Childish Gambino - 3.15.20 (March 22, 2020) / Atavista (May 13, 2024) Album • Page 35

The album as is just feels like an “incomplete”. Like there was a full album here that he didn’t care enough to finish properly. It’s just some loose songs not an album, it’s really hard to engage with it in that form.

 

Yeah, I'm still not totally convinced this is the album he had been working on all along.

 

It's just so weird to go from having the #1 song in America, winning the two biggest Grammys in 2019, wrapping up a sold out arena World tour and headlining Coachella, to releasing an album to complete silence, not even debuting in the top 10 and not even getting a song on the Hot 100.

 

Also, the album has a song featuring Ariana Grande, the biggest artist in the country right now. Weird that the label didnt try pushing the hell out of that song.

 

And when the album came out her name wasn’t even listed as a feature lol. They only changed that recently

 

This is a pretty good listen, I don't get the hate for it. Far more enjoyable than the previous record. There's a lot of really good songs on here, the opening six songs especially. I feel like a lot of people's problem seems to be the roll out, which while is admittedly weird, has zero effect on how the actual album.

Also worth noting, album came out right as the coronavirus took off, which probably had a huge effect. Could also be a case of Donald being Donald and just being content with getting an album out.

 

Yeah, the promotion and the marketing of the album means fuck all to me. He’s put it out there because all that matters is the music and it’s great. He’s experimented a lot and it’s paid off IMO. There’s no clear singles or anything, sure. But there doesn’t need to be. He doesn’t seem like someone bothered by sales either.

I just find it odd that everyone finds it odd haha

 

still think "Beautiful" is one of the best songs of the year but yeah this rollout stank. nothing to actually engage with

 

I've still only listened to this once and I'm the biggest Gambino fan on earth. The rollout was just so off and unlike him that I was so convinced that there was more coming. Enough time has passed that I've basically lost hope in that (but I still wouldn't be at all surprised if there was more), so I think I'm gonna really dive into this some more in the next few weeks

 

It just seems off that he kept on stressing the point that the next album was gonna be "the last Gambino album" and then when it came it almost felt like he didn't want anyone knowing about it. Also odd that RCA would spend all that money to get him to leave his indie label and come to them, and then just seem content with the album standing still.

I guess it's still possible that there is something more coming, but like a bunch of other albums affected by COVID, is being delayed till the Fall.

 

I’m just coming in here to comment how I adore Childish Gambino songs that are basically pop songs. I think he is at his best with that.

 

Agreed. Kauai really showcases how good he is at it.

 

Pop Thieves is a top ten song by him

 

I've finally been giving this more attention over the last few days since it doesn't seem like he's planning on following it up with anything anytime soon, and it's growing on me a lot, I'd probably put it ahead of Awaken My Love at this point

However, if I'm being 100% honest, if this is all we get, I don't think I'll ever be able to listen to this album without lamenting what it could have been. Leaving out three of his best/most interesting songs in years (Human Sacrifice, Saturday and Atavista) is an absolutely baffling choice, and I literally had to make one of those four sketches the album cover and change the song titles to the originals to really fully get into what we have here, although that's more on me. If studio versions of the three songs I mentioned ever leak, I'm 100% putting Atavista after We Are, Saturday after Beautiful and Human Sacrifice after Why Go to the Party. That alone will probably elevate this above Camp for me (BTI will always be my favorite)

About the album we actually got, I do really love a good portion of it. Algorhythm really didn't end up being what I was expecting after the live versions but I've gotten used to it, and now I really like how robotic/groovy it feels. Time is really catchy and has a great chorus, and Vibrate is super weird in the best way, Donald's long rambling verse is so cool with his wildly unpredictable delivery of random lines lol. Beautiful is one of my absolute favorites, it gives me Saturday vibes and the hook is fantastic. Sweet Thing and The Violence are both great evolutions of the AML sound, and I love how fucking weird Warlords and Little Foot are, especially the latter which hasn't left my head in the last two days. If one of the Summer Pack songs was gonna make the album I'm glad it was Feels Like Summer, the better of the two imo. Finally, Under the Sun is one of his best songs ever, and would be admittedly be a really good ending to Childish Gambino

Again, I really like this album and it's starting to feel more and more at home in his discography as I keep listening, but the simple addition of the things I said would really elevate it for me. I'm STILL not convinced this is all he's dropping lol, I've just decided to treat it like it is for now

 

I wonder how I'd feel about Algorhythm if I hadn't heard the live version. The verses just fall so flat for me and lack the energy it had in concert.

 

As someone who never heard Algorhythm before the album, and really digs it, i'm thinking you'd like it a lot.

 

He could have intended to drop this in the most baffling way possible to leave things open ended, and keep things as interesting as possible. If that's the case, he did it well and it's reminiscent of the "off the beaten path" approach he takes with Atlanta and other forms of art so it makes sense.

 

Every Saturday I get a little more salty that he hasn’t given us the damn song yet.

 

Donald Glover Addresses Possibility of New Music, Reveals He Wanted to 'Write a Bible'

 

yup sounds like a Donald quote alright

 

Came in to post that exact thing, here's the interesting part (concerning music):

"DG: I still don’t feel like I’m done with that [music] project. When the coronavirus hit, I was, like – this sounds super crazy – but a woman who I go to, almost a shaman, I told her I wanted to write a Bible.

MC: What?

DG: Yeah, I told her I wanted to write a Bible; that was years ago. I was like, “I just keep getting this feeling.” She was like, “You have to put it out in pieces. How long do you think they’re gonna wait?” She said, “You’ll know when the time is.” And then when coronavirus hit, I was like, “Everybody’s stuck inside,” and I’ve been in The Temple listening to this and suddenly I thought, “Oh, some people will get it.” That’s why it was really funny when you were talking about your show. You’re like, “I’m a little afraid...” I’m like, “This is actually the only time some people would have to have that type of medicine, to be able to watch a show like that and really get it.” That’s why I like to release stuff on Sundays."



Sounds like... maybe I was right and there's more parts coming?! Hype train fully reactivated!!

 

Also he secretly had a third kid a few months ago named Donald Glover III in honor of his father. Whole interview is worth reading

 

I’m currently revisiting this record...seems like it got a similar treatment as The 1975s record, a sprawling mess released at a time I needed stability, and now that I’m more grounded, I’ll be able to revisit

listening to some of this now, these songs are pretty good!

 

good comparison actually

 

Beautiful, Under the Sun and a couple more are among his best songs