The boyband, Brockhampton released their fourth studio album, “iridescence,” on Friday, the first album of their new trilogy, “the best years of our lives,” revealing their musical and personal growth.
The group’s previous album trilogy, “SATURATION,” was filled with loud, obscene sounds and lyrics and beats with a more carefree and happy sound. “iridescence” has a more somber feel and puts you in a state of melancholy. It takes a step back to think about everything the group suffered with while still upholding traits from its predecessor.
The second song, “Thug Life” is one of the best on the album in my opinion as it shows a new tone for the rest of the album. The name holds some irony because most people, including myself, expected the song to be energetic and upbeat, but it was toned down with smooth R&B vocals and raps featuring a young boy voice — actually Kevin Abstract — singing the intro.
“Weight” talks about the weight each member carries. Kevin Abstract, the leader of the group, sings about his own struggles with his sexuality, and how he thought he “had a problem” because he is gay.
An ode to the place where the group started, “San Marcos” at first sounds like the perfect outro song — but it’s not, it just sets the tone for the last two songs. A lyric from the song is, “I want more out of life than this” hinting at a brighter future for the group and a yearning to move on from its past.
“Fabric,” is one of the greatest outros I’ve heard in a while. It is as dark as it is truthful. Even the line, “don’t mind me, I’m just killin’ time you can pick me to pieces /but if you got a lifeline, throw it, throw it” has a sense of existentialism to it.
The closing of the song is a completely different sound with the members stating “it’s the best years of our lives” in reference to “the best years of our lives” trilogy. They’ve gained a lot of fame, but who knows what will happen in the future for them — is this their peak or will they continue to grow?
“iridescence” is a well made album, but the downcast feeling to it makes me not want to pick it up as often as their other albums.
It’s full of different emotions and is more of an open book to their thoughts and feelings rather than catchy songs you can sing.