Bryson Tiller – A N N I V E R S A R Y
Genre: R&B
Score: 5/10
This is the long awaited third LP from Louisville R&B artist Bryson Tiller. It is also the spiritual follow up to his 2015 breakout debut album, Trapsoul. This album was instantly beloved upon release. It was lauded as a breath of fresh air, and opened a world of trap beats incorporated into the alternative R&B sound that artists like The Dream and The Weeknd helped shaped just a handful of years prior.
This album was so hyped up, that not only did it completely overshadow his actual 2017 followup to Trapsoul, but also follows a rerelease of Trapsoul as a deluxe version, with bonus tracks from those recording sessions a week before this album was even released. It's clear that fans have been waiting a long time for this, and now that A N N I V E R S A R Y is being promoted as the spiritual successor to Trapsoul (with the blue album cover directly contrasts with the red cover of Trapsoul), what artistic conclusions would Bryson have to reach at this point that he didn’t on Trapsoul? Will it be the same stylistically as Trapsoul? Will it be better than Trapsoul?Overall: The answer to those questions are “the same”, “Yes”, and “Not Really”. I personally thought that Trapsoul’s performances and writing were just okay upon its release, which I’ll admit is a pretty unpopular take. People still love Trapsoul to this day. Plus, I thought his 2017 album True to Self was also just more of the same sound. So A N N I V E R S A R Y dropping 5 years after Trapsoul comes off to me like Pokemon Blue dropping 5 years after Pokemon Red dropped. If you loved Trapsoul, then A N N I V E R S A R Y will be the second helping you’ve waited five years for.
Play by Play:
1. Years Go By – The Intro starts with some good advice. I already feel submerged by the watery production. It sounds just like a cut off of Trapsoul. The beat bumps. Bryson’s singing like A Boogie Without the Hoodie all over this. I like the energetic pace of the song. It’s an accurate tone setter for the rest of the album.
2. Always Forever – This beat sounds like an alt R&B cut fresh out of the OVO Sweatshop. Shout out to the mixer though, as the production sounds very clean. Bryson blends into the beat and creates a pretty wavy vibe with his singing.
3. I’m Ready For You – Reversed synths are very wavy. But Bryson doesn’t really need auto tune on his voice for this song. I think his voice is fine as is. What I liked about Trapsoul was how well he sang over the trap production, but the autotune hinders his voice in this song. Still, this beat is great. I love how generally woozy and unorthodox the groove is after the beat switch.
4. Things Change – Warped sample helps to reinforce the wavy vibe of the album. Love his vocal lines on this track. Lyrics are pretty foolproof DM bars. I personally don’t weigh Bryson’s derivative DM bars and themes of heartbreak as much as the intoxicating vibe he creates with those themes. As a result, I enjoy the chopped n screwed vibes and Bryson rides the beat like a seasoned vet.
5. Timeless Interlude – more like Timeless, the song. It’s also longer than some tracks on the album, but whatever. This one is a personal highlight for me. It sounds like an R&B version of Dreams & Nightmares, especially with the way Bryson Tiller flows on the song. I like the themes of moving forward despite his own self doubts and reservations. The piano throughout the song sounds really pretty as the samples ring off in the distance.
6. Sorrows – Production is as Trapsoul as ever. Bryson is crooning like The Dream and it really works. His Vocal lines are really smooth. The beat is sparse enough for Bryson’s vocal harmonies and effects to take up their space. The Production so far is very smooth and the samples are really creative.
7. Inhale – Vocal sample flip is creative. I like the ethereal effects and how the sounds sidechain in the mix. Lyrically, we got more of the same DM bars that Bryson is known for, but the vibe he creates on this track reinforces the entire vibe of the entire album. It’s a pretty fitting song to use as the lead single for the album.
8. Outta Time (feat. Drake) – Beat sounds like a generic Drake type beat. Drake’s in his feelings on this one. His singing has definitely gotten better over the course over his career. Love or hate Drake, his delivery was never unconvincing (except Worst Behavior. I have no clue who he was trying to fool on that song). Bryson plays off of Drake’s feature pretty well. Between the two, Drake definitely had the more commanding performance. Yeah, I don’t really care for this one.
9. Keep Doing What You’re Doing – Voicemail from grandma makes me miss my own. I like the themes of love and supporting his family, which are endearing. His music gets way more substantial to me when he goes down this road thematically. But sadly when the beat drops, it almost hits like Don’t off Trapsoul, and the song becomes forgettable as a result.
10. Next To You – Cavernous Sample. Vocal lines are pretty. The vibe is slicked back and hazy. Reminds me of Ty Dolla Sign. Instrumental reminds me of Travis Scott, only with a bit more organic instrumentation. The harmonies are pretty dope at the end. Though I wish the beat switched in a way other songs had a beat switch up. Definitely a high energy finish to the album.
Score: 5/10
Favorite Track in Bold
Just my opinion