Relevance of Bando Stone and the New World in today’s society
All Childish Gambino’s fans know that he has new music and cartoon-style film storytelling, all wrapped in Irony and Humor. His new album is called Bando Stone and the New World. This album is not only songs but also the music for the movie, which will soon be released with the same title as the album. As this is Gambino’s fifth studio album and is very likely to be the last under Childish Gambino, the expectations have been very high. Quite a lot of anticipation and head scratching has been generated.
Concept and Theme of the Album
The album concept is working hand in hand with the narrative plot of the film, which is based in the future almost at the end of the world as we know it. Gambino positions himself as a singer during this critical timeline, who depicts survival through this album. The expressed songs and scenery also complement the story since the album tries to correlate the visuals and the sounds.
Exploration of Musical Styles and Genres
“Bando Stone and the New World” is very rich in styles. Gambino takes on alt rock, acoustic ballads as well as electronic music without running out of creative juices. Use of this genre mélange in Gambino’s case serves a different purpose which is to acquire other territories sonically. But, this ambitious mixing sometimes leads to inconsistencies as not all the tracks are equally good and appealing.
Quality of Production and Influences
The production on this album expands into details with its very nice composition, arrangement of layers and mixing. Perhaps the most notable of these influences is Kanye West, and more specifically his Yeezus album, especially evident in the bangers like “Hearts Were Meant to Fly,” in which the intexs instruments mix beats and vocal infusion. While this influence is noticeable, at times it hinders Gambino’s uniqueness as a therefore a few tracks tend to be less original.
Track by Track Review
- Hearts Were Meant to Fly
As the first of the five tracks of the Put your heart in it CEO Mafi opens the album, there is a movie-like feel with strings and other instruments filling a lot of space. The song also features Amaarae who enhances the beauty of the song. This is a common progression in the song where the tempo rises. This is in keeping with the theme of the album which is mainly about overcoming difficulties and adversities.
- Lithonia
Here, “Lithonia” can be defined as an alt-rock power ballad with some really powerful emotions. The lyrics touch on disenchantment and inner struggle which are in accordance with the plot of the film. The piano is grand and there are a lot of harmonies as well, which is quite gratifying and one feels it even after the end of the song.
- Survive (featuring Chloe)
In this song “Survive”, Gambino goes 1980’s with respect to nostalgia by using synthesizers and drum machines. The interplay with Chloe provides a different aspect to the song, in that her voice is more understated allowing Gambino’s vocals to dominate. The melody of this particular track is so catchy, which makes it more of a catchy track in the album.
- Steps Beach
This acoustic-driven song further demonstrates Gambino’s diversity, though it does feel a bit out of place in the context of the rest of the album. The chord progressions are original, the school of thought the song’s lyrics come from is a little confined, but there is no spark to it as opposed to other songs making this one of the more boring songs of the album.
- Talk My Shit (with Flo Milli and Amaarae)
“Talk My Shit” is a fun song, which is made even more enjoyable courtesy of Flo Milli and Amaarae. As for the production, it’s of the highest quality, and the song is quite catchy, perfect for the dance floor. One of the downsides on this track however is the presence of Gambino’s collaborators, which I feel ‘overpowers’ his contribution.
- Got to Be
Coming towards the conclusion of the album is a track that brings out unexpected surprises in that it samples quite well the Prodigy. Uhm, I sat on this for too long, and when I finally got to something I thought was usable, having still listened to the sample rather quietly, I was entirely bummed: it wasn’t enough. It’s plain and simple kudos which can be easily appreciated by many, but ultimately doesn’t seem very practical in execution.
- Real Love
“Real Love” is a song that expresses real and deep emotions in a ponytail where one finds himself concerned with a delicate relationship. There is truth in the lines of the song, but there seems to be something missing, that would have raised the stakes higher. Every one of those songs is well made, but curiosity is not stoked.
- In the Night (with Jorja Smith and Amaarae)
This song is also a good example of how lazy Gambino is still. The smooth voice of Jorja Smith brings richness to the song, which is further enhanced with Amaarae’s voice creating an ethereal atmosphere. The production is good, but the song does not introduce anything new, so it’s quite good but rather average at the same time.
- Yoshinoya
It may be wise to treat the track ‘Yoshinoya’ as a sharp ex-faced ‘diss’ record, considering the allegations that it is directed to anointed peer Drake. The lyrics are sharp and Gambino sings them smart and famth. This is the song in which his talent of being a lyricist is well exhibited together with the ability of telling a story in a song.
- Can You Feel Me
This track is probably being highlighted because of the presence of Gambino’s son on it, as apart from this, it is a great tribute to being a father. Although the vocals are not on point, it can be understood that the emotion of the piece still remains. It is quite an emotionally charged song that brings other dimensions to the album, even though it may not be the best track for those who want to get quality sounding songs.
- No Excuses
“No Excuses” has a few falsetto vocals on the track, which at times can be over-cooked. But the track is not without its merits, and the biggest one is the treatment that the song gets, with beats and arrangement reminiscent of a Hollywood blockbuster. This is a song that I think will grow on you with time, but attention will not be called to it imminently.
- Cruisin’ (featuring Young Thug and Yeat)
On “Cruisin’”, you will also find an unforgettable dira-doo performance with its shifts between 80’s synthpop and appropriately applied trap rhythms. The Young Thug collaboration is likewise stylistically varied and peppered with exactly right portions of genre melting Young/Yeat. On the contrary, it’s very lively and engaging in character while its unpredictability could be its downside.
- We Are God
‘We Are God’ redefines the correct genre of creativity. This one is basically everybody’s out there and everybody is doing it in the most creative way and not to present it as a song. It is monotonous and minimalistic, likely a filler, to connect the missing points of the album instead of being a potential winner. I believe the style of the piece may cause controversy within audiences with some hence the piece of art gets exhibited however, some people find it boring.
- Running Around (featuring Foushée)
“Running Around” is a not so elaborate pop-rock song with one of those catchy hook cuts. Using Foushee was intrusive, her verse sweetened the part of the song, but it was mostly average. It is quite pleasant to listen to while taking the ride and at the same time, nothing stays in the head after that.
- Closing Tracks
In the last part of the album, the last few tracks are more like background score that strings the film rather than individual song tracks that are listened to. The last part lacks closure, the last one comes off as atmospheric, but it is a little weak in context to how one would expect it to end.
Album Artwork and Visuals
The images on the album covers and videos accompanying the album are equally important as the songs in the album. The abstract images on the cover art makes the listeners appreciate the experimental nature of the album. The propagandistic images contained in the videos and advertisement correlate to the end of the world scheme giving the audience deeper appreciation to the world Gambino has created.
Reception and Critic Reviews
The criticism surrounding “Bando Stone and the New World” is very diverse. Some laud it for going the extra mile and merging various genres; others complain about the incoherence and lack of originality. There is an added depth to every album by linking it to some kind of a film but at the same time, such depth is in detriment to some of the songs, which end up sounding like mere accompaniments instead of being potential hits.
Sales Performance and Chart Success
Edited in terms of sakes, the album has managed to sell adequately since it was able to crack the top 10 positions on some charts. It has however failed to achieve the level of commercial success that some of Gambino’s past works have reached and this is speculated to be because of the experimental nature of the album and that of the film that was released with it which had a specific audience.
Audience and Fan Reactions
Fans of Childish Gambino have been divided on this album for some reasons. Persuasively, there are long adherents who admire the invasion of multiple genres whilst some miss a more uniform, refined attitude like in “Awaken, My Love!”. It has also resulted in divided opinions among his followers with some praising while others feeling disappointed in it.
The Album’s Overall Impact
Strengths
- Fresh Originality: When an album is combined with a story oriented film, the experience of the album is multiplied several fold.
- Genre Exploration: Gambino’s openness to try different approaches in music helps give an element of surprise in the album.
- Collaborations: Some singers such as Amaarae, Flo Milli, and Jorja Smith amongst others make great contributions in a few songs lifting the level of the album.
Weaknesses
- Inconsistency: Because of the experimental aspect of the album, some songs are felt to be misplaced and lack completion.
- Lack of Originality: Too much of influences from various figures such as Kanye West diminishes the voice of Gambino.
- Limited Stand out Tracks: There are songs that shine and stand out but the majority of them work on the clips more as an accompaniment than a song that can stand alone.
Conclusion
Bando Stone and the New World is a smart and creative work which has advanced the definition of how an album can be understood. It is however limited by the narrative and experiments with music structure rather than color. If ‘Because the Internet’ is Gambino’s last work, it indeed lingers on the listener’s mind but also leaves a sense of disappointment as to how the album would sound if it was more focused on the music rather than the story.
FAQs
What is “Bando Stone and the New World”?
It is the latest album by Childish Gambino whose music also serves as the soundtrack for the film with the same title.
What unique themes does the album consist of?
With each of these genres, the album incorporates added twists from genres such as alt-rock, ballades, and electronica.
Of whom are the featured artists on the album ?
Album contains a number of collaborations with Amaarae, Flo Milli, and Jorja Smith.
How have the fans responded to that album?
The fans’ reactions are polarized, some of them appreciate the artistry while some think that the album is a little incoherent.
Was the album successful on the charts?
Yes, it was in the top 10 debut position on some charts but did not attain the level of commercial success as Gambino’s earlier works.
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