Boom! One of my most highly-anticipated albums of this year is finally out, and it's every bit the non-stop sing-along extravaganza I was expecting. Melbourne-based Hormones, aka the hottest band in the world, burst on the scene earlier this year with the irresistible punk-pop single "Out of the House, Out of the Closet." I instantly knew I loved this band, and subsequent singles were no letdown. And now we have Hot For Hormones, which dishes out 14 songs of Ramones-inspired punk rock which examine life and love from a trans woman's point of view. As a songwriter, Betty combines heart, humor, honesty, and introspection in a way that's both endearing and powerful. Singer Joseph Ling gives her words a literal voice, oozing vulnerability and an unassuming charm. Betty effectively tells her story through these songs, reflecting on what it's like to navigate romance, personal relationships, and everyday life as a recently transitioned trans woman.
From start to finish, this is a truly perfect pop-punk album. Even when the songs get serious ("You Don't Have A Son" and "When I Was A Boy{I Was Really A Girl}" in particular are intensely personal and deeply moving), this remains a super-fun and thoroughly delightful album to listen to. The approach is simple yet masterfully executed — the band powers through one song after another of buzzsaw three-chord punk with candy-sweet pop hooks. No song goes past three minutes, and most go barely past two. Really, this is the way an album should be. Some songs will make you laugh; others might make you cry; almost all of them will be stuck in your head for weeks on end. Of course the singles are all included here, but some of the previously unreleased songs ("Birthday Dress," "Poppers & Ritalin," "Got My Head Straight {The Rest of Me Got Gay}") would have been great singles in their own right. I can't wait to hear what my music reviewer brother and fellow Hormones fan King Ralph thinks of "Birthday Dress"!
Hormones are a band that are putting love and positivity into the universe, and that's exactly the kind of energy the world needs right now. It is my hope that a great many people will hear this album and feel less alone and more comfortable in their own skin. If Hormones turn out to be someone else's Hayley Smith, that will be a beautiful thing. One anthem at a time, Hot For Hormones affirms trans rights and trans wrongs. And at a broader level, this album will be relatable to anyone who has ever struggled to find love and acceptance in this often cruel world. As expected, this is one of my favorite albums of 2025.
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