:56 | Critically singled out |
| Emotional High | 1:27 | Critically singled out |
| Kiss | 1:16 | Critically singled out |
| Beside Yourself | 1:19 | Critically singled out |
The Verdict
Romantic is a tighter, more focused record than the band’s debut, and it shows. The songwriting is sharper, the lineup is consistent, and the whole thing moves with a confidence that the shorter tracks sometimes struggle to match. The album’s best moments — “Pledge,” “Meatslave One,” “Emotional High,” “Kiss,” and “Beside Yourself” — are among the strongest songs the band has put out. The lesser tracks are competent, not essential, and they do not slow the record down enough to matter.
This is a strong, focused, and frequently excellent album from a band that knows exactly what it wants to be. It earns its 7.6 out of 10.
- Kiss1:16
- Romantic2:40
- Ten0:58
- Emotional High1:27
- Pledge1:20
- Denial1:58
- Everything1:21
- Anything2:02
- Meatslave One0:56
- Hey, Steven1:55
- Beside Yourself1:19
