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9.1
92095
9.1 |
A.V. Club
The music is breathtaking enough that it comes together as personality rather than flaw, conflict rather than failure. When he pushes his voice it sounds like baring his soul, not the limitation of vocal cords
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9.0
92054
9.0 |
Exclaim
Gambino knocks Awaken out of the park. Hopefully, this side of him is here to stay
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9.0
92124
9.0 |
The Music
Full of howling passion and exemplary funk, this is not just some of Gambino's best work, but some of the best out there
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9.0
92273
9.0 |
Mixmag
Charming, incredibly soulful and emotionally charged, this record introduces us to a whole new, golden side of Donald Glover – and should elevate him to a new level of stardom
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8.5
92135
8.5 |
The Line Of Best Fit
A powerful, socially aware album, but one with, slack funk basslines, licks, squeals, and knods to the greats
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8.5
92037
8.5 |
The 405
A vulnerable Funkadelic-inspired take on navigating his fears and romantic musings as a father, lover and friend amidst the times
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8.0
92024
8.0 |
The Observer
Throughout, Glover’s genre fluency is unimpeachable
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8.0
92008
8.0 |
The Guardian
A prog-tinged funk opus situated somewhere between Sly and the Family Stone and Unknown Mortal Orchestra
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8.0
92009
8.0 |
The Irish Times
Adds another destination to his creative map
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8.0
92010
8.0 |
Evening Standard
By the time we get to the flute solo on the closing Stand Tall, we’ve had a thorough trip into vintage black music
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8.0
92011
8.0 |
DIY
Colourful, brilliantly messy, and a fully committed hodge-podge of psych and spacecake croons
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8.0
92055
8.0 |
Clash
We’ve not had much to cheer for this year but it looks like Childish Gambino is offering a light at the end of the tunnel
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8.0
92048
8.0 |
State
The album is an eclectic one, but no track sounds out of place. There was a clear vision that was fulfilled, leaving 12 songs that convey Donald Glover’s songwriting at its finest
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8.0
92143
8.0 |
Paste Magazine
Glover should be lauded as an envoy of music’s past, here to deliver the gospel of the funk and soul greats to the kids, instead of more millennial hip-hop malarkey
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7.7
92067
7.7 |
Gig Soup
For an accessible testimony to the pros, cons and ultimate rewards of love, reinvention and reverence, look no further than Gambino’s most playful record yet
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7.5
92052
7.5 |
Consequence Of Sound
Donald Glover reaches back to find something fueled by fear, love, and beauty
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7.2
92187
7.2 |
Earbuddy
Repeated listens expose its novelty and pacing issues (I’d be more glowing if this were ten minutes shorter), but maybe Glover has figured out this music gig
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7.2
92047
7.2 |
Pitchfork
He ditches rap for lovingly produced funk worship, resulting in his most enjoyable project yet
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7.0
92034
7.0 |
Rolling Stone
Only time will tell if Childish Gambino has remade himself into the post-millennial D'Angelo. But for now, "Awaken, My Love!" is an enthralling trip into the land of funk
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7.0
92155
7.0 |
PopMatters
A fine collection of choice influences, Awaken plays more as an homage to the past than forward-thinking artistic statement from a vital young voice
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6.5
92099
6.5 |
Beardfood
His most enjoyable effort yet, but confusing as hell
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6.5
92049
6.5 |
Under The Radar
It is lush with spacey, psychedelic soul, and Glover's various performances are often accentuated with inventive inflections, inhabiting each song like a character.
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6.0
92056
6.0 |
Drowned In Sound
What we get is an interesting departure from his usual work, but not interesting enough to create the eternal music that he is talented enough to execute
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6.0
92073
6.0 |
Slant Magazine
A maddening ride with an authenticity problem
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6.0
92021
6.0 |
The FT
Collection swerves away from hip-hop towards old-fashioned psychedelic funk and soul, an act of pastiche
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6.0
92167
6.0 |
Mojo
This radiantly executed effort is also, curiously, Childish Gambino's most anonymous. Print edition only
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6.0
92216
6.0 |
Q
What's missing is a sense of Glover himself as a defining character. Print edition only
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6.0
92340
6.0 |
Spectrum Culture
Glover seems content to do entertaining impressions of the giants who came before him, rather than continue forging his own sonic path
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5.8
92036
5.8 |
Pretty Much Amazing
In less capable hands, Awaken, My Love! would be a mess. In Glover’s multifaceted fingers, it’s just fine
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