Sibling duo Matthew (19) and Issey Cartlidge (17) have already achieved more in a few short years than most bands could hope to in a lifetime. Having played packed live shows, been handpicked by Iggy Pop to support his U.S. tour, and set to join YUNGBLUD in arenas, it’s obvious they’re not here by accident. Their debut album, Wasted on Youth, is a brash, fearless manifesto that, in this reviewer’s opinion, ranks among the strongest debuts – and one of the most impressive albums – released this side of the noughties.
Wasted on Youth wastes no time establishing The Molotovs’ identity. ‘Get a Life’ opens with barely two minutes of raw, urgent punk, sharp guitars and driving drums setting a clear, uncompromising tone. ‘Daydreaming’ shifts gears, with choppy guitar lines reminiscent of Oasis’ The Girl in the Dirty Shirt before building into a full-throttle singalong chorus, brimming with Gallagher swagger and as effortlessly anthemic as anything they ever wrote. It balances brash energy with controlled rhythms, while lyrics like “Ready for a life to kick you up the arse so fast” flexes their mix of sass and sharp observation.
The songs may be short, but the Molotovs stretch them with inventive turns and sly little curveballs. The title track, ‘Wasted on Youth,’ opens with a reflective acoustic flourish before lurching into hook-driven indie pop, pivoting from pensive-yet-playful moments to full-throttle bursts of energy. Elsewhere, ‘Geraldine’ and ‘Newsflash’ keep up this playful subterfuge, flipping tempo and tone so the songs never play by the rules — a quality increasingly rare these days, and one of the reasons this album made such a strong impression.
“‘Nothing Keeps Her Away’ pares back the sound, with lines like “She’s been to every show, and every signing, dresses like the two girls from The Shining” articulating a sharply observed tension between fame and obsession. ‘Rhythm of Yourself’ and ‘Come On Now’ pick the taut and driving pace back up, channelling The Jam and Kaiser Chiefs in their early blaze without ever feeling derivative. ‘Popstar’ circles back to the album’s fascination with fame and attention, this time set against a backdrop of glam-punk swagger, while ‘Today’s Gonna Be Our Day’ closes the album on a celebratory high, Hammond swells and jangle-driven guitars conjuring a track that could sit more than comfortably alongside The Jam classic ‘Going Underground’.
Wasted on Youth sounds exactly as a young band should—restless, loud, occasionally reckless—but never sloppy. For all its bluster and bravado, it’s clearly been pieced together with care, balancing punchy energy with tight dynamics and a level of control you rarely hear from artists this age.
Newsflash: It’s only January, but Wasted on Youth could already be the album to beat this year. The Molotovs have set the bar as high as it can go, and anyone hoping to dethrone it will need to conjure something truly extraordinary.
VERDICT:
Wasted on Youth releases this January 30th, 2026 via Marshall Records.
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