Album Review: Chris Brown – Royalty
2 min read
After celebrating 10 highly successful years in the music business, Chris Brown continues to amp up the release of his seventh studio album, Royalty. For this release he’s taking the hype tracks down a notch, balancing smooth rhythms with a scattering of bouncing club bangers, putting a huge focus on his stellar vocals.
On the groovier side to the album, with tracks that will have you hooked the second the electro beat drops is single, Zero. The high-energy track with its infectious lyrics perfectly set up for its electro club counterpart with Tayla Parx, Anyway. Rounding out excitement of Royalty, are the bass-filled No Filter, electronic banger Fine By Me, and the slick little number, Wrist, with a feature from Solo Lucci.
But on the smoother, soulful side of the album begins with opener, Back To Sleep. Musically it boasts a similar, deep electronic beat muck like the rest of the album tracks, with a huge spotlight on the questionable lyrics Chris Brown croons, “Just let me rock, fuck you back to sleep girl” / “Don’t say a word no, don’t you talk.” Lyrics like these, deep set in a sexual nature are all too common on Royalty with some being quaint with sensual tension, like Make Love. But Little Bit, like Back To Sleep is heavy with quite the vulgar, sexual references.
Although this is a very hyped up release, the finished product feels deflated. Royalty begins with such momentum that unfortunately begins to lose fire towards the end; many tracks are easily glanced over. Singles, Liquor, Zero, Fine By Me and even promo tracks before them really pumped up the excitement, whereas most of the new tracks aren’t on the same level. While a handful of tracks struggle to leave an impression, it is home to quite a few bangers that are highly memorable. Overall it may need a few listens to truly make the impression you’d expect from an album entitled Royalty.
