Hot Mulligan - 'I Don't Think It's The Right Time For Emojis'
Notorious for releasing every finished song, Hot Mulligan have returned to prove yet again that they are a consistent conveyor belt of new projects and endless talent.
After an absolutely otherworldly 2025, Hot Mulligan are back to kick off their new year on a high, with all new single ‘I Don’t Think Its The Right Time For Emojis’. to call this track a heartbreaker would be too obvious as if you've been around the band and their releases for any time at all you will know that their songs, while poignant and quite frankly perfect, are soul destroying. This overwhelming sense of dread and charm is laid all over the 2-minute track as it blends signature sounds with clear vocal verses and some mellow acoustic backing to collide with the bounding and joyous pop punk chords, and as per usual, the happy and bouncy chords are a mere ruse to help disguise the lyrical content.
As a long-time Hot Mulligan fan i do truly live and breathe for their in-between album EPs that come out like clockwork. This dedication and willingness to share their art with the world, if it's finished, are very open and honest. This openness and honesty is what makes the songs hit so much harder, and as time goes on and the releases keep piling up, it seems that this endless machine of joy and entertainment continually bears it beautiful scars and gives the audience another opportunity to look through the lyric sheet and not only experience an emo/pop punk classic but an introspective and true reflection of the lyricists, flaws and all. This song is an unwavering depiction of the zealotry and hypocrisy of the church, both worldwide and in the States, and while this struggle with faith is something that has cropped up throughout the band's discography, this track seems all the more decisive and definitive. While speaking on the track, Tades stated ‘zealotry is probably going to kill us all. Which is fine, guess. It’s no better or worse than any other kind of annihilation. There are some people of faith who seem to understand that not everyone has to care what their book says, and that deserves thanks. But judging by how many people are showing up for the mega-church Sunday spectacular, complete with pyro and wirework, the meek are not likely to inherit the earth.’
Aside from tackling such an important topic and enlivening this song with thought-provoking messaging, the song, like literally every other Hot Mulligan song, absolutely rips, the upbeat and joyful pop punk power chords of Chris Freeman and the tapping lead lines of Ryan Malicsi create the signature bright and consistently powerful hot mulligan sound that is relentlessly chased by one of the best drummers in the scene Brandon Blakely. Over time, this sound has become a signature; regardless of this fact, it is still ridiculously fresh and always amazes with both consistency and creativity. Hot Mulligan embark on a UK tour behind their 2025 album ‘The Sound A Body Makes When It’s Still’, beginning Feb 20th with support from excellent up-and-comers Delta Sleep. These shows are not to be missed, as not only is seeing them a one-of-a-kind experience for any alternative music fans, but they also consistently give a voice to the voiceless and in an ever more divisive time this platforming of the right messaging will empower those that can't quite find that power within themselves, so grab a ticket and witness the happiest, saddest night of your life.
Words by Josh Pook
