NEW TRACKS: Childish Gambino - “Me and Your Mama”
If you are a resident of planet Earth, it’s a safe assumption that you probably haven’t been having the best week. But, as the old saying goes, “the night is always darkest before the dawn,” and the November 10th release of Childish Gambino’s new single, “Me and Your Mama,” is perhaps the first ray of sunshine over the horizon. The song is the first single off of his new album, Awaken, My Love!, which is set for release on December 2nd.
As early as the first listen, “Me and Your Mama” creates a clear distinction from Gambino’s earlier work (the critically-acclaimed Camp and Grammy-nominated Because the Internet), characterized by clever wordplay, use of skits, and clean production. Often, fans of Gambino liken him to the sounds of “old Kanye” a la College Dropout and Graduation. They’ll be in for a surprise, though, with new Gambino, who apparently has moved on from Yeezy to another well-known music maverick: Yeezus.
“Mama” is a gospel, psychedelic nightmare – the sound of a demon falling in love. You know how Rogue One is what happens between Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope? “Mama” is the same thing for Yeezus and The Life of Pablo. The three-part hymn begins as a twinkling lullaby, and the calming, hypnotic refrain, “I’m in love when we are smoking that…,” before things begin going south. In a flash, the dream becomes a nightmare, as a psychedelic hard rock riff forms behind the soulful crooning of Gambino, caught in between a screaming match between a demonic laugh and a preaching gospel choir, battling for what can only be Gambino’s soul. He screams his unyielding love, proclaiming, “Girl…you’ve really got me / This isn’t just puppy love.” With one last animalistic screech, the background fades, and we are left where we began, drifting through a funkadelic, oscillating ocean of sounds as the melody fades.
Gambino, who has struggled with depression in the past, artfully weaves his war with himself, a description that will undoubtedly be repeatable across the new album, into the 6-minute single. It perhaps signals a shift in Gambino’s interests; while he has proven his talent in crafting lyrics and regularly made self-deprecating jabs at the unique sound of his voice, this taste of Awaken, My Love! is notable for its production, highlighting audio samples and sweet guitar riffs, taking the spotlight off the lyrics that gave Gambino his wings in the first place.
I would tell you to look out for Donald Glover in the near future, but with Awaken, My Love!, hitting streaming services December 2nd, his AMC show, Atlanta, and his recently-announced role as Lando Calrissian in Disney’s untitled Han Solo movie, I doubt you will have to look far.
-Jake Flum
