Finally, the moment we have all been waiting for. Two long years later, Childish Gambino finally released his new and highly anticipated album, Awaken, My Love! on December 2nd. But there's a bit of a catch: this album is nothing like what fans expected. What exactly were we expecting? The classic, witty and up-beat Gambino raps he is notorious for. However, this is not what we got. We did not get a rap album. Instead, we got a soulful, funky, and kind of weird compilation of songs that are the furthest thing from Gambino's iconic sound.
Apple Music described the album as: "It’s Donald Glover’s eye-popping soul riot. And like everything he's touched in 2016, his third Childish Gambino album is a slow-burning triumph. The robust hip-hop of previous records is parked and in its place arrives sweltering soul and mussed-up funk. Opener “Me and Your Mama” is a deep, exultant opus that makes plain Glover’s ambition, the exquisite “Redbone” sees him access a register (and vibe) that Prince would approve, while “California”—a sort of breezy calypso jam with a judicious use of wood whistle—captures the effervescent and completely intoxicating spirit of a very special record."
Of course, Apple Music wouldn't write anything negative in an album description, but their review is very accurate. However, other critics have not been so welcoming to Gambino's music experiment. Complex was very blunt with their review of his album, and perhaps a little too harsh: "Glover misjudged. “Awaken, My Love!” should have an asterisk next to it in his discography, indicating that it was an interesting experiment that didn’t pan out." Personally, even though I'm not completely thrilled with this album, I have to disagree with this statement. I wouldn't say that this was an experiment that didn't pan out. I think this album is exactly what Gambino wanted it to be, and believe that he's going through a phase that most artists go through where they try to change their sound in order to truly find themselves as an artist. Maybe it didn't pan out as far as what people expected, that is true, but overall, the album did pan out, just not in the way fans expected or wanted it to.
Gambino has explained that this album was him channeling "Funkadelic" 70's black music, and was "and exercise in just feeling and tone." In this aspect, Gambino was extremely successful. Several of the songs, like "Baby Boy" and "Me and Your Mama" seem to be depictions of his new life as a father and trying to set a good example for his child. The album is very clearly filled with raw emotion, and is beautiful in the grand scheme of things.
When I heard that Bino was supposed to finally drop a new album in September, after waiting two long years for new music, I was extremely excited. When he pushed the release date back to December, I was a little bitter, but knew that it had to be for good reason. Although, I'll admit, I was expecting an album closure in sound and style to his 2014 mixtape with Jaden Smith, STN MTN / Kauai, and was disappointed that this album was not in fact a rap album at all. However, I have played and replayed the album quite a few times, and can still greatly appreciate it for what it is. I still believe that Childish Gambino is a true artist, and this album was simply just part of his artistic path to the height of his career. Gambino, as I am sure he already has, will probably receive a lot more criticism for this album than he has for others in the past, and his new work may not be widely accepted, particularly in the rap community. Could this cause a set-back in his career? Only time will tell, but I do believe that this will only help him build a stronger career in the long run. I do hope that, sometime in the near future, he does go back to his classic style. I miss his witty rhymes. But, he did admit in his song "Candler Road,": "The new Bino too ahead of his time," and let me tell you, he is right.
