A Look Into Glaive's Third Studio Album "Y'all"

To have “I would rather kill myself than end up anything like y'all” as the thesis of your album is out of the ordinary, but for an artist of Glaive’s calibre, something about the sentence makes complete sense. This is his honest truth.

[ Y'all Album Cover ]

Y’all is the third studio album by singer, songwriter, and producer Ash Blue Gutierrez, better known by his stage name, Glaive. The sixteen-track project was released back on September 26th, which does make me, as a journalist, a little late to the party, at least when it comes to writing this article. In all honesty, Y’all is an album I had to let simmer, not because it was hard to listen to, but because I found myself consistently thinking that this is arguably the best project Glaive has released. That being said, I had similar feelings upon hearing his second studio album, May It Never Falter, which had only been released just shy of a year before Y’all, making me believe that what I was experiencing was a bad case of recency bias.

However, after a recent post-show conversation with a good friend of mine, who also happens to be a massive Glaive fan, we decided that no, neither of us is experiencing recency bias. Y’all truly is Glaive at his best, both productionally, lyrically, and thematically. Compared to his other projects, Y’all leaves you with the impression that you’ve stumbled across a collection of Gutierrez’s journal entries, pulled across multiple eras of his life. In turn, this makes the album feel notably more personal compared to other projects, with vulnerability dripping from every corner rather than being confined to a few individual songs.

Everything about Y’all screams growth and individuality, something that I’ve noticed has grown hard to find nowadays, especially with plenty of artists finding their niche or sound and sticking with it until they can’t anymore. Gutierrez’s ambition and passion for music is clear, resulting in an album that just works, even if there is a lack of cohesiveness now and again. Y’all is an essential album to understand Gutierrez as an artist.

----

Opening the album and the era is ‘Asheville’, a nod to Gutierrez's hometown in North Carolina. For an opener, ‘Asheville’ knocks it out of the park, with the army chant being a stark change to the slower and more melodic beginnings we’ve grown to expect from Glaive. For some people, ‘Asheville’ was a clear indicator that Y’all was going to be a standout album, with others not being as convinced, even being a little fearful that just from ‘Asheville’, Y’all would never compare to May It Never Falter. Opinions have changed since then, with plenty of fans having ‘Asheville’ within their top 5 overall, the song growing on them majorly.

‘Asheville’ also brought in the new aesthetic for the era, which was completely filled to the brim with nods or direct depictions of European Football. Yes, the distinction of European is essential here, especially with Gutierrez frequently talking about his favourite team, Juventus, both in and out of his music. His love for the sport makes itself known, from single covers to music videos, and eventually the album cover, being a beautiful painted piece of a player seemingly celebrating post-goal, with the album's title Y’all, sitting right where the player's last name would be. This painted element feels a little full circle, perhaps a little callback to the ‘minnesota is a place that exists’ and ‘three wheels and it still drives!’ album covers from 2022, a point in time I would say marked a massive switch for Glaive artistically.

Following ‘Asheville’ is ‘Appalachia’, the second single to be released. Productionally, it keeps a similar sound and formatting to ‘Ashville’, creating a smooth transition between the two, and keeping expectations on what to expect musically from the album. Upon ‘Appalachia’’s release, fans were pretty frustrated with the intro and outro for the track, unable to look past the vocal samples included. However, as Gutierrez explained in an interview with Glamcult, both of these samples were intentional, with them both being nods to American Appalachian folk songs. Gutierrez describes Almeda Riddle, the woman who provides the intro sample, as being the ‘GOAT’ (Greatest Of All Time), finding her habit of singing offbeat and a acapella really interesting. On top of this, Gutierrez goes on to talk about his admiration for Appalachian folk music and how it influences ‘Appalachia’ as a song.

‘Nouveau Riche’ is a personal favourite of mine, never shifting from the top three since Y’all released. This is our first divergence from our usual synths and drum beats, moving into a territory that has been described to me as being reminiscent of reggaeton. There’s something groovy about it, especially with the inclusion of the trumpets throughout the chorus’, an element I cannot recall another Glaive song having. On top of the production, ‘Nouveau Riche’ has a brilliant rhyme scheme that I lost my mind over in real time, specifically the first “slowsilver03” tag we hear. Yes, there is proof of my behaviour, no you cannot see it.

For those unaware, ‘Nouveau Riche’ is a French term for someone with new money. On yall.ong, Gutierrez's personal breakdown of his album, he explains that nouveau riche tends to be used as an insult to people, but that after time, he began to think of it as a compliment, especially as Gutierrez had to put in work, being able to confidently say nothing was handed to you. This sentiment is reflected throughout the chorus, specifically with the lines “We made something out of nothing, you’re nothing like me” and “Y’all ain’t never put in work, and it shows”.

‘Fuck’ is a love song for those struggling to confess. Gutierrez describes it as his first attempt at making a true “love” song, but believes that he failed quite miserably. Yet, I would say ‘Fuck’ highlights this important moment in a relationship where you can barely contain yourself, but you cannot articulate what you want to say. Every “Fuck!” shouted throughout the song feels as if you’re ripping out your hair after yet another failed attempt, a relatable experience for the true yearners.

“Love is cringe to everyone except those in love, I think”

-Glaive on ‘Fuck’

Hearing ‘Fuck” for the first time made me stop in my tracks, as I found myself wondering if we’ve ever heard a Glaive song that sounds like this? I’d say the closest equivalent would be something off I Care So Much That I Don’t Care At All, but I cannot pinpoint a moment exactly. ‘Fuck’ has these standout electric guitars and rich drums that practically make the track, pushing ‘Fuck’ past the point of just being another song dominated by warping synths and punchy vocals. I could imagine this song being performed by a garage band that you paid 5 bucks to see in the basement of a community centre, and that's pretty beautiful to me.

I can only describe ‘Bluebirds’ as being stable. Between the simplistic drums and the later bass keeps you steady, like a boat on clear waters. I would love to say this was intentional, as Gutierrez expresses how ‘Bluebirds’ was written about two of his close friends going through heartbreaks, and he was offering comfort in the form of words to them. Similarly to Gutierrez being the ‘rock’ in a moment like this, ‘Bluebirds’ could be the rock of the album. A unique element for this track is the inclusion of a saxophone, something I don’t think I could have expected. My favourite part of the saxophone comes towards the end of ‘Bluebirds’, where the saxophonist is playing higher notes, flickering them to sound almost like birds tweeting.

‘Bluebirds’ flows into ‘Veni Vidi Vici’ in a way I simply cannot explain, so I’ll use this sentence here to encourage you to take a listen. If I had to choose a ‘crux’ or ‘thesis’ of Y’all, I would one hundred percent say it’s ‘Veni Vidi Vici’. This is not only because it’s Gutierrez’s personal favourite, but because the line “I would rather kill myself than end up anything like Y’all” was a key reason the album gained its title. Alongside this, you can relate so much of that album back to that single line, as Gutierrez is consistently setting himself apart from his peers, with his values seemingly being far different than those grinding the LA lifestyle.

Using “Veni Vidi Vici” for the title, I found it to be an interesting choice as well, as the phrase translates from Latin to “I came, I saw, I conquered”. However, throughout the song, Gutierrez neglects the phrase's original meaning, changing it to “I came, I saw, I was not a fan of it at all” and “I came, I saw, I fucking left”. It would have been so easy to have kept the original phrasing, as Gutierrez is no stranger to flaunting his wealth, as he does so throughout the album, specifically in ‘Appalachia’, where he sings “Funny part is I bought the house and car without touching my savings”. It would have been so easy for Gutierrez to say he ‘conquered’ his domain of music, yet he uses the term to dissociate himself with those who may have the conquering mindset. While this detail may seem irrelevant, it helps listeners to further understand Gutierrez's mindset, and how he really “Can’t be nothing like y’all”.

‘We Don’t Leave The House’ was one of the three tracks Glaive teased on his 2025 May It Never Falter tour. He introduced it to fans as a dance track, and although it has gone through a lot of changes since then, that sentiment still holds true. Overall, ‘We Don’t Leave The House’ is pretty self-explanatory, with Gutierrez ultimately explaining that he is a homebody who doesn’t get out much, lyrics I find rather funny to put over a song that is begging to be played at a party or club, but hey, to each their own. ‘We Don’t Leave The House’ also makes a reference to ovine hall, one of Gutierrez’s side projects, changing the lyrics of “If you see us out in public, you just gotta say 'What’s up?” from ‘victoria beckham freestyle’ to “If you see us out in public, it probably wasn’t us.” Y’all is littered with little references like these, and as a long-term Glaive fan, I love finding the intentional or unintentional easter eggs.

Track 8, ‘Foreigner’, has caused this massive divide between Glaive fans. People either adore ‘Foreigner’ or have it at the bottom of their rankings. Personally, I found ‘Foreigner’ to be a complete and utter standout, luring me in through pulsating waves of sound before trapping me with the more forceful beat. Truthfully, ‘Foreigner’ is a little overwhelming, but I believe that's all part of the song's charm, with nothing else on Y’all even coming close to being as brash, electric, and evaporating as ‘Foreigner.’ However, I can understand that this utter chaos could deter fans, especially as there are cleaner tracks featured throughout the album. Lyrically, ‘Foreigner’ is very ‘bragadocious’ according to Gutierrez, which I’d totally agree with, but I think you’ll miss that element on the first or second listen, as the production makes it hard for your brain to concentrate on anything else. Think of it as Y’all’s ‘Every Dog Has It’s Day’

‘9’ is the ninth track off the album, and I’m left wondering if maybe the song is simply untitled, with the nine being nothing more than a placeholder. Regardless, ‘9’ is a musical drop off, like you’re coming down from an extravagant high. We’re introduced to something more sombre and looming, with Gutierrez basically speaking over the soft piano and droning bass. It could be said that ‘9’ is the first moment of the album where we see uncensored and fully revealed vulnerability from Gutierrez, but it's just indirect enough that you might need a push to see it in that light.

From the second ‘It Is What It Is’ hit through my headphones, I was transported straight to the ovine hall book club. Luckily, I wasn’t delusional in thinking that ‘It Is What It Is’ could have been posted under Gutierrez's side project, as he himself calls the song a ‘spiritual successor to Victoria Beckham [Freestyle], but a lot better'. Keeping that in mind, the track definitely teeters into rap territory, at least more so than anything else on Y’all. The production at the end of ‘It Is What It Is’ is arguably my favourite part of the track, as it goes, as I’ve written in my notes, “F*cking Crazy”. The buildup takes on such a natural progression that it almost sneaks up on you, like a positive stab in the back.

‘Modafinil’ featuring Kurtains and Kai Angel, is another song that was heavily torn apart upon release. Although ‘Modafinil’ was initially teased on tour, meaning most fans had heard the track before Y’all’s release, it clearly went through renovations in the studio before hitting streaming. While the production feels more polished, listeners had plenty of critiques over Kai Angel’s verse, even going as far as to say he ruined the song, which is wildly cruel in my opinion. On the flipside, listeners loved Kurtain’s vocals, calling him the saviour in contrast. I think Gutierrez puts it perfectly when he says, “Kurtains’ verse speaks for itself”, as I completely agree. Personally, I find that in any of their collaborative tracks, Kurtains and Gutierrez complement each other wonderfully, with there being this smooth transition between their voices, almost as if they’re doing this natural tradeoff. Gutierrez had said ‘Modafinal’ is one he’s most excited to play live, and I wonder if we’ll get to see his and Kurtains' joint vocals on this upcoming tour.

Fun fact, Y’all was initially meant to be a country album, with ‘Polo Ponies’ being one of the only ones reminiscent of that. To Gutiterrez, ‘Polo Ponies’ is his attempt at a country song, though plenty of people hardlocked into the genre would possibly disagree. While she’s no Zach Bryan, ‘Polo Ponies’ is a gorgeous country song, definitely within my top 5 off Y’all (which I can now confidently say, considering I’ve had a few months to mull it over). For Gutierrez, the track is a classic love song to North Carolina, showing the natural progression of his life and ever-changing relationship with the state. As someone who was born and raised in a small country town and carried a resentment for the place I’m from for many years before eventually making peace, I found ‘Polo Ponies’ extremely relatable, and I’m sure other listeners can as well, as although this is Gutierrez expressing his own experiences, he writes about it in a way that is oh so universal, which is was gives ‘Polo Ponies’ it’s true charm.

‘i love you and it sounds stupid’ is a little bit of a country offshoot- at least with the inclusion of the acoustic guitars. The high-pitched and tuned vocals, alongside the ‘digital’ chords, keep it from hitting the same level of country that we see within ‘Polo Ponies’. Yet, something about this song screams farmland to me… just if all the cowboys were wearing Wooyoungmi jeans and had access to FL Studio. Gutierrez describes ‘i love you and it sounds stupid’ as being his second attempt at a love song, one he considers to be far more successful. I would agree, as this song is far sweeter compared to her sister ‘Fuck’, both lyrically and production-wise, with ‘i love you and it sounds stupid’ being formatted far more musically and less punchy. ‘i love you and it sounds stupid’ is for the real yearners, and as I’ve written in my notes for this “Highkey, peak love song. Ash Glaive, I get you twin”.

‘Crying, laughing, loving, lying’ strives on the literalness of the song. A lot of the lyrics are taken straight from things that were said to Gutierrez during the writing process of this song, a literal diary entry. Gutierrez on yall.ong goes on to say, “This is the first time in recent memory that I made a dance song that wasn’t super overstimulating.” Honestly, the lack of overstimulation does make this song a little forgettable in the long run, but it does allow it to slot comfortably within the back-half of the album, where I find we’re introduced to more ‘sturdy’ tracks, ones that aren’t making you feel like your body is crawling with pins and needles.

A song I believe would have fit better on the front half of the album is ‘Weird’. ‘Weird’ acts as this awkward break between ‘Crying, laughing, loving, lying’ and the album's final track ‘Bennie & Kay’, and I personally would have liked to see the track placed maybe before or after ‘Foreigner’ as I feel the two share a similar essence. That being said, ‘Weird’ is a monster of a track, being pulled right off Gutierrez’s FL Studio and put right on Spotify, letting fans hear the song in its purest form. To me, ‘Weird’ is this switch-up of the May It Never Falter Lyric, “If I can’t bring my weird friends, then I won't go”, where Gutierrez is now calling out this ‘weird’ behaviour, saying “Honestly, not as many of Y’all were weird when I made the song, but now it's most of Y’all lol”.

To close out the album is ‘Bennie & Kay’. Despite being a journalist, I don’t believe it is my place to speak on this song, as it's clearly a deeply personal track to Gutierrez. The entire track is riddled with vulnerabilities, discussing the subject of close family members passing on, ultimately causing the track to carry an intense and heavy emotional weight. To add a little context, I’ll say that ‘Bennie & Kay’ definitely belongs on the Glaive wall of fame, being hung right next to its spiritual predecessors ‘joel’ and ‘oh are you bipolar one or two?’. ‘Bennie & Kay’ is such a beautiful song and a perfect ending to a passionate and profoundly personal album.

“I hope that you garner something from it, or that you can take in some of the things I'm saying, and not teach you something, but make you think or make you feel something… Thank you for listening, Thank you for hearing me.”

-Glaive On The Release of Y'all

----

STREAM Y'ALL HERE.

READ GLAIVES' COMMENTARY ON Y'ALL HERE.