My brain is tired after this one. 

Alt-rock band Waterparks are back with their sixth studio album JINX. This album was released on July 24 and is the follow-up to their 2023 album INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY. With over three years since their last release, this has been the largest gap between album releases since their debut DOUBLE DARE in 2016.

Following every Waterparks release, there is time needed to deeply dissect every lyric, guitar line, effect, title, order of the songs and music video. This album is no different. So, when JINX was released, I began the process of analyzing and breaking down the album from top to bottom.

“TELL ME WHY”

This album begins with an intense, over-the-top moment. You are dropped right in without warm up or warning. “TELL ME WHY”, which features Mark Hoppus, Danny Elfman, Sorry My Love and Eric Nelly, tells a very clear story. The opening, “If the only part of life is not to die, can you tell me why?” sets the scene. We hear what sounds to be a heart monitor flatlining. We can interpret that lead singer Awsten Knight has died and is looking for answers about what the purpose of life is. Throughout the song, he encounters different voices which can be interpreted as figures like God, Satan and businessmen. It really brings the concept to life. Awsten is asking everyone questions like “Why do kids get cancer?” and “Why is murder possible?”. Questions involving horrible things that seem to be a normal part of life. 

The instrumental and production are also insane. The drums are heavy and in-your-face. The guitar riffs can be repetitive, but then in the middle there is a guitar solo that transitions into what could be viewed as the bridge as he enters hell. It is followed by a pounding drum beat that feels like you are running, which leads into Awsten coming back to life and escaping the purgatory state. However, he still has many questions. 

You are never quite sure where it will go next. At points it is quieter, sounding almost choral, and it feels like Awsten is screaming at you. It feels like you are watching a whole movie in your ears. And it is nothing like anything else on the album or that the band has done before. “TELL ME WHY” is the perfect opening track in my opinion. It sets up what I feel the theme or story of the album is. JINX seems to be exploring different elements of Awsten Knight’s life as he attempts to understand them, grow, and accept that he may not have all the answers, but he will soon. Knight gives us a peek into fame, love, his mental health and how he processes it all, with each song exploring these topics in different ways. He opens the album wanting someone to give him the answers before he dies, and he spends the remaining tracks trying to answer those questions himself.

“RED GUITAR”

“RED GUITAR” was released in July 2025 as the first single off of this project, so the fans have had lots of time to sit with this one. On this song, Knight details dealing with fame and wondering if pursuing music is truly worth it. It sounds like he is talking to himself in the past and the future. At one point a younger version of himself asks, “Is it worth it?” and an older version of Knight replies, “It’s our purpose”. It’s a high energy track that will have your head bobbing, a digestible and easy on the ears instrumental with a fun guitar solo moment to break it up a bit. The chorus is an earworm and gets stuck in my head quite often. 

“IF LYRICS WERE CONFIDENTIAL”

“IF LYRICS WERE CONFIDENTIAL” gives us the diss track that any Waterparks album would not be complete without. This song features Knight rapping and singing about how exhausting it is to deal with fans, especially toxic ones. He addresses fans accusing him of getting them pregnant and his mom reading about it online. He also calls out fans who figured out who his girlfriend is, and how said fans stalked her to the point of knowing where she lives and works (which is never okay). In the second half of the song, he shades labels and marketing agencies of trying to create a fake image of him to appeal to a wider audience and sell more records, like getting him to drink even though he has never had alcohol in his life. And we can’t forget the iconic line of Knight being asked if he knows Timothée Chalamet. 

The track is fast and really just a simple beat with no frills. The whole song is focused on the lyrics, which allows us fans to really hear what he is saying and understand all of the things he deals with on a regular basis. If he didn’t release music publicly, I feel like he would sing about these topics more. He would be even more straightforward and honest than he is on this track. (I wouldn’t complain, though. Drop the songs, please.)

“PROWLER”

I hope you have your running shoes on for this track.

“PROWLER” grabs your attention from the jump. The running guitar riff has your heart racing, which pairs with the heavy drums that you can feel in your whole body. Plus, the cool bassline underneath the track sounds groovy and almost spy-like. If you listen closely, you can hear something that sounds like a siren. At the end, he sounds almost like he is being dropped into water or something like another dimension. The outro is a whisper, almost like he is at his wits’ end or about to break. This song just sounds so cool. I loved it from the minute it was released in April.

So, what life question is being addressed on this one? Fame. He is struggling with people looking up to him and viewing him as almost a god-like figure. He sings, “I’m a singer, not a savior/You better learn that now or later.” He does not want the pressure of being worshipped or being seen as perfect. He is just a musician. This is the other side of fame: Instead of fans trying to dig into your life, people view you as their idol who can do no wrong. It contrasts nicely with the previous track that somewhat attacks those who dig into his life. If they don’t dig, how would they know not to worship him? 

“BETTER THAN THERAPY”

“BETTER THAN THERAPY” may have been my favorite of all the singles. The guitar line scratches an itch in my brain I didn’t know I had. Knight is singing about his love interest having him hooked and experiencing puppy love. He is scared at how good it feels, but he doesn’t care. He is fully invested and obsessed with how she makes him feel and how strong the connection is. It is catchy, and the chorus has a punchy delivery. This song is leaning more into the pop-rock sound of the band, which they always do so well. This is easily one of the best tracks on the album in my book, especially with the rockier, head-banging bridge, the electrifying guitar and in-your-face drums. When I heard this song at Warped Tour D.C. my jaw was on the ground. 

“NOBODY BUT YOU”

Now, when we get to “NOBODY BUT YOU”, the vibe changes. This song is, for lack of a better word, hot. Knight is absolutely obsessed with his partner and isn’t holding back. Just read the lyrics and see for yourself. I mean, “Cause it’s an honor to be on you” is just a taste of what Knight is bringing to this track. It definitely had my jaw dropping on first listen. 

This song has a slightly more 90’s R&B sound with super cool production. It really sits in the pocket tempo and style-wise. It is locked in with a clear sound and style from start to finish. The drums are subtle, and the background has this really nice scale-sounding moment of notes, plucks, or some other sound effect. It is a complete 180 from the start of the album, which was a nice surprise. I don’t think many would expect this track and “TELL ME WHY” to be on the same album.  

“GWEN STEFANI”

Okay, Parxies, this one is for you: “GWEN STEFANI” may have been one of the most highly anticipated tracks for many long-term fans. I do not have the time to provide the complete lore behind the history of this one, and how the fans have been begging for this song to be released. If you are curious, go do a Reddit deep dive or something. 

This song touches on mental health. The verses represent the more manic side of Knight’s mind. They act like a stream of consciousness, and sound like Knight is questioning his sanity during the prechorus. However, the chorus provides him a minute of vocal clarity. He sounds calmer, but still on edge. The second verse in particular sounds like he is out of breath. It could just be me, but I also feel like the tempo gets faster the second half, almost emulating a fast-beating heart like you can feel his panic. I definitely feel the anxiety. 

The song’s production also adds onto the overwhelming manic feeling. At times the instrumental is a bit overpowering, almost like it is trying to overtake the vocals. The background is loaded with additional effects and parts. I think I hear things like trumpets, keyboards and xylophones. This track is all over the place, but that is very fitting for a song about mental health and feeling like your brain is running nonstop. Then, the song ends abruptly with no fade-out or transition. Just bam, song done. 

“NO NO NO NO NO”

In my opinion, “NO NO NO NO NO” gives the essence of old-school Waterparks. Like their first album, Double Dare, it meshes the old, pop-rock and pop-punk-adjacent sounds with the cool production and unique styles of their newer eras. It has a driving guitar, yearning, and a louder vocal performance. At times it is almost like he is screaming, which is perfect for this song about not wanting to leave the person you love. Knight knows this feeling all too well due to touring, press, making an album, etc. It is from the point of view of his partner not wanting him to go. She just wants to stay in their little bubble forever. This song just made me smile the whole time. It is super sweet and straight to the point, which is a nice break after the previous track. 

“PLAYING MUSIC”

“PLAYING MUSIC” starts the section of songs that I am still trying to fully grasp the pull picture on. This song feels a bit clunky to me. I enjoy it, but it is just not sitting right in my brain at this point in time. It opens with an acoustic guitar, then quickly jumps into the full production and band for the chorus. The chorus itself is very sing-songy. Then, it jumps back to an acoustic sound for just a moment before shifting back to the heavy production. There are layers upon layers to this song. My brain does not know what to focus on. Maybe this could be used to represent the chaos of Knight’s mind. It’s always going, and he doesn’t know what to focus on either. The song has a lot of noises, and I am a bit overwhelmed, but in a good way. 

He is singing about not wanting to lose the person he loves. He can’t be without the person and does not know what he would do without them. This notion comes to a head with the pleading vocal that closes out the song with piano that sounds almost angelic, which acts as the perfect contrast to a song as busy and chaotic as this one. 

“MIRAGE”

To be honest, I do not have a lot to say about “MIRAGE”. It is beautiful sounding and definitely sounds emotional. The piano-heavy moment is one I am still trying to figure out. When I first listened to it, I was not quite sure what was going on. Today, I have a bit more clarity, but I still need to wrap my head around the full story of the song. From what I can gather, it sounds like Knight is haunted by something in his life and is trying to live up to expectations of people in his life. This could be the fans or maybe just ones he sets for himself. It sounds like he is singing to the sky – like he is looking up, pleading for answers, and just pouring his heart out. He is both toned back vocally, but still manages to deliver such a full sound at the same time. The instrumentals do the same. It gives you the basics, and completely delivers sonically. When it comes to dissecting this one lyrically and thematically, give me some time, and I will come back to you at a later date.

TASTES LIKE TANGERINE

“TASTES LIKE TANGERINE” will probably be one that will take some time to grow on people. When I first listened, I had a confused look on my face the whole time as I was trying to process what was happening. This song is electronic-heavy, full of vocal effects, intense drums and, at times, heavy breathing. It’s a jumpscare compared to “MIRAGE”, for sure.

Once again, I am not fully grasping everything on this track yet. It was difficult to hear everything Awsten is singing on the first couple of listens, so it needed multiple listens to fully understand every part of the song. 

Right now, I view this song as Knight giving into his mania. He is feeling lighter, almost like he is having an out-of-body experience. He may be feeling like he has nothing left to live for, and pondering how good just letting go would feel. This seems fitting with the themes of the other songs on the album. Mental health, mania, and death are all major themes that the tracks explore. In all aspects of Knight’s life, he needs closure to figure out what the point is. 

“ANY MINUTE NOW”

“ANY MINUTE NOW” is a massive and overwhelming song production-wise. It feels like a closing track, even though it is not the closing song. It is dramatic with a chanty prechorus with hopeful undertones. You can close your eyes and see a crowd of people chanting with their fists punching, “Any minute now, Imma figure out, what I gotta know, what’s all about”. This one belongs in a coming-of-age movie. When I listen to it, I picture it being in the climax of the movie and the protagonist is realizing the answers to all of their problems. Which is kind of what Knight conveys in the song. 

He comes to the realization that he does not have life figured out yet, but eventually he will. It will all be okay. He sounds defeated, but also at peace throughout the song. His vocals also have a hint of uncertainty and doubt, but you can feel Knight’s urgency to move on. In the first two verses, his voice is quieter but crescendos as the song progresses. The background instrumentals of the song also evoke twinkling lights – it feels very light and sparkling. The bright sounds of the piano also adds on to the feeling. The song is very dynamic with highs and lows. Then as the bridge comes in, it gets dramatic with loud, in-your-face drums. And as the song begins to close, Awsten sounds like he is on the verge of tears as if he is exhausted. He seems to feel at peace, ready to move on to the next phase of his life. It is a huge moment that makes it one of the best tracks on the album. 

“GIRLS NEED GUNS”

The album closes out with “GIRLS NEED GUNS”. I needed a warning before this one, because I should not have been crying this much. This song centers around a phone call. Awsten is on the phone with his Mom, Ginny. She says “I graduated high school in 1975/I guess I was 16 when abortion became legal” and, “But I remember thinking/I feel like we are becoming more equal or are valued humans/not just who you’re going to marry”. She got to witness this important moment for women’s rights and how that affected people she grew up with. She is describing how the reversing of that decision is greatly impacting society today. 

This hits her even harder, since she lives in Texas and has a daughter. She tells Knight, “I mean, these days, even if you wanna be pregnant and something goes wrong/in Texas they’re gonna let you fucking die/and that’s why I tell Gracie ‘You can’t come here’/I said as much as I wanna be closer to my kids/I don’t want ’em to be here”. 

She is talking over an electronic beat that is bookended with a toned-back acoustic, repetitive chorus. It has anger-driven and to-the-point lyrics including the line, “If the past is a sign of what’s to come”. It is a powerful moment that has a great impact coming from someone who has seen the way the country moved forward and is now moving backwards. What a closing moment. It’s not what I expected, but I’m happy that it exists. 

I know I am far from finished with my analysis of this album, but I do not think any Waterparks fan is ever truly done looking into anything this band does. But, that is the price of being a fan of this band.

This album was a ride. Not one song sounds the same. There are songs you can picture being featured in movies, ones that are a bit more chill, ones that detail falling in love and ones that describe the trickiness of mental health. Some tracks seem more straightforward, and others you need to sit with, but the questions of life are not answered yet.

If you have not listened to JINX yet, you can check it out on all major streaming platforms. Take a listen and let us know your thoughts!