Preston Lydotes – The Critic In Me (2025)
Having heard that this 21-year-old Bostonian has the indie grit of The Backseat Lovers and the poetic wit of Phoebe Bridgers, I can’t lie, I was intrigued and had high hopes. I’m happy to say I was not disappointed. In his new single, ‘The Critic in Me’, Preston Lydotes is starting the new year with a track woven with self-reflection and the biting feeling of self-doubt that comes from putting yourself out there.
From the outset, the track hits you with a quintessential indie rhythm, which carries through the entire song. The track’s standout elements are the vocals and the narrative woven throughout the track. Lydotes clearly has a knack for storytelling and utilises this skill to catch his listeners’ imagination and get them singing along. Even with a simple, joyous, upbeat song, it made me really think about how many people seek validation these days.
The line “Yeah I know I’m impatient and the internet’s a lie, but someone’s gotta tell me I’ll be alright” exemplifies how the comments on social media denote so many people’s idea of self-worth. I love how each chorus offers some hope that you don’t have to allow this to be the case; you can hold onto your self-worth and remember it’s what you think that matters by calling out, “I’m still the boy who wants to dream”. This is just a further example of how skilled songwriter Preston Lydotes is.
After many plays of ‘The Critic in Me’, I found myself going back over his previous releases, which is something I’d recommend if you like the song as much as me. All his releases give you something different and offer a glimpse into the various facets of a great artist.
My final thought would be this is someone to keep an eye on and here’s hoping we’re not waiting long for more music in 2025.
In addition to the single, Lydotes released a music video for ‘The Critic In Me’. Featuring Preston Lydotes (vocals and acoustic guitar), Charlie Agnacian (bass), Edward Bjorkman (electric guitar), and Andy Baker (drums), you can view the video below or on his YouTube channel.
Find out more about Preston Lydotes on his Instagram, TikTok, BandCamp and Spotify.
Listen to more indie-rock music on The Other Side Reviews Indie Rock playlist:
this is dope!!