NEXT Album Review
Brockhampton - ROADRUNNER: NEW light, new machine
With these reviews, I can’t skip, rewind, replay, or stop the music once I start. I got to play the entire album, straight through, and give my immediate reactions. At the end of each song I’ll decide if I’d replay it or if I’m ready for the NEXT track.
Brockhampton’s sixth studio album, ROADRUNNER: NEW LIGHT, NEW MACHINE was released on April 9th, 2021. Their first project since the 2019 album, Ginger. Features include Danny Brown, JPEGMAFIA, A$AP Rocky, Charlie Wilson, and more across the 14 tracks. I don’t remember much about Ginger, but I like Brockhampton. They’re a boyband of the internet; a talented group of diverse kids that went from social media to superstardom. Super might not be the right word, but they are close, and maybe ROADRUNNER is what will push them to that next level.
1) “BUZZCUT” ft. Danny Brown (prod. Queen Sixties, Jabari Manwa, Video Store, & Johan Lenox)
A sample loop? The bass dropped with the force of Thor slamming down a coffee mug. I’m into the slow progression into the percussion kicks. Kevin Abstract came in breathing fire. He’s energized.This is giving me Kanye West. I’m thinking Graduation era. It’s an electric start. I love the vocal chops on the hook. I wonder how much the Beastie Boys influence this intro. Rick Rubin would like this. Danny Brown’s voice is always appreciated. This is a potent performance. “Niggas blow a lot of smoke like their breath in the wind.” He’s puncturing the pocket. Nice Abbey Road line. Strong verse. Age hasn’t dulled Danny’s blade. Now it’s a mixture of vocals and production switches. “What is God to you niggas?” Well, that’s a good question to end a good song.
2) “CHAIN ON” ft. JPEGMAFIA (prod. Video Store)
I’m going to like the production on this album. A nice mid-tempo bounce. “Go ahead, throw a chain on, nigga,” is the most southern way to open a song. JPEGMAFIA is a rapper I haven’t played much from. He’s spitting it from the chest here. A Family Matters into a Street Fighter reference. He gets bonus points for the That So Raven reference too. He got bars. “It's all talent, perfectly balanced, young Supreme Kai.” Dom McLennon batting second. He sounds charged up. Very crisp lyricism and this beat is great. It’s none of my business but I wonder what Brockhampton’s splits are like. They got more members than the Wu-Tang Clan. Hahaha, they sampled Wu-Tang’s “C.R.E.A.M.” to close it out. Perfect.
3) “COUNT ON ME” (prod. Queen Sixties, Video Store & Jabari Manwa)
A whistle? I like the piano keys. Is that A$AP Rocky? It is. He isn’t featured on the tracklist. He sounds good. Better than he sounded on Testing. I like the Field Mob line. I don’t know about this hook. Not crazy about how poppy it sounds. Very Top 40. SoGoneSoFlexy is not a good rap name, but he has a great voice. You can hear Houston in every word. I like him. His pen is good, but his performance is too short for a lasting impression. Matt Champion sneaks in for the third verse. He doesn’t cut through with much power here, but the lines are heartfelt. This is the weakest track so far. It’s not bad. The production has a soothing warmth to it, and the verses are all solid, but the chorus really kills it for me. I’m leaning toward:
NEXT.
4) “BANKROLL” ft. A$AP Rocky & A$AP Ferg (prod. Jabari Manwa, Video Store & Baird)
Ferg is bringing high energy. You can almost smell the Redbull on his voice. Love how the drums come in. Their beat selection is rich with textures. I’d like Brockhampton to start outsourcing their in-house producers. Ferg’s delivery kept the verse interesting, but no lines jumped out. Rocky is back. A chorus, not a verse. Wish it was a little more hype. Merlyn Wood came in with the umph I was asking for. He has a standout voice and a delivery that works. “Wanna love me like Wimbledon.” He’s owning this track. Rocky saying, “You ain't have many friends, but you the shit to me,” is very funny to me. Imagine being the person who inspired that line. I’m not loving these hooks. They might sound better live. Jabari Manwa on the third verse. A swift flow. Real quick. Nice breakdown at the end. Not a breathtaking record, I don’t feel the urge to replay this one:
NEXT.
5) “THE LIGHT” (prod. Jabari Manwa, Video Store, Baird & Goldwash)
A dial-tone? This is Joba and he’s on a phone call. Sounds like a helicopter in the background. Did he say his mom still lives in the house his dad died in? If so, that’s heavy. “Every headline is a reminder that the world's fucked.” The organ chords came in nicely. This is sounding full. The electric guitar just woke me up. JOBA is bearing his soul. How the production is building around him is masterful. Some of the most personal rapping I’ve heard this year. Starting the song about his father suicide is a heavy subject, but he sounds powerful, not broken. Kevin’s second verse of the album. “Only shot callers I was around was bartendin.” Good line. These guys are inspired by their hurt. Turning pain into art can be a steroid. Easily my favorite thus far. Keeper.
6) “WINDOWS” ft. SoGoneSoFlexy (prod. Kiko Merley, Video Store & Jabari Manwa)
Track six is 6 minutes. I need Brockhampton to produce the next Wu-Tang album. “WINDOWS” is giving me RZA in the basement. SoGoneSoFlexy came in with swagger. His voice is a cheat code. It’s just perfect for rap. Starting to think of Brockhampton as a mature, mainstream Odd Future. I like this. The beat got some grit to it. Merlyn Wood is another member with a voice that jumps out and that delivery, gold. A Phife Dawg line. Ha, I like how they’re hyping up Merlyn. Love the subtle horns. Guitar strums came in as Matt Champion started. They have to drop an instrumental edition. He’s bringing the heat here. This is a passionate group.
Not sure who this is on the hook. It’s well timed. Dom is up next. His pen is poetic. “I watch the clocks melt as the devil dances.” He reminds me of the Flatbush Zombies. The infliction on his voice is rising, sounds like he’s hitting a second gear. I am thoroughly enjoying their hunger. Joba. Love how the beat stripped down. You gotta appreciate these verses. They are thoughtful. If this album was made during the pandemic their time was well spent. A bridge into an interlude. “Fuck the world and all that inhabit it.” bearface kicked his verse off with a Lord of the Ring reference. Not bad. Their longest and most extensive track turned out to be a strong posse cut. Keeper.
7) “I’LL TAKE YOU ON” ft. Charlie Wilson (prod. Jabari Manwarring, Video Store, Chuks Chiejine & Federico Vindver)
Uncle Charlie Wilson came in with the soulful harmonies. Love these high hats. A nice mixbag of vocals. Here you see how they have an ear for blending R&B tones with a House bounce. Not sure who is who here. Everyone is overlapping like a rainbow of colors. This is the first track that sounds like Brockhampton could be a Boy Band. My urge to hear NSync is strong. “I’LL TAKE YOU ON” is an easy-on-the-ears jam that’s placed well in the sequencing. I don’t think I heard any Charlie Wilson in these stacked vocals. Here he is. Closing out the track. I wish they would’ve let him run the train and not be the caboose.
NEXT.
8) “OLD NEWS” ft. Baird (prod. Video Store, williamvanzandt, Baird, Jabari Manwa & JOBA)
Another R&B-leaning record. I like the production, but not crazy about the drums. They don't match the song’s tone in my opinion. They hit with the weight of cinder blocks while the singing is tender. Not sure about this one. Jabari’s hook has kept me more enamored than the verses. If the entire song had no percussion how it drops from under JOBA’s verse, I would have liked it much more. The album leans into a maximalist soundscape, but some minimalism wouldn’t hurt. Beautiful strings. There’s potential here, but my gut says:
NEXT.
9) “WHAT’S THE OCCASION?” (prod. JOBA, Christian Alexander, Video Store & Baird)
Here we go. A thin guitar melody. This feels like a Beatles song. I don’t say that everyday. JOBA has always been my favorite vocalist in the group. I still play “Sad Saturday” occasionally. Whew! This is a moody instrumental. Matt Champion sounds incredible. Ready to say it's his best verse on the album. He’s conveying the emotion that is exuded through the production. “I feel like Boobie Miles under these Friday lights.” The g-funk synth is light, but I love how it sounds. JOBA has had some MVP moments. Good vocals. The Beatles had to inspire this track. I wouldn’t mind if they would lean into more guitar-laden sounds. The outro just exploded like a box of fireworks. Big, beautiful riffs. Unexpected, but a nice surprise.
10) “WHEN I BALL” (prod. Baird, Goldwash & Chad Hugo)
The three count intro. Angelic production. Sounds like pure bliss. I knew with Chad Hugo this one wouldn’t disappoint. Dom is going strong. Heartfelt lyricism is their strong suit. I want to play this on repeat already. He’s good. An uplifting hook. The pitched vocals sound fine. Every Matt Champion verse has gotten better. The reminiscing theme is perfect for this beat. “They knew I would be a fuckin' baller like them posters on the wall.” An easy keeper.
11) “DON’T SHOOT UP THE PARTY” (prod. JOBA, Video Store, Baird & Jabari Manwa)
Kevin Abstract is rapping with his chest out. I like that “I knew 'bout NSYNC 'fore cash could rule me” line. He’s airing out all his frustration. Production got a nice rhythm to it. Wish they called Dr. Dre for him to touch their G-Funk. Some cool nostalgia on the album. They seem to have dug deeper into music history. Don’t hate me for saying Kendrick would’ve sounded CRAZY on this. Another Matt verse, sounding strong. He has to have the most appearances on the album. “These white people don’t love me.” They aren’t holding anything back. Not a bad song. I’ll play it again.
12) “DEAR LORD” (prod. Nick Velez, Bearface & Boylife)
They really outdid themselves with some of these records. From a riot to the church choir. bearface is giving the gospel. I’m into it. Perfect for a Sunday morning. I always knew Brockhampton could make any song, but ROADRUNNER does an excellent job at showing the depth of their palette. A nice penultimate track. Probably won’t come back to it, though.
NEXT.
13) “THE LIGHT PT. II (prod. Williamvanzandt, Baird, Federico Vindver & Video Store)
Gorgeous production. The harmonic sample and guitar chords make for a nice contrast as JOBA whispers. This is going to be a strong outro. No drums. Kevin sounds like he’s ready to pour it all out. All his verses have been honest. Just emptying whatever weighing his heart down. I like the verse. Production gives it so much soul. JOBA with the closing verse. He’s referencing his father again. A lot of emotion on this album. You can tell they are growing up between these albums. I like maturity. These aren’t kids anymore.
Brockhampton’s ROADRUNNER: NEW LIGHT, NEW MACHINE is a well-crafted collection of dynamic records that elevates the American boy band as thoughtful young men navigating their changing lives in a changing country. Their beats are bigger, some of their most pristine, paired with heart-bearing lyricism and timely observation. Songs bloated with too many ideas can feel heavy handed, disregarding how less can be more. Those moments where execution isn’t picture perfect show there is still room for them to grow, but their sentiments always feel sincere. It’s honest music by a passionate collective teetering between pop stardom and growing into rap rockstars.
Final Tally: 5 Skips (of 13)