Now, admittedly, I am walking into this album a bit torn. If you read the review I posted yesterday for Travis’s first album “Rodeo,” you’ll remember that I actually quite enjoyed it. I loved Travis’s style of creating very dark and nocturnal trap bangers, and I could actually see how his work would go on to inspire a number of big-name trap-rap artists today. However, this very quick follow-up to “Rodeo” had me torn not because it came so soon after, but because I heard wildly mixed things about it: some people hold it in very high esteem (and even consider it one of the best albums of 2016, which is not easy to do because of how many great albums there were in 2016), but I’ve also heard several people say that it was a pretty bad album of what felt like “Rodeo” leftovers. So, with all of this in my head going into the record, how will I feel in the end? Let’s find out.
(NOTE: On digital outlets like Spotify, only Young Thug’s guest appearance is credited, and otherwise, all other features are not. I wanted to have a little fun with this, so I will credit every feature, including Young Thug, in lowercase letters. Since every title is in lowercase on Spotify, I want to have a little fun with crediting the features, so they will be listed in lowercase letters. Just thought it’d be fun to try.)
the ends (ft. andré 3000): Opening things up, Travis recruits the legend himself André 3000 to help spit some bars about the duo’s respective hometowns (Houston for Travis, Atlanta for André), and André gets extremely personal, as he talks about the survivor’s guilt that he had to face while watching children get murdered in Atlanta. Travis’s vocals on the intro remain interesting, and the autotune filters really add some character to his voice, but I don’t really find the production quite as interesting here. It’s still moody and rather minimal, but the percussion is just somewhat boring and generic. Still, the hook is pretty cool, and I do think Travis and André have some great flow on their verses, so while this isn’t the strongest start to the album, it’s not all bad.
way back: A song that discusses Travis’s struggle rising to fame, Travis recruits Kid Cudi as well as Swizz Beats (who has some sampled ad-libs that seem to come from his appearance on Kanye West's "Power (Remix)") to make another really minimal, somewhat nocturnal cut. I once again don’t really find much of the production all that sticky on this one, but I do dig Travis’s hook and his autotune-assisted vocals, and his performance is certainly energetic as well. At first, I was wondering why Cudi and Swizz Beats weren’t really credited as “features,” but given how minimal their appearances are…yeah, I get it. I also find that the feel change in the second part of the song just ends up coming off as somewhat dull as well, unfortunately. It’s still got some good things going for it, but I just wish the production backed it up a bit better.
coordinate (ft. blac youngsta): Right here, Travis just turns up and talks about his party life, and he brings something a bit more high-energy. The instrumentals are still largely low-key and emotional, but the song is a bit more fast-paced and upbeat than the others. I, once again, don’t really find the production quite as distinct or interesting as it was on “Rodeo,” but it’s still fun enough, and Travis’s vocals once again mesh well with those instrumentals, even if it doesn’t sound like he’s trying too hard to mix things up here. Blac Youngsta appears at the beginning to give something of a “motivational speech,” and while it’s probably not the most memorable thing in the world, it’s still interesting enough, and the hook is very strong. A pretty good track, all things considered.
through the late night (ft. kid cudi): Travis pulls Cudi right back on this one (apparently, Cudi is Travis’s idol), as the two just continue to flex and party like Travis did on the last track. Cudi leads it off with some humming (his trademark) and follows that up with a pretty clunky hook. His verse is a bit better, but once again, I find the production on this to be rather dull and bland, not playing well enough to Travis’s typical dark, nocturnal bangers and instead just feeling more unenthusiastic this time around. And while his flow on his verse is fine enough, I don’t think his usual vocal charm is here, and his vocals don’t feel quite as colorful as his better songs. Definitely one of the weaker cuts on the album.
beibs in the trap (ft. nav): You know, this album has unfortunately not been off to a great start, but hey, maybe a NAV feature will turn this thing around! Great, just as I was starting to get the sour taste of NAV’s last album “Reckless” out of my mouth, I have to listen to him on this. And apparently, he’s also on “ASTROWORLD,” too. Lovely. Either way, NAV and Travis use Justin Bieber’s nickname (slightly misspelled, by the way) as a reference to cocaine, as they continue to talk all about drugs. Admittedly, I kinda liked NAV’s hook here, but I found his verse to just be too repetitive, and again, the production doesn’t play to the strengths Travis showed on “Rodeo.” Where that album’s production was so interestingly moody and sticky, it feels like he’s selling himself short here and just going for very generic trap production. Sure, his vocals are still fine enough, but without a good support structure behind him (or NAV), the song falls a bit flat.
sdp interlude: “S.D.P.,” for those unaware, stands for “smoke, drink, pop,” which is supposed to describe Travis’s lifestyle even though that’s apparently a big contradiction because he supposedly doesn’t really drink or smoke that much, and doesn’t do any hard drugs. Hmm…strange. Either way, while this interlude is very repetitive (pretty much all of the lyrics are “smoke some, drink some, pop one”), I actually think the production here is the most interesting so far on the record, with some really slick percussion and a better sense of the moody vibe that Travis pulled off so successfully on “Rodeo.” If this cut had a bit more beef to it (I know it’s an interlude, but more than just “smoke some, drink some, pop one” would’ve been nice), it would easily be one of my favorites on the album, but as it is, it’s a nice enough interlude.
sweet sweet: Here, Travis talks about a relationship that seems to be struggling because it's rooted so far into drug culture. Once again, I actually think the production on this track is far better than most of the others on here, with a dark, sinister edge to it that plays more to Travis’s ear for production, and I like Travis’s smooth flow and fun performance on his verse. The only thing that really stops me from really loving the song is that I’m not all that crazy about the hook; it feels a bit unfocused and just not quite as catchy as some of Travis’s best hooks. Still, it’s not a bad track, and maybe it’ll grow on me with a few more listens.
outside (ft. 21 savage): Okay, I was wrong on this one. My first thought when I saw this was, “oh, lovely, when the album is not going all that well, who do you call in as a feature to help things out? 21 Savage, one of the most boring, one-note, one-dimensional rappers in today’s industry.” But then I remembered, he’s had a few decent guest appearances on albums I’ve reviewed. And fortunately, he actually comes through decently on here! The song talks about Travis’s close friends that may not be able to go in the club with him, but can still have fun outside. I like Travis’s autotune-assisted vocals throughout the song and, while I still feel like he’s selling himself a bit short on the production to a degree (some of it still feels a bit generic, like the beat), I do think some of the cool, dark sonic effects really work. And admittedly, I do think 21 Savage’s verse has some nice energy, and the autotune effects help add a bit of character to his performance. Definitely a really good track, maybe the album will bounce back from here.
goosebumps (ft. kendrick lamar): Okay, this was the album’s biggest single, and it has Kendrick Lamar on it, so I walked in hoping this one would keep the ship sailing in the right direction. Interestingly enough, after most of the previous songs have been about drugs and partying and all that, this one is actually a love song, where Travis and Kendrick talk about the feelings they have for their lovers, specifically when she’s not there. Travis’s ear for hooks is on full display here, as he crafts what might be one of the album’s best hooks, and I also think he, fortunately, held nothing back with the production here, creating something more eerie and nocturnal that plays more to his strengths as an artist. His vocals throughout actually have that interesting edge to them that was present on “Rodeo,” and I like Kendrick’s fast-paced flow and charismatic performance on his verse. Definitely one of the album’s best, and it looks like things are picking up nicely from here.
first take (ft. bryson tiller): Things getting back in order here, and now we have Bryson Tiller on a cut. I’ve only heard a few of Tiller’s songs, but I do think he’s got some nice vocals, so maybe he’ll complement Travis nicely here. And keeping things in the theme of love, Travis and Bryson talk about women that they couldn’t live without and would dedicate themselves to, even if their love is entirely one-sided. This track takes things a bit slower, and while Travis has some cool vocal effects on his hook, I don’t really get any strong, interesting vibes from the production here, as it just feels less distinct than most of his other stuff. The hook is also a bit too relaxed for me, and while Bryson Tiller sounds nice, he does kinda feel like a “dollar store Chris Brown” on his verse. I’ve definitely heard better than this, and I think we’re back at that roadblock with this track.
pick up the phone (with young thug ft. quavo): Oddly enough, Young Thug’s appearance is the only “feature” or “guest appearance” that is credited on the album. Wonder why that is. Either way, this is another song about wanting to be faithful to a girl that doesn’t quite love them back, something I’m sure quite a few of us can relate to. The hook is pretty fun, and I think Travis and Thugger’s voices surprisingly mesh well together. The synths are also nicely dreamy, and I find the production as a whole to be a bit more interesting than most of the rest of the album. And even though Quavo doesn’t get quite as much time on this one, he still has some fun, catchy flows, and decent vocals. Good track!
lose: This song was originally called “shit to lose,” so given that title, I’m already guessing it’s about Travis talking about his adjustments to fame and how he feels he has “shit to lose” as a now-popular artist. You know, Genius.com called the production on this one “chilled,” but honestly, with the heavy horns throughout, I have to wonder what their definition of “chilled” is. Honestly, those horns do sound a bit generic to me, and while Travis’s vocals do sound fine overall, I don’t really find the hook all that sticky. I do like some of the weird sonic mixing elements of this one, though, and Cassie’s guest vocals are solid as well. It’s not one of the album’s best, but it’s a decent track that’s definitely far from the worst.
guidance (ft. k. forest): Another track about failed relationships, Travis and his guest artist K. Forest take on what appears to be something of a dancehall song. So yes, another rapper is trying to experiment with a dancehall vibe, DRAKE WHAT HAVE YOU DONE? Once again, I don’t really dig the production all that much, I think the bright feel of it just doesn’t do Travis too many favors, and his unfocused flow just doesn’t really mesh all that well with the production. His vocals still sound smooth and nice enough, though I didn’t find K. Forest’s guest appearance all that distinct (honestly, I didn’t even know someone different was singing when he came in). Another unfortunately weak cut.
wonderful (ft. the weeknd): Okay, I see what you’re doing, Travis. You know I love The Weeknd, and you know The Weeknd’s amazing, so you’re saving The Weeknd’s track for the end. Save the best for last. I’m with it, I’m with it. Anyway, to end things off, Travis and The Weeknd talk about their massively successful runs in 2015 over a more upbeat, but still somewhat nocturnal instrumental. While the production isn’t extremely distinct, I do think it’s plenty energetic, and I think Travis and The Weeknd’s vocals mesh well together, even if the autotune filters do take away from The Weeknd’s vocal strengths just a tiny bit. Still, the two of them do sound great against the somewhat spacey production here, and even if the doesn’t save the album, it does end things off nicely enough.
I’m sorry, but I definitely think “Birds In The Trap Sing McKnight” is a massive step back from “Rodeo.” Where that album showed Travis in top form not only in regards to his rap flows and autotune-assisted singing but in regards to his ear for production and ability to create such sticky, hazy, moody trap bangers, it feels like he’s holding himself back to a degree here. His vocals are still solid, and his flows are still fine, but it definitely feels like he’s selling himself short in regards to his production. Maybe it’s the fact that the instrumentals don’t take enough risks compared to “Rodeo,” maybe it’s that it feels like an undercooked version of “Rodeo,” it’s hard to tell, but regardless of what it is, the production just doesn’t stick quite as well as it does with “Rodeo.” And again, while Travis is still an interesting performer, if you don’t have a strong support structure, you’re going to fall.
Now, is the album COMPLETELY unredeemable? Well, no, I mean, it’s still listenable, and I’m sure hardcore Travis fans will eat it right up (or rather, they HAVE eaten it up since it’s been out for a couple years now). And I’m sure if you go into it with your expectations a bit lower, you’ll find some enjoyment, though that might be hard because, as this is a follow-up to the excellent 2015 album “Rodeo,” you should expect any kind of follow-up to that to be great. Unfortunately, as I said, Travis and his features do their best to work over a series of tracks that aren’t extremely well-produced, and unfortunately, they just can’t do it. The first half of the album, outside of “coordinate” (which is still a flawed track) is extremely lackluster, and things only end up going from “lackluster” to “inconsistent” in the second half, where the few really solid songs on the album are mixed with a few less-than-stellar tracks. All things considered, “Birds In The Trap Sing McKnight” isn’t one of the worst things you’ll ever listen to, but after how great “Rodeo” was, it’s most certainly a disappointment.
But next up, the moment you’ve been waiting for…"ASTROWORLD."
Favorite tracks: coordinate, outside, goosebumps, pick up the phone, wonderful
Least favorite tracks: through the late night, beibs in the trap, first take, guidance
Rating: Bad
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