Freak Out City

Last updated

Freak Out City
Bret McKenzie - Freak Out City.jpg
Studio album by
Released15 August 2025 (2025-08-15)
Studio
Length35:15
Label Sub Pop
Producer
Bret McKenzie chronology
Songs Without Jokes
(2022)
Freak Out City
(2025)
Singles from Freak Out City
  1. "All I Need"
    Released: 5 June 2025

Freak Out City is the second studio album by New Zealand actor and musician Bret McKenzie. It was released on 15 August 2025 via Sub Pop in LP, CD and digital formats. [2] [3] Produced by McKenzie and Mickey Petralia, the album was recorded in Los Angeles and New Zealand. [4] [5] "All I Need" was released as the lead single of the album on 5 June 2025. [6]

Contents

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Beats Per Minute 67% [7]
God Is in the TV 9/10 [8]
Spectrum Culture60% [9]

Loz Etheridge of God Is in the TV called the album "even better than the debut" and "superbly crafted with a nod to the greats." [8]

Beats Per Minute 's Ray Finlayson noted it as "more vibrant than its predecessor" and the album "lulls when the mood does, despite the colourful production and instrumentation." [7]

Writing for Spectrum Culture, Eoghan Lyng commented, "Freak Out City shows the artist largely abandoning comedy for more conventional pop, a decision which works in its favor just as often as it doesn't." [9]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Bret McKenzie, except "That's the Way That the World Goes 'Round" written by John Prine.

Freak Out City track listing
No.TitleLength
1."Bethnal Green Blues"4:12
2."Freak Out City"4:51
3."The Only Dream I Know"2:30
4."All the Time"5:06
5."That's the Way That the World Goes 'Round"3:10
6."All I Need"4:07
7."Eyes on the Sun"3:05
8."Too Young"4:30
9."Highs and Lows"3:44
10."Shouldna Come Here Tonight"3:48
Total length:35:15

Personnel

Credits adapted from the album's liner notes. [1]

References

  1. 1 2 Freak Out City (Media notes). Bret McKenzie. Sub Pop. 15 August 2025.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  2. Downs, Sarah (3 June 2025). "Bret McKenzie Announces New Album Freak Out City". Rolling Stone . Retrieved 29 September 2025.
  3. Knox, Payton (4 June 2025). "Flight of the Conchords' Bret McKenzie Announces New Album Freak Out City". Exclaim! . Retrieved 29 September 2025.
  4. Murray, Robin (3 June 2025). "Bret McKenzie Announces New Album Freak Out City". Clash . Retrieved 29 September 2025.
  5. Pearis, Bill (14 July 2025). "Flight of the Conchords' Bret McKenzie preps new album, announces US tour dates: hear "Freak Out City"". BrooklynVegan . Retrieved 29 September 2025.
  6. Rigotti, Alex (5 June 2025). "Flight Of The Conchords' Bret McKenzie announces new solo album Freak Out City with romantic single 'All I Need'". NME . Retrieved 29 September 2025.
  7. 1 2 Finlayson, Ray (26 August 2025). "Album Review: Bret McKenzie – Freak Out City". Beats Per Minute . Retrieved 29 September 2025.
  8. 1 2 Etheridge, Loz (15 August 2025). "Bret McKenzie – Freak Out City (Sub Pop)". God Is in the TV . Retrieved 29 September 2025.
  9. 1 2 Lyng, Eoghan (4 September 2025). "Bret McKenzie: Freak Out City". Spectrum Culture. Retrieved 29 September 2025.