“Are we gonna die?”
“Not tonight.”
Screeching metallic sounds and a haunting pipe organ ostinato surround you. Suddenly, they give way to an ear-shattering bass drop, energetic vocal samples slicing through. This is the intro to “H3@RT$ W3RE M3@NT T0 F7¥,” the opening track in Childish Gambino’s latest album “Bando Stone and The New World.”
For the next hour, the album’s 17 songs jump between mellow instrumentals, energetic rap and heavenly ballads that converge to form a beautiful and uplifting soundtrack. But while songs like “Lithonia,” “Yoshinoya,” “Survive” and “No Excuses” are amazing on their own, the final product lacks the cohesion that would make it an even more enjoyable listening experience.
Bando Stone and The New World marks the fifth full studio album by Childish Gambino, a stage name for the acclaimed writer, actor, singer and rapper Donald Glover, 40.
The album is produced by frequent collaborator Ludwig Göransson. He is best known for his award-winning scores written for “Oppenheimer” and “The Mandalorian.” The other producer is DJ Dahi, who collaborated with Glover on his previous album 3.15.20, later renamed Atavista.
Known for his experimental styles that shift between pop, R&B and hip hop, Glover has put out award-winning albums and singles such as Because the Internet, Awaken, My Love and “This is America.” Those works have earned him a total of 12 Grammy nominations and five Grammys.
This album represents a shift from his previous projects, as it will form the soundtrack for his upcoming movie of the same name, directed by and starring Glover as the main character, Bando Stone.
The movie, which has a trailer but has yet to be given a release date, follows Stone, a famous musician, as he attempts to create his magnum opus in the middle of an empty, post-apocalyptic world.
Snippets of dialogue from the movie between Stone and his two companions, a woman and her child, can be heard at the beginning and ends of multiple tracks. While these sometimes can interrupt the listening experience — like when clumsily Glover comments on a lack of bidets at the end of “Running Around” — they sometimes make for impactful moments, such as the aforementioned exchange at the very beginning of the album.
Additionally, Glover has stated that this album will be his last under the Childish Gambino persona as he transitions to working on more projects using his actual name. As one example, his multimedia production company GILGA is producing the film accompanying the album.
This idea of finality and the themes of legacy and creation are present in the trailers for the movie as well as many parts of the album, like on “Can You Feel Me,” which features vocals from Glover’s son, Legend. On “Survive,” the third track of the album, Glover raps: “It’s a new verse with my old flow / There’s a new world and an old one.”
The album’s songs encompass various styles which Glover has explored throughout his tenure as an artist, creating a seemingly self-reflective send-off to this stage of his career.
While the album leans into every avenue it tries to take, some tracks ultimately fall short while others get better and better with every listen. Songs like “Can You Feel Me” or “We Are God,” although creative in concept, end up overstaying their welcome and sounding repetitive.
The sheer breadth of the album itself makes up for most of these issues, however. Songs like the single “In the Night” showcase a low-key pop vibe with a bold electronic background, while, just a few songs prior, “Talk My Sh*t” features almost sarcastically cheesy lines like “I’ma make a billi’ like I’m Eilish / You can’t see me flyin’ ’cause it’s private.”
On one hand, the 7-minute long track “No Excuses” sees Glover’s drifting vocal melodies joined by saxophonist Kamasi Washington to form a soothing, ethereal experience. On the other hand, just two songs prior in “Yoshinoya,” Glover joins in on the beef with the rapper Drake as multiple lines of the second verse seemingly sneak-diss him: “Rather die a good man with a bad wife / These n— almost fifty, and they dressing like a hype beast”
Standing out from the rest is the single “Lithonia,” a rock-like anthem sung passionately by Glover, where energetic drum beats and stirring piano melodies fuse with catchy yet emotional lyrics.
While Glover balances this wide array of styles fairly well throughout the run of the album, the fact that the accompanying movie, along with much of the context behind the sudden shifts in tone, has yet to be revealed, the transitions between songs can feel jarring or sometimes even incoherent.
Despite this album’s imperfections, Glover manages to pull off a decidedly satisfying send-off to this part of his career filled with highs and lows, capturing the energy that has defined his music for the past decade.
And although many of his fans may be divided over the album, I rate Bando Stone and The New World 4 out of 5 Falcons, standing with those who argue it’s some of his best work.