Album Review: Brent Faiyaz, ‘Wasteland’

100 years ago T.S. Eliot published his landmark poem “The Waste Land.” The first part of that seminal poem, “The Burial of the Dead,” is steeped in a state of overwhelming disillusionment and destruction, much like the unsavory situations Brent Faiyaz sings through on his long-awaited sophomore album Wasteland. Featuring additional production from the likes of The Neptunes, Raphael Saadiq, and DJ Dahi, and guest appearances from artists such as Drake and Alicia Keys, Wasteland is a thoroughly impressive record that successfully subverts the “toxicity” that has become paramount in Brent’s brand.

As much as Future has become synonymous with toxicity, the same can be said for Brent Faiyaz. You are sure to find some Twitter users calling him the “R&B version” of Future or asserting that Brent is the one true “King of Toxicity.” From Wasteland’s opening track, Brent dispels those notions. “A little more in retrospect, and it might come out harsh / But I think it's just more honest / Let's just keep that shit honest, fuck it,” he says towards the end of the song. The aptly titled “Villain’s Theme,” which is less of a song and more of a meandering conversation between Brent and Jorja Smith, introduces the conversational theme that grounds Wasteland. Through a total of three proper skits, Brent strings together the album’s songs with a story that is as melodramatic as it is intensely plausible.

One of Brent’s biggest draws is how beautifully he sings about the ugliest of situations; Wasteland does not disappoint on that front. As a tortured lover who is plainly honest about their shortcomings as a partner and a person, Brent spends Wasteland adding nuance to the persona he’s created over the past few years. “Toxic” isn’t the word to describe Wasteland. There’s no malice or ill intent behind the protagonist’s actions or decisions, he is simply moving through life in the way that is most truthful to him. On immediate standout “Rolling Stone,” Brent croons “I’m sorry in advance if I let you down” with an impeccable display of vocal layering. His vocal performance here is utterly harrowing; it’s laced with the kind of despair only possible in a person who has unknowingly disappointed loved ones before without any clear direction as to how to change for the better. “Dead Man Walking” finds Brent aimlessly wandering through an emotional night of debauchery in Vegas, another example of how he doesn’t truly relish these unsavory moments.

The skits on Wasteland are gut-wrenching. Over the course of three scenes, the relationship between Chris, the protagonist, and his girlfriend, who he almost exclusively refers to as his “bitch,” evolves from routinely dysfunctional to a crime scene that implies a car crash and a pregnant suicide attempt. Despite the deliberately lethargic pacing of the album’s songs, things get intense very quickly in Wasteland. The stakes are unquestionably high, and that’s a feat that very few artists have been able to pull off lately. Between Brent’s picturesque storytelling and expressive vocal performances, he forces you to care about his characters and how their respective commitments to their respective truths lead them to their demise.

Wasteland features a plethora of producers including No. I.D., Jordan Ware, Sam Wish, and more. In spite of this, the overarching soundscape is remarkably cohesive. The general sparseness of the album’s productions is strikingly minimalist, but the multilayered string arrangements and sensual bass guitar evoke shades of maximalism. That tension is felt in every chord of the album. Wasteland may have a flashy and lengthy list of producers, but the best moments are the self-produced tracks like “All Mine”; The fuzzy synths make that track immediately arresting. Moreover, Brent remains true to his slow-burning roots with songs like “Price of Fame,” which is half 808s-lined ballad and half falsetto showcase session. In the same way that Wasteland’s self-produced moments are among its best, Brent’s solo tracks tend to leave a greater impression than his collaborations. The Tyler, The Creator (“Gravity”) and Drake (“Wasting Time”) collaborations are still terrific; their impact has simply waned since they’ve been available for months. On the other hand, the Alicia Keys-assisted “Ghetto Gatsby” suffers from a lack of chemistry that does not plague songs like the Tre’ Amani-featuring “Addictions.”

Wasteland is a staunch rejection of the sophomore slump. Brent has delivered a truly immersive body of work that expands upon his established sound and simultaneously challenges himself and his audience.

Key Tracks: “Loose Change” | “All Mine” | “Heal Your Heart” (Interlude) | “Price of Fame” | “Role Model”

Score: 75