Mob Rich is a duo on the rise formed by Maxwell Joseph and Connor Pledger, a set of California transplants. They’ve gained over 50 million streams with smash hits like “Yoko Ono,” earning them spots at festivals like Lollapalooza and Austin City Limits. They release electronic-heavy songs that offer a more alternative option to the Chainsmokers.
The pair’s latest release is their debut album. “Why No Why” is a playful album that tackles a range of experiences- being in the moment, breaking up and just barely moving on.
The 14-track album is arguably too lengthy for a debut project and features some repetitive moments, but it also offers the duo the chance to introduce themselves and fully express their experience as young people in LA. There are moments where emotional depth is lacking, but it helps to present them as two young people navigating the party and plastic culture of celebrity Los Angeles.
Opening the album with the bubbling electronic sounds of “Dandy Liars” is a bright choice. The lead-off track delves into topics like lying, looking for love and seeking thrills. They sing, “If only I could find someone to settle down/Find a set of eyes that could see me somehow/Dandy liars…” These themes run through the album, so the opening song acts as a thesis statement of sorts for the project and the duo. The rushing waves of Tame Impala-esque beats at the end of the track sound as though they’re wiping the slate for what’s to come next. This opens up the following songs, all of which have an obvious electronic sound.
“Buggin” leans into their electric stylings, while the following song “Loser” invites listeners into a California vocal sound similar to Bryce Vine and Hot Chelle Rae. “Everything and Nothing,” which is thematically similar to their smash-hit “Yoko Ono,” (found later on the album) embraces a similar sound as well. Produced by KOZ, who is responsible for some of Dua Lipa’s biggest hits, the pop energy of “Yoko Ono” is handled with skill. This song is all about longing for that certain person. “Everything and Nothing” is one of their best songs from the record. As they sing about the valley not caring about them, they’re reminiscent of LANY’s 2016 “WTHAMF.”
Additionally, “Hell Yeah”’s introduction sounds distinctly like the intro to Frank Ocean’s “Self Control” as well as the stylings of artists like Brockhampton, Roy Blair and Ryan Beatty. It’s a fun song about lacking commitment; they sing, “All the feels I got, think you got some, too…I’ll wait for one thing/I’ll wait for peace/I’ll wait for your lips on top of me…” There’s a more smooth Marc E. Bassy-esque sound on songs like “Hell Yeah,” which increases the laidback atmosphere of the album, just in time for summer.
The first song on the album to not feature loud and uplifting electronics is “Two Sides.” As it continues the clear electric alt-pop wave sound, this is by no means an acoustic song. However, it’s more emotional than the previous tracks. “Two Sides” discusses the pitfalls of their dreams of stardom. It helps to put some of the difficulties they dance through on the other tracks into perspective. The following track is “Funeral,” which is darker in its title but lighter in sound. They’re singing about shoving sadness and toxic people away, while clawing your way out of difficult periods. “This is a funeral/For my dark side/It’s the last time/Yeah, it’s goodbye,” they sing on the chorus.
There are more sentimental moments later on the album, on “Lips & Mouth,” which features an electronic yet gentle sound. It also includes lyrics such as, “Lips and mouth…It’s confident laugh and confident laugh…Can’t get my thoughts out, ” singing about hiding behind smiles plastered onto faces with pain behind the eyes. This adds some dimension to the upbeat album, in a way that differs from tracks like “Sad Boy Sounds.”
“Friends,” featuring indie superstar Bishop Briggs, is one of the strongest tracks from “Why No Why.” This track helps to define their sound, including strong electronic beats and playful lyrics that create an overall intense sound. The dramatic swells of the electronic beats create a sound that is reminiscent of the early 2010s, during the heyday of artists like Grouplove and even One Direction. They incorporate this sound throughout the rest of the album as well.
The partying and darkness twist together and come into their clearest point on “Get High,” which has a meaning that is about…well, it’s rather self explanatory. The hook is hard, the chorus is fierce and the sound is dramatic. Connor produced much of the album and he is behind their song with Grandson (not included on this album). The intensity of Grandson’s music is mirrored here.
“Made To Fall” is arguably the best emotional song from the entire album, excellently pairing anxieties and fears of inadequacy with their more signature electronic production. They throw in some acoustic guitar, offering a newer angle as they sing “Am I broken or am I made of flaws?” It’s exactly the kind of song they should be focusing on in future endeavors. As a whole, the album “Why No Why” shows that these two have room to grow and they’re offering themselves the chance to explore their strengths, including songs like “Made To Fall”. A somewhat strange conclusion, the track divests from much of what was heard on the album. However, the raw honesty on this song directly contrasts the opening track, expertly closing the album. The dramatic closing to the song leaves listeners hungry for more.
“Our debut album is a collection of conversations we’ve had with each other over the years we’ve been friends. Those conversations found a way of turning into songs and those songs became very dear to us.” Mob Rich explained, “We have constantly been asking ourselves the ‘why’ questions our whole lives and we can’t wait for our fans to be able to listen to this album and hopefully ask those questions themselves.”
There is a consistent sound to the album as a whole and opens the door for the duo to begin delving deeper into their goals. In future projects it will be interesting to see Maxwell and Connor lean into more of the EDM sounds and more of the indie lyricism that’s beginning to surface from this project. “Why No Why” is jam-packed with LA-party fun, excitements and promise.
You can stream the album everywhere now.
Feature image courtesy of Republic Records
