| "Papercuts" | ||||
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| Single byMachine Gun Kelly | ||||
| from the albumMainstream Sellout | ||||
| Released | August 11, 2021 (2021-08-11) | |||
| Recorded | 2021 | |||
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| Length | 3:01 | |||
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| Machine Gun Kelly singles chronology | ||||
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"Papercuts" (stylized in all lowercase) is a song by American musicianMachine Gun Kelly, released on August 11, 2021, as the first single from his sixth studio albumMainstream Sellout (2022). The song features drumming andproduction from collaboratorTravis Barker.
"Papercuts" is the lead single forMachine Gun Kelly's sixth studio albumMainstream Sellout, originally planned to be namedBorn With Horns at the time of the single's release.[1][2][3] Much like Kelly's prior album,Tickets to My Downfall, the song featuresTravis Barker on drums and as amusic producer. The song was first released on August 11, 2021, though Kelly had released a small teaser of the track in the week prior to the song and album's reveal.[4]
Amusic video, directed byCole Bennett, was released concurrently with the full track.[5] The video was the first Bennett has ever directed for arock music video, and was the culmination of himself and Kelly planning on working together over the course of a three-year period.[6] Both Kelly and Bennett were very happy with the process and end product, despite that fact the shooting had initially been shut down by the police due the bizarre imagery catching the attention of the police, who in turn shut it down due to thetraffic violations involved, including driving a motorcycle without a helmet, and driving cars without seatbelts.[6] The video contains alternating shots of Kelly and Barker performing the song, and surrealist imagery such as Kelly walking around in a bald cap and revealing outfit, having black-dyed eggs thrown at him, and playing an oversized guitar.[6]
During a live televised performance at the 2021 VMA awards, Kelly including a rap verse towards the end of the song, the alternate rendition became a favorite amongst fans, as of July 2022, the performance has over 2.6 million views and 69k likes.[7] A studio recorded version including the alternate rap verse was included in the main release of theMainstream Sellout album, under the name "papercuts - album edit".
A live version of the song was featured in theLife in Pink deluxe version of theMainstream Sellout album, titled "papercuts - live from redrocks". The song was recorded live throughout the duration of the songs performance at theMainstream Sellout Tour in theRed Rocks Amphitheatre.
Multiple publications noted that "Papercuts" sounded to move even further into the rock sound than the material from his 2020pop punk albumTickets to My Downfall.[8][9]Loudwire noted that the song had more of agrunge sound to it, mixed with the material thatGreen Day andWeezer released in the 1990s.[9]Vulture described it as "straight uprock" with "90's inspiredguitar riffs".[8]Guitar World likened the sound of the track toemo.[10]
The song opens with anacoustic guitar intro, before intensifying intodistortedpower chords into the chorus.[10] The track also ends with aguitar solo using aDigitech Whammy pedal as well.[10] Lyrically, publications interpreted it to be about Kelly exploring his personal struggles with fame[2][11] and bad habits such as drug use.[11]
"Papercuts" has been described asrock,[6][8][11][12]punk rock,[13][14]alternative rock,[15][16] grunge-pop,[15][17]pop punk[11] andgrunge.[9]
Music websiteStereogum praised the track for being "pretty good", concluding that while they were surprised by Baker's move intoalt-rock, that ultimately "a good song is a good song".[15]Wall of Sound called it Baker's most mature song to date.[18] Other publications were more critical of the track;BrooklynVegan felt it ripped off "Where Is My Mind?" byPixies,[19] while bothPitchfork andSputnikmusic felt it was too similar toGreen Day, specifically their song "Brain Stew".[20][21]
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