7.6/10
Favorite Track: "Sugar" Least Favorite Track: "Big Boy"
America’s biggest and busiest boyband; BROCKHAMPTON, is back with the second installment of their second set of albums and their fifth studio album; GINGER. After an unreal 2017 that brought us the Saturation series, BROCKHAMPTON spent the majority of 2018 dealing and coping with controversy around the exile of crucial member; Ameer Van from the band. Opposed to the three projects that 2017 brought us, the one that we got from 2018 (Iridescence) launched the installment of the “Time of Our Lives” album series. Which now brings us to their brand new studio album; GINGER. First off I think that Ginger is a little more topically straight forward than other BROCKHAMPTON projects in the sense that the presentation of their messages comes off much more surface level. The points they make about love, and lust, and loss aren’t exactly reinventing the wheel on this thing. Therefore, it certainly leaves the average BROCKHAMPTON fan with less to dissect and generally I think that plays to the band’s advantage here. With the exception of a few cuts I also don't view this project as sad and as emotional as some people are making it out to be. There are undoubtedly moments and specific tracks on here that are obviously meant to be emotional but the album as a whole isn’t exactly somber. In full I think the messages on this album vary quite a bit. It’s a project that covers a lot of ground and that’s a good thing. Personally I have always enjoyed my BROCKHAMPTON a little more fun, easygoing, aggressive, and accessible. With that we get songs like “BOY BYE” which is a legitimate banger, chalk full of chemistry, a standout verse from Kevin Abstract, and some of the most fun, string-filled, production I have heard all year. Just before that we get “SUGAR” which I think exemplifies a trend that is pretty common throughout this project. While lyrically “SUGAR” explores some pretty somber themes, it sounds more casual, and thought provoking sonically, especially with it’s absolutely infectious hook. Through and through this project manages to capitalize on a balance of lyrics that mean one thing but production that drives the listener down a completely different freeway.