“Awaken, My Love!”, Childish Gambino: Track-by-Track Review
Donald Glover captures the soul with 11 groovy tracks, resulting in his most dynamic work yet.
With respects to the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, I don’t consider myself out there by saying Donald Glover is the most dynamic entertainer since Will Smith. I’ll even go as far as to say that he is the modern-day Will Smith.
YEAH, I SAID IT. Don’t @ me.
Glover, widely known by his musician-name Childish Gambino, is versatile to say the least. He’s an actor, stand-up comedian, and rapper/producer. Awaken, My Love! came out in December of 2016, and Donald Glover truly surprised me with these funky vibes. Here’s my reaction to each track:
Me and Your Mama: First off, the title. I’ll admit, I smiled. The intro is incredibly trippy and psychedelic; From the background singing to the high-pitched, continuous synth that intensifies when the bass drops. Then out of nowhere, the song really begins with a “That 70s Show”-esque riff and a funky chorus. Overall, I’m wowed. The lyrics are beautiful and it wasn’t something I expected to be in Glover’s wheelhouse. He has caught my full attention.
Have Some Love: Right off the bat, I’m imagining a Woodstock scene with everyone circled up, singing. It has an unconventionally positive sound and takes some getting used to. But Donald pulls it off with a sweet jam at the end.
Boogieman: The title embodies the song. From the get-go, it’s all over the place and has a haunting tone to it. And yet, it’s soulful. So many spooky cackles and bone-chilling shrieks… I don’t hate it!
Zombies: Another soulful-spooky jam. Clearer vocals from Donald on this one. This track is a smooth listen, but also very trippy. Towards the end, there’s a sweet synth solo that could easily pass as a Peter Frampton single. Approaching the midway point of the album and I’m still curious.
Riot: Alright, this one caught me by surprise and is off-the-chart funky. I’m picturing Donald Glover with his band dressed in all 70s attire, platform shoes, afros and all. This song is short, but catchy. Not bad, Childish.
Redbone: Yes, one of my most listened to songs at the end of 2016. This single made me really excited for the album. Not everyone can pull off a song like this, but Childish creates an excellent balance between the vocals and the beat. The track even made a well-placed appearance in the thought-provoking thriller Get Out. Stay woke, indeed.
California: To be honest, this one is a bit too much. It’s hard to follow up “Redbone” and this is not it. The vocals sound constipated, and I’ll leave it at that. Onto the next one….
Terrified: Woah, this track blew me away. It has a steady and deep bass guitar line throughout the song. Childish showcases his vocal range while using some delicate sounds to enhance the melody. I highly recommend putting this on your next playlist.
Baby Boy: I like this track. You can tell this one came from the heart because he paints the picture of his early experiences of fatherhood. I didn’t even realize he had a kid! It sounds both somber and sweet, but also unique and groovy. Not an easy combination in today’s music industry.
The Night Me and Your Mama Met: This is a personal favorite on the album for me. The track, featuring standout blues guitarist Gary Clark Jr., has no words — nor does it need any, because the music speaks for itself. If there were any way to depict meeting the love of your life through the sounds of a third-party background track, this would be it. I’m talking explosions in the sky, angels singing the background vocals, solar-eclipse kind of shit. Just, wow.
Stand Tall: The last track on the album sounds like the first “normal” Childish Gambino track. The soft, flute-driven instrumental is still out there for his grunge rap repertoire, but the vocals are right up his alley. I like it a lot. It’s a nice way to end the album.
In conclusion, “Awaken, My Love!” is not for everyone. That being said, it’s different in a good way. The album’s psychedelic sounds are a change of pace, but it fits well for Glover. Just when we thought Prince was gone, his musicianship has reincarnated in “Awaken, My Love!” Maybe Glover really is the new Fresh Prince.
Stream the full project here:
