TM / BROCKHAMPTON / November 18, 2022
- Joshua Yoo
- Dec 6, 2022
- 1 min read
Updated: Dec 14, 2022
For those awaiting ‘The Family’ as the final official album release for BROCKHAMPTON, the arrival of another full LP the following day was surely a surprise, and probably a welcome one initially. The album includes more of the group members’ voices than the previous, but in many ways ‘TM’ falls short of capturing the boy band’s collective energy and sound in a disappointing way.
The final product originates from a batch of unfinished songs BROCKHAMPTON conceived in a short two-week session last year, and it speaks to the nature of the album’s number of undeveloped tracks compositionally. Tracks like ‘DUCT TAPE’ and ‘GOODBYE’ exemplify the shortcomings of these core musical ideas, creating an atmosphere but failing to expand on it in an interesting way. A lot of the album sits in a hazier, more melodic-driven musical tone as well, which under the absence of convincing vocal performances acts as more of a disadvantage.
There are fun moments and creative concepts that ‘TM’ toys with, like the familiarly fast-paced infectious energy on “NEW SHOES”, or the cold-blooded groove and aggressive verses on “KEEP IT SOUTHERN”. There’s an unshakeable feeling though, that even in these moments the group doesn’t sound whole, as if instead a distant version of their core artistry.
And because this is supposedly the last release ever for BROCKHAMPTON, it makes it a little more disappointing that the album sounds so fragmented. Though perhaps it’s the most accurate representation of the group at its final moments.
Highlight(s): NEW SHOES, KEEP IT SOUTHERN, FMG
Lowlight(s): LISTERINE, GOODBYE, CRUCIFY ME, DUCT TAPE
SCORE: 4/10
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