by Sam Wolstenholm
BROCKHAMPTON technically dropped The Family as their seventh studio album. It came out on November 17th, 2022. That was a Thursday. Music usually drops on Friday, so this was an odd move. In fact, "odd" is a good word for this whole situation. The artwork and content can attest to that. Kevin Abstract is the frontman of the band, and he is all over this album. I'd mention the rest of the band members, but you'll see why it wouldn't make sense.
Kevin Abstract comes in with quite the enery to open up this project. He sounds hungry, angry, and honest. It's kind of just him giving a retrospective on the journey of the group, even dropping the names of a few different members. The sound isn't sad though. In fact, this is very much a celebratory song. A soulful vocal and piano sample is what the beat is built around, and listening to it makes me feel like I'm standing in the sun. The production itself is fairly simple, but extremely effective. It lets the sample shine, as it should, while the rhythm is driven by a hard-hitting kick drum. This is a very good track that just makes me feel good and a bit nostalgic (because of the references to older music videos and stuff).
2. "rZA"
The sound of this track doesn't click with me the way the opening track did, but there is still an emotional undertone here as Kevin is giving a message to his mother. It's like an explanation to her about why the band has split up. He mentions the fact that his mom wants him to get the band back together. She doesn't think it's that difficult since she and her husband stayed together even though they fought. It's not the same thing, and Kevin acknowledges that while also apologizing for the negative things he's said about her in past songs. There's another speedy sample, but it gets drowned out by all the other sounds. It's a pleasant mess, but it still sounds crowded. The true appeal of this track is the Wu-Tang parallels. Kevin is saying that he is the RZA to BROCKHAMPTON's Wu-Tang. Sadly, he knows that he cannot keep the group together, even going so far as to say he's lost them as friends. The track ends with a skit that further compares the groups through the label they were signed to (RCA Records). The song is alright, but there isn't anything catchy or even a concept that really sticks with me. I don't hate it, but it isn't the best on this project.
3. "Gold Teeth"
Another beat led by a sample, but this track is a little more lowkey. There's some random digital noises popping up between the tribal-like drums buried expertly in the mix. It sounds like what Kanye's Yeezus would be if it were good. However, the element of this track that really jumps out is what Kevin actually says. I'll put a few lines here, so bear with me: "Only made this to get out the deal, partly. So don't ask me if the crew is still talking. Do we see each other? Hardly. Shit we made together? Godly. Did we sign for too many motherfuckin' albums? Probably." If you are a fan of BROCKHAMPTON and you haven't noticed by this point in the tracklist, Kevin Abstract is the only one doing vocals on here. Clearly, this project's purpose is to get the band out of their deal with RCA Records (EDITING NOTE: That doesn't seem to be the main reason though. That'd be Kevin using it as message to both the fans and members of BROCKHAMPTON). This idea is alluded to numerous times across the project, but it has me wondering if the rest of the band actually partook in the creation of this project. Or is it just a Kevin Abstract album disguised under the band name? Don't worry, answers are on the way (very soon...).
4. "Big pussy"
Honestly, I don't exactly get the point of the title of this song, but whatever. It's a great track. As far as the lyrics go, it's just Kevin Abstract rapping again about his own journey and relationship with the rest of the band. That's essentially what the whole album is. Just about every song hits on this message in one way or another, and it's just Kevin (...told you). Literally, you shouldn't expect anyone else on The Family. It might as well be a solo project. Clearly, he just put this together to free everyone up from their RCA contract. He didn't phone it in though. This track was a single, and I loved it immediately. There's an old-school bass sound here and even some record scratches. In fact, sound effects run pretty rampant throughout the runtime. There is a beat switch about halfway through, and the second beat is more pleasant than the second. I don't mean pleasant as in better (though I personally enjoy the second half more than the first). I mean it as in it's lighter, happier, and more friendly. The guitar and vocal samples help create this feel. I also have to mention Kevin's delivery on here, especially his last two lines. He basically growls them, and it contrasts creatively with the beat. It's unique and I love it. It isn't a dark horse, but don't miss it (especially if you're into the weird, old-school hip-hop sound).
5. "All That"
We've got a much smoother and sad tone with this one. The sentiment is pretty easy to pick up on. Getting rich seems like the best possible life, but there's a lot more that can go wrong as a result. It's the classic "Mo Money Mo Problems" idea from The Notorious B.I.G. Everyone gets it, but you don't truly understand unless you live it. That's kind of what Kevin is explaining here. He's actually lived it. He made a reference to the Fresh Prince of Bel-Aire in the second of two of my favorite lines on the album. "N*ggas was scrawny, somebody break the ribs out. Fightin' over meals. The crib was not Aunt Viv's house." The chorus itself is extremely catchy and pleasant on the ear. Caitlyn Harris is the one doing the singing, and she sounds great. It isn't exactly a large performance, but she does exactly what she needs to. This track makes me want to both dance and cry at the same time. Amazing.
Starting with the most basic of drum patterns, this track is moody as hell. There really aren't a lot of sounds that contribute to the composition as a whole. The metallic sound that captains the chords is weird, cold, and pretty dark. It makes me feel uncomfortable and I love it. This song is a great example of the "less is more" concept. It's a 3/4 time signature (which also adds to the whole vibe of loneliness and uneasiness). Kevin is solemnly describing the tour life. It's a semi-positive description, but the instrumental and performance just make it seem like such a sad and lonely expereince. This one is likely to be my dark horse choice. It's short and sweet. It will not be a hit song or anything. It's slow and personal. I just feel defeated when I hear it, which is what I assume to be the feeling portrayed. Defeated and exhausted.
7. "Basement"
Ya know...I'm not in love with this one. Like, what's the point here? It's still got that weird BROCKHAMPTON sound with some hard-hitting 808s and a few different switchups. However, the sound isn't pleasing enough to make up for the lackluster lyrics and performance. Kevin does alright with his delivery, but he's saying lines like "Back to the fire, back to the gang" and "Bitch you actin' nosy, you actin' like the police, you actin' like you know me." That's the kind of shit high school freshmen say when they're trying to freestyle. He sounds pretty unispired and everything. The song overall isn't trash because it does execute a dark and mean atmosphere (not perfectly but still), but it's definitely my least favorite this far in the album.
8. "Southside"
The distorted bass absolutely bangs. It's absolutely disgusting (in a good way). The sample that is used in the beat is so weird that I'm not sure it's even a sample at all. I wouldn't doubt it if it's just some random humming Kevin did that is just caked with effects. Unfortunately, the song is extremely short. There's a skit at the end that takes up like a quarter of the length of the track. Granted, it's a good thematic skit as it features bearface (member of BROCKHAMPTON and producer on a good amount of these tracks) trying to reach Ian, Kevin Abstract, on the phone. It symbolizes the disconnect amongst the members of the group. Overall, it's a track I could take or leave, but I'll most likely be leaving it. Nothing special really.
9. "Good Time"
There's a lot of noises happening in this track. There's a slow decending chord progression colored with some buried drums and a collection of sound effects. It's actually very spacey and textured at the same time, and I found myself continuously interested. The fact that the song is short works in its favor too as nothing gets stale or annoyingly repetitive. It is, like just about every song on the album, a reflection on the boy band project but through a more rose-colored-lenses outlook. No crazy bars or anything, but it's a solid performance. At the end of the song, Kevin says, "Bitch, them was them good times" a lot, but it didn't go on long enough to get sound forced or lazy. Not mad at it at all. In fact, that's kind of how I feel about this song in general. Not mad at it.
Oh yea, and I'll mention the little skit thing at the end too. I can relate to what Kevin is saying here. He mentions wanting to turn everything into art, even at the expense of privacy. It does yield good art, but at what cost? I've found myself being more introspective and open about myself. That way, I don't feel like I need to test the security of the relationships I am in. Sometimes though, there is an overlap, and it can lead to a bit of exposure. I think that's what Kevin is talking about here.
10. "37th"
An emotional performance with some deeply personal lyrics is what makes this track as great as it is. I know I've already made this comparison, but it's hard not to point it out here. This song sounds like some 2006 Kanye West. Everything from the sample and bass combination to the way Kevin is rapping sounds like it could slide right onto The College Dropout track list (and that's my favorite Kanye album). "I'm searchin' for healin' even when I'm asleep" is a line that really stood out to me, and it's not only because the beat cuts out for a second. It just means the pain that affects him during the day is also present in his dreams. He can't get away from his search for peace. Whether this song is about his ex-boyfriend or ex-bandmates (and it could be either), Kevin is expressing sadness about being the one to end things. However, he doesn't seem to be questioning the decision. If he could do it again, he would. He'd go right back to the same place if he could (that place, I assume, is somewhere on 37th St.).
11. "boyband"
I'm kind of reminded of the intro track of this album. It almost sounds like it's the same sample even. This one isn't nearly as exciting though. Besides a few lyrics, this song is pretty forgettable. The end has a slow jam thing with some extremely distorted singing, but it lasts like five seconds and just makes this song feel even more like filler. I guess I can't say it's a bad-sounding track, but there is nothing about it that makes it actually good. It's just Kevin bragging about the band's success and whatnot. I'm alright on this.
If you've heard any of Kevin Abstracts older work, you'll know this is more along the lines of that. It sounds like something from American Boyfriend: A Suburban Love Story. Also, I'd like to use this as the perfect example of why Steve Lacy is overrated (hear me out). This song is what he wants to sound like but cannot. Well, I won't say he can't, but I'll say he doesn't. There's a light guitar, steady drums, simple melodic singing, and lyrics about love. Remind you of anyone? This track has a good bass sound and much better vocal mixing than anything on Gemini Rights (check out my review of that album). It actually all leads to a very good and self-aware song as it concludes with Kevin being meta and criticizing the concept of the very song he just sang. It's pretty cool.
13. "the Family"
I really like this song. The different elements of production work off each other really well. The melodic guitar is catchy. The background vocal sample thing helps keep the pace from feeling like it's going too fast (which is especially important because the drums are doing a fill like every two measures). It seems to play out from the perspective of Kevin when he's drunk and having unhinged thoughts about the whole band situation. He actually has a lot of good lines. One great one is "it gets dark whenever Hollywood opens the curtain." I love this metaphor. At a stage (where the "curtain" would be), the intention when the show starts is for the audience to only pay attention to what's happening in the show. Part of the point is to have people ignore the reality around the show. The people you're sitting around. What's going on at home. The weather outside. The people backstage. Etc. BROCKHAMPTON was the show, and Hollywood tried to hide the realer side of things when it came to the band. There were problems. And based on what Kevin is saying in this album, these problems were pretty major. I'm hoping to get more context from the rest of the band when I review TM (read that here), which I haven't listened to as of writing this review.
14. "Prayer"
In an album of sub-two-minute tracks, this one still feels like an interlude. There just isn't much happening. Kevin does a lot of vocal repetition with both the lyrics and melodic deliveries, but I admit, it's catchy an emotional. The synth pads that make up the musical atmosphere is also sonically pretty. It's pleasing. This isn't my dark horse, nor is it my favorite track or anything, but I'm satisfied with what I got here.
Awesome. The angst in Kevin's performance is powerful and reminds me of some sad punk teenager. The vocals have a cool effect on them and are mixed really well. I love the catchy melodies and the lyrics that accompany them. Tonally and conceptually, it's pretty defeating. Musically, I enjoy it too. After the acoustic guitar chords at the start, the loud and reckless strumming begins. The shift in the song comes rather aggressively, but I find it an interesting choice because it smooths out a little with the introduction of a tambourine. In a minute and a half, there are three different moods explored. However, the whole thing is an extremely pleasant experience. If I had to pick my top five songs of the album, this would make it (dark horse runner-up, probably) . Not to mention, it serves at a great into of sorts into the next track because they sort of fade together. We appropriately close out with a cheering crowd that...
16. "The Ending"
...continues as a sample at the beginning of this song (thanks in advance for liking that transition). The prominent sample, however, is of Willie Hitch's "Let Me Be The One" and serves as a strong and memorable vocal refrain. Kevin makes a smart narrative decision by focusing his verse on his beginnings. It's an impactful way of demonstrating the weight of the ending. The vision of BROCKHAMPTON started innocently, but the project ended dramatically. Musically I absolutely love this. It's a head-nodder if I've ever heard one and has a bittersweet tone to it, reflecting the song's concept and Kevin's perspective of the band's conclusion. Driven by the swingy bass line, the rhythm is slow and smooth. The best part of the production, though, has to be the horns section. It's a whole section. It's likely a sample or a version of one, but it sounds amazing as it jumps between high notes, low notes, left pan, right pan, loud, quiet, and everything in between. I absolutely love it.
17. "Brockhampton"
Ironically, "The Ending" wasn't the ending. This track is also the longest song by far, and it's for the BROCKHAMPTON fans. It's for the ones that know members by name and care about the behind-the-scenes stuff. The whole album kind of fits that description, but this song is especially specific about it. Kevin is essentially speaking directly to his ex-bandmates, even mentioning quite a few of the members by name, about the adventure they all went on together. It really is the story of the band. The sad part about it is that only one person's point of view is present. At the end of the day, it is kind of disappointing. I don't hate the song or anything. In fact, the music is sweet and pleasant. It features mainly strings and leaves a lot of breathing room for the listener to focus on the story being told by Kevin. There's not a chance it goes on the playlist of someone that's never heard of BROCKHAMPTON, but I wouldn't be surprised if it hit the nerve of just about every superfan (and there are a lot). Personally, I've been keen on their music since they dropped SATURATION in 2017, but they've had their dull moments since. I am definitely sad to be seeing the end of this group, but luckily there's one more project I can listen to...hopefully it's good.
Overall
For the record, I did the track reviews of both The Family and TM before coming in for the overall analysis and rating of either one. That way, I can compare them. Normally I wouldn't do this, but they dropped on consecutive days and clearly have a connection.
So this album is significantly better than TM. I'll go more into comparisons later, but I thought I should say that up front. On its own, The Family has a lot of soul packed in here. Kevin Abstract really puts himself out there and gives people some insight on the state of BROCKHAMPTON. That's pretty much it though. Every single song is about the band breaking up and/or how Kevin has dealt with it. I appreciate it as a fan, but I have to admit the ideas can get redundant every now and then. Kevin raps pretty well overall and puts up some high quality performances. Like I said, they are packed with passion and emotion. There are quite a few catchy hooks and samples also. In fact, I really respect the sample work on here. Many of the beats are driven by them, and boylife (AKA Ryan Yoo), the producer of just about every song, does a great job with using complimentary instruments. The album has a good mixture of styles and sounds, but Kevin does a good job using his vocals and lyrics to make it all cohesive. There are quite a few moments I really don't mess with, but there are way more good things than bad. Unfortunately, every song is like a minute long, so I can't even enjoy the parts I like for very long before it changes. It all goes by quickly and can feel choppy at times. It is solid, and I appreciate it, but it isn't one of BROCKHAMPTON's or even Kevin Abstract's best projects.
As far as a comparison with TM goes, this one is better. There is actual rapping, better hooks, consistency, and soulful production throughout. One of the biggest differences between the albums is that the "bad" songs on here are listenable. On TM, that isn't always the case. Much of that album sounds like they were just trying to make songs. The songs on The Family, however, were made with intention, and you can tell.
6.1/10
If you've read my review, I assume you have already heard The Family, so I want to hear what you think. What'd I miss? Did I tear apart your favorite song? Or give too much credit to one that doesn't deserve it? Any questions or comments? I'd love to respond. Feel free to drop review requests too! I will strongly consider them.
Peace and love.
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