Chris Brown has been rolling out the preview singles for his upcoming album, Heartbreak on a Full Moon, in rapid succession, with three new tracks coming last week and another trio of tracks already available today. Along with "Everybody Knows" and "Pull Up" (which you can check out on our songs page), Breezy is presenting his listeners with "Hope You Do," a slightly melancholic slow jam that fits into the same mold as some of his previous, more brooding work.
While his romantic life, as far as what he's made public, has been spotty at best, Brown takes on the role of hopelessly infatuated drinker on this song, his vocal delivery seemingly melting straight into the moody instrumental. The mix seemed a little unbalanced on first listen, as if the bass line was swallowing Brown's lyrics whole, but repeated plays might also smooth that abrupt sonic experience over a little bit. There's a sense of foreboding from the singer on this track, as if he knows that success in courting the woman he's had his eye on might be a tall order, but the liquid encouragement seems to be going a long way. For what it's worth, Drake took a similar stance on the more upbeat "One Dance," with the bouncier instrumental compensating for the sadder-than-they-sound lyrics.
The real question continues to be about the album itself: what kind of listening experience will that translate into for Brown's core audience. Even for his die-hards, 45 tracks on one double release seems a little excessive, with going through that kind of material bordering on a mission that will feel like homework to some. That's not to say that the quality won't be there, as Brown has had a renaissance of sorts with tracks like "Privacy," "Party" and "High End." Hopefully the rest of his new album will follow suit and continue to solidify Breezy as one of the most prolific and interesting personalities working in R&B and hip-hop today.
Quotable Lyrics
Girl, sorry if I'm slurring my words
I've been drinking
Mixing that liquor
I rolled up when I woke up
I brought more if you want some
