UNIVERSITY McCartney, It'll Be OK
Released Jun 20, 2025 Transgressive Records
Consensus forming 3 professional reviews Updated Mar 13, 2026
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.
How ChoruScore worksCritics' Top Tracks
The songs critics returned to most
History of Iron Maiden Pt. 1
1 critic mention
Massive Twenty One Pilots Tattoo
1 critic mention
“It starts with the marvellously entitled ‘Massive Twenty One Pilots Tattoo” — God Is In The TV Zine
Curwen
1 critic mention
“recent single ‘Curwen’ is as commercial as it gets” — God Is In The TV Zine
Full critic consensus
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.
Track Ratings
How critics rated each track, relative to this album (0-100). Only tracks that made critics feel something are rated.
Massive Twenty One Pilots Tattoo
Curwen
Gorilla Panic
Hustler's Metamorphosis
GTA Online
Diamond Song
History of Iron Maiden Pt. 1
History of Iron Maiden Pt. 0.5
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What Critics Are Saying
Deep insights from 3 critics who reviewed this album
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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
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The ten-minute “History of Iron Maiden Pt. 1” is the album’s showpiece, a ferocious, imploding monster.
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The album’s core strength is its live-recorded, chaotic energy that turns abrupt songwriting and absurd titles into a compelling noise-rock identity.