McCartney, It'll Be OK by UNIVERSITY

UNIVERSITY McCartney, It'll Be OK

43
ChoruScore
3 reviews
Consensus forming
Jun 20, 2025
Release Date
Transgressive Records
Label
Consensus forming Mostly negative consensus

Consensus is still forming across 3 professional reviews. UNIVERSITY's McCartney, It'll Be OK arrives as a gloriously messy proposition that courts chaos with practiced bravado, and critics are divided on whether that gamble pays off. Across three professional reviews the record earned a 43.33/100 consensus score, with praise for its raw, live-recorded energy and absurdist ti

Reviews
3 reviews
Last Updated
Mar 13, 2026
Confidence
80%
Scale
0-100 critics
Primary Praise

Reviewers consistently note the album's noise rock energy and sense of controlled chaos, singling out standout tracks that best capture the band's onstage thrill.

Primary Criticism

UNIVERSITY's McCartney, It'll Be OK arrives as a gloriously messy proposition that courts chaos with practiced bravado, and critics are divided on whether that gamble pays off.

Who It Fits

Best for listeners looking for live-recorded rawness and controlled chaos, starting with History of Iron Maiden Pt. 1 and Massive Twenty One Pilots Tattoo.

Standout Tracks
History of Iron Maiden Pt. 1 Massive Twenty One Pilots Tattoo Curwen

Full consensus notes

UNIVERSITY's McCartney, It'll Be OK arrives as a gloriously messy proposition that courts chaos with practiced bravado, and critics are divided on whether that gamble pays off. Across three professional reviews the record earned a 43.33/100 consensus score, with praise for its raw, live-recorded energy and absurdist titling tempered by reservations about cohesion and accessibility.

Reviewers consistently note the album's noise rock energy and sense of controlled chaos, singling out standout tracks that best capture the band's onstage thrill. “History of Iron Maiden Pt. 1” receives attention for its prolonged, monstrous payoff, while “Massive Twenty One Pilots Tattoo”, “Curwen” and “Hustler's Metamorphosis” emerge in professional reviews as the best songs on McCartney, It'll Be OK, examples of the record's noise-to-pop brinkmanship and live immediacy. Critics praised the opener's marvellously absurd title and pointed to moments of surprising commerciality amid the racket.

At the same time some reviewers found the raw approach uneven, suggesting the live-recorded roughness sometimes undermines songcraft rather than enhancing it. The critical consensus frames McCartney, It'll Be OK as a polarizing follow-up that will appeal to those who prize unfiltered performance and theatrical titling, but may frustrate listeners seeking tighter arrangements. Below, the full reviews unpack whether the record is worth seeking out and which tracks most reward repeat listens.

Critics' Top Tracks

The standout songs that made critics take notice

1

History of Iron Maiden Pt. 1

1 mention

2

Massive Twenty One Pilots Tattoo

1 mention

"It starts with the marvellously entitled ‘Massive Twenty One Pilots Tattoo"
God Is In The TV Zine
3

Curwen

1 mention

"recent single ‘Curwen’ is as commercial as it gets"
God Is In The TV Zine
It starts with the marvellously entitled ‘Massive Twenty One Pilots Tattoo
G
God Is In The TV Zine
about "Massive Twenty One Pilots Tattoo"
Read full review
1 mention
85% sentiment

Track Ratings

How critics rated each track, relative to this album (0-100). Only tracks that made critics feel something are rated.

View:
1

Massive Twenty One Pilots Tattoo

1 mention
60
05:01
2

Curwen

1 mention
40
04:30
3

Gorilla Panic

0 mentions
06:16
4

Hustler's Metamorphosis

1 mention
5
04:31
5

GTA Online

0 mentions
03:48
6

Diamond Song

0 mentions
04:02
7

History of Iron Maiden Pt. 1

1 mention
100
09:59
8

History of Iron Maiden Pt. 0.5

0 mentions
02:36

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What Critics Are Saying

Deep insights from 3 critics who reviewed this album

Critic's Take

In his characteristically wry, conversational tone Steven Doherty frames UNIVERSITY and McCartney, It’ll Be OK as a glorious holy mess, where the best tracks - particularly “Massive Twenty One Pilots Tattoo”, “Curwen” and the ten-minute “History of Iron Maiden Pt. 1” - capture the band’s live, unhinged thrill. He writes with short, punchy verdicts and sly humour, calling the opener marvellously entitled and praising the record as BIG-sounding, while noting “Curwen”’s surprising commerciality and the monstrous payoff of “History of Iron Maiden Pt. 1”. The review sells the idea of these as the best songs on McCartney, It’ll Be OK, because they best reveal the band’s noise-to-pop brinkmanship and live immediacy. Doherty’s voice stays amused and slightly incredulous, convincing readers that these are the tracks most worth seeking out from the album.

Key Points

  • The ten-minute “History of Iron Maiden Pt. 1” is the album’s showpiece, a ferocious, imploding monster.
  • The album’s core strength is its live-recorded, chaotic energy that turns abrupt songwriting and absurd titles into a compelling noise-rock identity.

Themes

live-recorded rawness controlled chaos noise rock energy absurdist titling