Ultimate Love Forever is an album that confronts fear by unlocking the nastiest thoughts one may have of those who oppose them, thoughts that the average person would not admit to, all for the possibility of a happy outcome in which those who need it are surrounded by nothing but love. With this so spectacularly at the forefront, one could be forgiven for not realising just how dynamic the album is – Middle Eastern-style drum flareups on USA = F** NATION; descensions into doo-wop-esque motifs on Yr Op-Ed Won’t Get You Into Heaven Anymore; refined countermelodies on the title track that save it from being a copy of The Strokes’ Last Nite.

But Lex Walton’s Sub Pop debut finds its strengths, first and foremost, in rising up to the challenges, not only of being a transwoman in America, but of not being too keen on the current regime. There is a humour to these songs, because sometimes all you can do is laugh. Humour lives in Lex’s sarcasm, otherwise circled by some of her most heartfelt vocals, spoken word butt-ins, and hectic style of messy production and bedroom-y noise. This is the spiralling feeling of losing to the country despite your best efforts, of losing to the city, despite Foden being sent off in the twenty-third minute. And yes, there is joy in its spirit, in its noise, in Lex’s collaborations with members of Geese, in her co-production with Dan Boeckner of Wolf Parade.

You can’t be this punk without being this honest. Lex parodies My Country ‘Tis of Thee on For Thee I Sing; a sort of modernised God Save the Queen for rebels with genuine causes that concludes with Lex wondering whether she should buy a gun, since everyone else has one. If you think that’s a bit much, you’re not going to like her declaration of “some people should be shot” on the aforementioned USA = F** NATION – I like it, but hey, it’s repeated so many times, I’ve probably just been brainwashed. Hipster Runoff, surely a highlight for many, myself included as it is so naturally spritely, deduces that if nothing else, the current regime is the brainrot regime, promoting shitty algorithms, shittier AI, shitty thoughtless video content, and when they’re not doing that, they’re having their foot soldiers – who applied for the gig because in their youths they were such edgelords – kill moms in their cars.

‘Tis but a short album, at almost exactly twenty minutes, but the messaging and confessionalism of Ultimate Love Forever feels larger that any constraint one could apply. The record contains enough “fuck yous” for a triple album.

Best tracks – Hipster Runoff – USA = F** NATION – Ultimate Love 4ever.

Rating – 7.5 out of 10