After four years of experimenting with new styles and figuring out how to tell his story, R&B artist Bryson Tiller released his eponymous studio album “Bryson Tiller” on Friday, April 5. After kicking off his music career in 2015 after the release of his hit debut single “Don’t,” Tiller emerged as one of the most influential R&B artists of this generation, tying in his personal story in every track that he’s released. 

Tiller released “Bryson Tiller” four years after the release of “ANNIVERSARY.” His inspiration for “Bryson Tiller” came from years of experimentation to create the perfect blend to tell his story. Tiller is famous for incorporating his vocals throughout his songs to create a melodic flow, and that same style can be heard throughout “Bryson Tiller.”

Since Tiller hadn’t released an album in over four years, many R&B enthusiasts were convinced that Tiller had fallen off his throne. After taking the R&B world by storm from 2015 to 2020, fans felt that Tiller was now out of the rap game. However, he  came back even better than before, proving that he’s more than capable of adapting to the newer styles of R&B that are becoming increasingly popular. “There’s different types of vibes on here. I can take it to many different places, make so many new fans, and try new things,” Tiller said in an interview with Billboard. 

It’s safe to say that Tiller did not disappoint with these tracks. The songs flow together well and bring back that “old Tiller” vibe that fans have been longing for. However, a few tracks seem a little “forced” with the rest of the album because of their pop-style flow. The song “Assume The Position” has a completely different vibe to it compared to the rest of the album, making it seem a little out of place. 

The album cover was also odd compared to Tiller’s older albums. The cover gives off a retro, sci-fi theme, and even though that was what Tiller was aiming for, the songs don’t convey the same feeling as the album cover. 

From the perspective of a new listener, this album can be a little disappointing. Despite the new, experimental sound that Tiller brings to his discography, it can very easily be lost in the many references to his past work that a new listener might not be familiar with.  Veteran listeners hear glimpses of a younger Bryson Tiller in a more mature setting, while new listeners simply don’t have that context. A new listener might recognize the hit single “Whatever She Wants” on the album due to its popularity on social media apps like Instagram and TikTok, but the rest of the unrecognizable tracks hurt the self-titled album when attracting new listeners. However, this little recognizability enables old listeners to be given a completely new track list to love and enjoy.

To target new listeners, the album needs time to marinate and settle so that the track list can grow on them. Dubbed the  “Certified Lover Boy” effect, this would help Tiller grow his fan base even more, similar to how the Drake album “Certified Lover Boy” grew on Drake’s fans.

The album is very refreshing in the sense that it ties in Tiller’s old vocals with a newer style of R&B elements. Tiller has proved that he’s not done yet and that he has a lot planned for the future for his fans. It’s safe to say that he’s back and he’s better. 

“Bryson Tiller” is available on all streaming platforms.