AOTW: WASTELAND
I’m sorry in advance if i let you down.
Christopher brent wood, known professionally as brent faiyaz, dropped his third studio album, wasteland on july 8, 2022. the project was worked on throughout the covid-19 pandemic, which was widely considered a turbulent, chaotic time period. brent personally describes that arc of humanity as confusing, full of loss and intense, which were elements and feelings he tried to capture in his album. the album follows a storytelling style; brent tried to paint a storyline with each song as he drew inspiration from filmmakers like quentin tarantino.
The album opens up with "villain's theme" as brent addresses the toxic "player" label that critics have attached to his music, embracing and expressing it as honesty to live in his truth and embrace his flaws, even if it could seem uncomfortable. some core themes the album circulates are the "price of fame" which he sings about in the song titled... "price of fame," as he reflects on the success he's gained through the years, and how such attention has affected himself and his relationships with others.
brent dives into feelings of emotional detachment and relationship conflict with songs like rolling stone, and skit: oblivion + Skit: wake up call. a desire for connections and a problem with emotional responsibility are feelings brent openly talks about, while fully understanding that the "wasteland" he openly sings about is largely due to self inflicted choices; self awareness mixed with denial.
as the album finishes with the track "angel," brent faiyaz takes a moment to reflect, as a moment of pure vulnerability finally causes him to end years of deflection, while pleading for forgiveneess as he sings: "dont ever leave my side, girl i'd die." overall, wasteland is a well thought out r&b record that tells a story amidst tracks that blend dark production with themes of self exposure and introspection. as brent faiyaz continues to drop new music and explore newer themes, wasteland remains an important artistic moment in his catalog.
9/10