On April 5, Bryson Tiller dropped his self-titled album , “Bryson Tiller.” The artist hasn’t released a full studio project since “ANNIVERSARY” in 2020, despite its re-release as a deluxe edition the following year. With 19 tracks, including two features; one from Victoria Monet and one from Clara La San, the album stays true to the artist’s style, each of the songs except for “Whatever She Wants” appearing heavily influenced by 90s and early 2000s R&B.
While discussing the release in an interview with Complex Magazine, Tiller explains that the album was meant to be a compilation of “all the things that Bryson Tiller is capable of,” and that after his upcoming tour, he plans on taking a step back from the music industry to spend time with his daughters and to work on other projects, like video game design.
Tiller claimed that his main goal with this album was to express himself and that it’s intended to provide a more genuine reflection of who he is than any of his other work. Although many of the songs are reminiscent of his first hit single “Don’t”, in terms of tempo and genre, the lyrics are more in line with the artist’s personal experiences and current values. The addition of “Whatever She Wants,” which was originally released over a year ago as a part of the artist’s Soundcloud mixtape, “Slum Tiller”, creates a contrast between the more mellow songs preceding it, showcasing the artist’s versatility, highlighting his personal and artistic growth.
Tiller manages to develop a narrative throughout the album, each song following his thoughts and feelings towards what seems to be a singular woman, embracing the kind of relationship dynamics that are rarely portrayed in current R&B and rap. In a way, this is the artist setting himself apart from the industry he’s a part of and could be read as a critique of the lack of diversity when it comes to how women are often discussed in music.
Due to the subject matter staying consistent, the songs appear incredibly similar at first listen, and some of the interludes don’t seem to contribute much to the album as a whole. However, Tiller manages to incorporate elements that can be appreciated by anyone, like the sample from “Wait” by the Ying Yang Twins on ”Outside”. Other songs, like “Ciao”, “Calypso”, “Attention” and “RAM”, have already secured their spots on Billboard 100 R&B, alongside “Whatever She Wants,” which has been resting around the number 4 spot since its debut on major streaming platforms.
