Album Review | ‘Ugly Crier (Deluxe)’ by Bentley Robles
Robles debut EP gets a deluxe treatment adding to the glamourous world of heartbreak he lays bare.
Bentley Robles’ love of glossy pop divas shines through this debut album Ugly Crier (Deluxe). He wears his queer, Latino identity with pride discussing the many woes of falling for and being dumped by the many bad boys that catch his eye. Bentley told Numeró Netherlands how the tracks on the original EP, which shares its name with the deluxe album, were a sort of diary of his misadventures in love:
“‘UGLY CRIER’ serves as a collection of diary entries straight from my lonely and bitter heart. Both songs originate from a place of ‘fuck you, fuck this, and fuck THAT!’ I consider myself a hopeless romantic (with emphasis on hopeless), and my songwriting draws from real experiences, real people, and real trauma.” — Bentley Robles via Numeró Netherlands (2024)
“Iam Iam Iam” sets the tone for the slick dance-pop sound that makes up the entirety of the record. Bentley has no qualms about acknowledging his toxicity, “Broke every heart that I ever held before/ Like glass in my hands/ You say I’m just like a monster/ Cruel just like my father/ Poison when I got ya/ Well if you that I’m evil it’s cause… I am.” I find the repetition of the refrain, “I am, I am, I am…,” to sneak its way its way into your mind after one listen. His use of moodier production spreads a dark haze over his own bad-boy image.
“God Is a Fuckboy” pounds the pavement with its electric beat. Bentley’s emotions run raw over his penchant for pining over the worst men, “Don’t it seem like I′m just doomed?/ I never thought much about him before this/ But in this moment on one thing I’m focused/ If god led me straight to you/ Then god must be a fuckboy too.” I love the glorious flash of synth that sparkles around the dark energy encircling Robles. There is also plenty of tongue-in-cheek moments (“That the big guy is picking on me/ Wish I could just send him a text like/ ‘Daddy just give it a rest, it feels like I can’t breathe’,” being a prime example) that bring just the right flair of deviousness. I do wish the beat sunk a bit in the mix during the chorus. Still, it’s plenty of fun.
We continue down the path of heartache on “Hope U Cry.” We’ve moved past the sting of loneliness and moved right into vengeful thoughts, “I really hope you cry just a little boy/ Tears drip down your neck/ Hope you cry for a minute yeah/ Skin all and raw and red/ Hope you cry ’til somebody there says you gotta leave ‘cause/ You just causing such a scene.” Something about the electro-pop production magnifies his pleasure in the notion of his ex’s emotional destruction. While pulling from a lot of modern pop elements, I think Robles words bring the right ingredients to set this song above the rest.
“Just Ok” refers to Bentley’s habit of going after the bad boys. This quick-burn attraction has again left Robles injured and ready to wish for the worse for the man who cut the cord to their flash-fire relationship, “You know that bar you like?/ I hope they shut it down/ ’Cause I can’t stand to think/ That you might come around/ Can’t help, it’s my heart, it’s hasty/ Yeah I’ll throw it all away/ For a love that’s just ok.” Underneath this ire comes the silvery glow of electro-pop buzzing with a dance-ready energy. I can easily see how this could be someone’s remedy to their angst-ridden broken heart.
Robles shifts into a little S&M flirtation with his domineering presence on “Yes Sir!” This is a song made for anyone who’s in the game for a submissive man who is at your beck and call. Of course, Robles grounds these notions with a heavy dose of sexuality, “I want you down on your knees/ Faithfully worshipping me/ And every time that you speak/ You’re saying yes sir!/ We′re only getting along/ If you know I’m never wrong/ What you afraid of come on/ Just tell me yes!” Although the use of disco essentials in pop music has become overused in recent years, I do think the campy nature of Bentley’s words works in its favor.
“Be a Good Boy” brings in Reysha Rami to dial up the erotic energy. Bentley walks tall with this ode to making all the boys faint, “I’m feeling good boy/ Be a good boy/ and just let me come and get it /And all rest/ Puffing my chest… Don’t you know I’m the man/ Isn’t this what you wanted?” The duo dance around each other’s sexuality nicely. The dance production feels a little too similar to a lot of what already proliferates on the radio to stand out from the pack. I could see myself returning to this song, but much less frequently than the other songs I liked off the album.
“We Should” melts under the heat of Robles’ desire to reconnect with a lover who only leads to heartache. Despite his better judgment, his craving for the passionate physicality they share is too strong to deny, “Some come give me a show/ Get me out my clothes/ Show you all the reasons it feels better when we’re close/ Feelin’ like we should/ Really think we could/ Tell me that you hate me while you give it to me good.” Bentley’s sensual voice balanced by the cool, yet sophisticated tone of the production permeates the track with sexual tension.
“Side Effects” still buzzes from the remnants of attraction fizzling out from a perished relationship. Robles continues to deal with flair-ups of heartbreak in his day-to-day life, “In every guy I meet, I Can see your face/ You′re sticking to my tongue like an aftertaste/ I still feel you in my bones in a twisted way/ The side effects from you haunt me everyday.” I do wish there was a little more variety to his sleek pop production. Though Bentley sounds smooth against the chrome-toned synths, it begins to feel a bit repetitive when this palette is continuously used with little change in the vibe.
“I Just Wanna Dance” releases the built-up bitterness through the bliss of the dancefloor. Bentley and LEXXE sound fantastic together. Both their voices are made for the shimmering mirrorball spin of this pop jam. Together, create a space to shut out the rest of the world and release your inhibitions to the music, “I just wanna dance/ Like ’em on my body tonight/ I just wanna dance/ Heaven on a Saturday night (Saturday night)/ Lose my way and lose my mind/ Find a lover, hold ’em tight/ Not a soul can kill my vibe (not tonight)/ I just wanna dance.” It sounds flashy in all the right ways. This has to be one of my favorites from this album.
“How to Ruin Everything” continues the journey of sinking into a toxic relationship. Robles set us in a place where our carnal instincts were the catalyst for the pit we’re now in, “Tasted good to me/ Empty calories/ Sugar sweet but filled me up with cavities/ Building blocks baby, talking property/ Different thoughts, different wants when you got me/ You always seem like you glow/ When everything spirals out of control/ Should’ve guessed it from the way you spoke/ That you’re good at playing a role.” The repetition of “dum-dum-dum-da-dum” takes me out of the song completely. With its glossy pop sound, it just feels flat with the subject matter.
Bentley brings in brand0 to add a manic texture to “Just Ok (Euphoric).” I honestly don’t like the high-pitched glitchy samples and jumbles that litter this ending track. It becomes rather grading on my ears after a very short time. This reworking feels more anxiety-ridden than euphoric. He leans into hyper-pop in a way that just doesn’t mesh with me.
One of the most refreshing aspects of this project is how openly queer it is. Robles’ unabashed desire and heartache revolving around the wrong men in his life is something, as a queer person myself, I always appreciate hearing. His shellack of chrome-laden pop production does well to satisfy that gay club flair. My only hang-ups come from some of the production choices and repetition that becomes stale over multiple songs. I wasn’t a fan at all of the chaotic jolts of “Just Ok (Euphoric).” I also felt that “How to Ruin Everything” fell flat compared to the other tracks. Still, I can’t help but enjoy the glamourous journey in heartbreak Bentley has laid out before us.
My overall thoughts on Ugly Crier (Deluxe):
Loved it: “Iam Iam Iam”, “Hope U Cry”, “We Should”, “I Just Wanna Dance” (feat. LEXXE)
Liked it: “Just Ok”, “Yes Sir!”, “We Should”, “Be a Good Boy” (feat. Reysha Rami), “Side Effects”
Disliked it: “How to Ruin Everything” & “Just Ok (Euphoric)”
My overall rating: 6.0 out of 10.
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