"Awaken, My Love!"
by Childish Gambino
User Score
8.5

Universal acclaim- based on 448 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 410 out of 448
  2. Mixed: 20 out of 448
  3. Negative: 18 out of 448
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  1. AGenericName
    Dec 5, 2016
    5
    'Awaken, My Love!' signals the continuation of Childish Gambino's shift away from of his signature cartoonish brand hip hop for more ambitious projects, choosing for the first time to abandon hip hop almost entirely. Like the album's predecessor, this new project brings forth new songs that immediately rank among the best of his catalogue, with 'Redbone' and 'Me and Your Mama' easily being'Awaken, My Love!' signals the continuation of Childish Gambino's shift away from of his signature cartoonish brand hip hop for more ambitious projects, choosing for the first time to abandon hip hop almost entirely. Like the album's predecessor, this new project brings forth new songs that immediately rank among the best of his catalogue, with 'Redbone' and 'Me and Your Mama' easily being contenders for the best singles of 2016. Unfortunately, like it's predecessor the album, despite refreshingly ambitious, is frustratingly hit-or-miss.

    The album's opener is absolutely stunning, a psychedelic soul masterpiece, with Gambino delivering a performance unrecognizable to the unremarkable hooks delivered on 'Camp' or the apathetic displays of affection running through his projects. The pure weight of this experience inevitably raises the bar high for this album, which is immediately dashed in the next couple of tracks.

    'Have Some Love' and 'Boogieman', like most of the songs on the album, have clear influences that can be appreciated. Unfortunately these two songs in particular are absolutely gutted by abysmal vocal performances and awful lyricism. Childish Gambino on Boogieman can only be described as sounding like a cross between Woody Allen and the singer from Korn, whereas 'Have Some Love' appears to have Gambino impersonating Young Thug having an asthma attack. Sonically these songs are definitely some of the more interesting on the album, but the obnoxious vocal delivery make them a chore to listen to, especially after listening to the quality of the vocals on the album's opener.

    'California' is a terrible track. The autotuned vocals alongside awful lyrics and upbeat reggae beat, leaves the genuine question: 'Why is this song on the album?'. The song sounds ridiculously out of place sandwiched between two of the albums more dramatic songs, and the quality has even led 'die-hard' fans of Gambino to claim this is parody of 'mumble-rap', an absurd notion on an album that takes itself as serious as this. Fortunately this is not a running trend on 'Awaken, My Love', as even the less interesting but pleasant to listen to songs, such as 'Zombies' and 'Baby Boy', see Gambino delivering decent vocal performances.

    Despite the album's shortcomings, Gambino does produce some truly stunning tracks with 'Redbone' highlight in not only the album but his career so far, making excellent use of the deceptively simplistic instrumental coupled with his pitch-shifted and filtered vocals. 'Terrified' and 'Stand Tall' showcase Gambino's ability to deliver a heavyweight performance in a song, without slipping into melodrama, both including sublime vocals on Gambino's part. 'Riot', the short and sweet funk explosion, definitely sticks out as one of the albums best tracks, without being derivative.

    The album easily ranks as Childish Gambino's most mature and it is certainly admirable to see an established artist ditch the roots he based his entire career around, in service of creating something as ambitious as 'Awaken, My Love'. The disappointment of this album sadly is that when it hits, it is great, when it misses, it is awful.    … Expand
  2. LilScience
    Jan 15, 2022
    5
    Um álbum que traz referências do jazz junto com o r&b, não acho tão espetacular mas reconheço seu valor. 'Awaken, My Love!' é um álbum mediano meio experimental em suas misturas de batidas, porém aos meus ouvidos pecou muito nas batidas que não me agradaram muito.

    Faixas favoritas: Riot, Redbone e Baby Boy.
  3. All_ButTrU4
    Feb 12, 2022
    5
    Awaken, My Love!' signals the continuation of Childish Gambino's shift away from of his signature cartoonish brand hip hop for more ambitious projects, choosing for the first time to abandon hip hop almost entirely. Like the album's predecessor, this new project brings forth new songs that immediately rank among the best of his catalogue, with 'Redbone' and 'Me and Your Mama' easily beingAwaken, My Love!' signals the continuation of Childish Gambino's shift away from of his signature cartoonish brand hip hop for more ambitious projects, choosing for the first time to abandon hip hop almost entirely. Like the album's predecessor, this new project brings forth new songs that immediately rank among the best of his catalogue, with 'Redbone' and 'Me and Your Mama' easily being contenders for the best singles of 2016. Unfortunately, like it's predecessor the album, despite refreshingly ambitious, is frustratingly hit-or-miss.

    The album's opener is absolutely stunning, a psychedelic soul masterpiece, with Gambino delivering a performance unrecognizable to the unremarkable hooks delivered on 'Camp' or the apathetic displays of affection running through his projects. The pure weight of this experience inevitably raises the bar high for this album, which is immediately dashed in the next couple of tracks.

    'Have Some Love' and 'Boogieman', like most of the songs on the album, have clear influences that can be appreciated. Unfortunately these two songs in particular are absolutely gutted by abysmal vocal performances and awful lyricism. Childish Gambino on Boogieman can only be described as sounding like a cross between Woody Allen and the singer from Korn, whereas 'Have Some Love' appears to have Gambino impersonating Young Thug having an asthma attack. Sonically these songs are definitely some of the more interesting on the album, but the obnoxious vocal delivery make them a chore to listen to, especially after listening to the quality of the vocals on the album's opener.

    'California' is a terrible track. The autotuned vocals alongside awful lyrics and upbeat reggae beat, leaves the genuine question: 'Why is this song on the album?'. The song sounds ridiculously out of place sandwiched between two of the albums more dramatic songs, and the quality has even led 'die-hard' fans of Gambino to claim this is parody of 'mumble-rap', an absurd notion on an album that takes itself as serious as this. Fortunately this is not a running trend on 'Awaken, My Love', as even the less interesting but pleasant to listen to songs, such as 'Zombies' and 'Baby Boy', see Gambino delivering decent vocal performances.

    Despite the album's shortcomings, Gambino does produce some truly stunning tracks with 'Redbone' highlight in not only the album but his career so far, making excellent use of the deceptively simplistic instrumental coupled with his pitch-shifted and filtered vocals. 'Terrified' and 'Stand Tall' showcase Gambino's ability to deliver a heavyweight performance in a song, without slipping into melodrama, both including sublime vocals on Gambino's part. 'Riot', the short and sweet funk explosion, definitely sticks out as one of the albums best tracks, without being derivative.

    The album easily ranks as Childish Gambino's most mature and it is certainly admirable to see an established artist ditch the roots he based his entire career around, in service of creating something as ambitious as 'Awaken, My Love'. The disappointment of this album sadly is that when it hits, it is great, when it misses, it is awful.    … Expand

Awards & Rankings

22
#22 Most Discussed Album of 2016
29
#29 Most Shared Album of 2016

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
77

Generally favorable reviews - based on 25 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 20 out of 25
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 25
  3. Negative: 0 out of 25
  1. Mixmag
    Jan 6, 2017
    90
    Charming, incredibly soulful and emotionally charged, this record introduces us to a whole new, golden side of Donald Glover--and should elevate him to a new level of stardom.
    Read full review
  2. HipHopDX
    Jan 3, 2017
    80
    The album transpires without so much as a lyrical couplet--exchanging raps for electromagnetic soul and fluorescent funk--and will ultimately be remembered for its experimentation over its execution.
    Read full review
  3. Mojo
    Dec 20, 2016
    60
    This radiantly executed effort is also, curiously, Childish Gambino's most anonymous. [Feb 2017, p.92]]
See all critic reviews »