Grammy award nominations have been available to speculate on for a few months now, so you may be wondering why I’m just now venting about them. The answer to that question is that venting over award snubs is a year-round hobby of mine and given the proximity of the 2020 Grammy awards, this week felt right.
However, instead of venting as much, I’d rather just spotlight one album in particular that I highly enjoyed from 2019. That album is “When I Get Home” by Solange, which was released in March of last year.
The record itself juxtaposes genres such as R&B, jazz, trap and a few others. Of course, this variety brings along with it some diverse collaborators in Pharrell, Metro Boomin, Playboi Carti, and Tyler, the Creator, among others.
Pharrell’s production influence is felt most heavily on the track “Almeda,” which features The-Dream and the aforementioned Playboi Carti joining alongside Solange to create one of the best songs of the year.
“Almeda” also utilizes the chopped and screwed technique, a hip-hop form that was popularized throughout Solange’s hometown of Houston, Texas. The album itself acts as her tribute of sorts to the city, and no track on the record represents her sentiments more than “Almeda” does.
“When I Get Home” also flows with supreme cohesion as every track feels like a precursor to the next. The play time also clocks in at a brisk 39 minutes, which very much attributes to how easy it is to listen to.
Other standout tracks on the record include, “Stay Flo,” “Down with the Clique,” “Dreams” and “Binz.”
“When I Get Home” is also an album that I purchased which is the biggest endorsement that I can give it, because who does that anymore?
Long story short, I always enjoy watching the Grammy swards because I really enjoy discovering new music and hearing other people talk about music (especially if it’s something I’ve never heard before). That said, “When I Get Home” is a record that deserved more attention due to its originality, its sound and Solange’s orchestral presence throughout.
If you have time, I highly recommend that you give it a listen.
