Ungodly Hour Album Review
This week, Chloe x Halle released their sophomore album, Ungodly Hour. Here’s our track-by-track breakdown. But first, a look at the artists. This is an R&B sister duo who first broke out with a cover of Beyoncé’s “Pretty Hurts.” With the release of their debut LP The Kids Are Alright, they received two Grammy nominations. This is their first project since.
Let’s start with with the intro, titled “Intro.” It’s an ethereal opening, with gorgeous, angelic harmonies. It serves as a teaser of what’s to come. Immediately you hear influences of SZA, Beyoncé and Brandy.
The intro transitions directly into the “Forgive Me,” which sets the stage for an album that’s clearly about female empowerment. The lyrics and vocals here are sharp and cutting.
Then we go into “Baby Girl,” which delivers a loud do it for the girls anthem with an airy, low-key vibe. It’s slower and not super in-your-face.
Next is the playlist-worthy “Do It.” The message is sweet and simple: do what you do all the time. You’ll want this one on repeat to sing along with. It’s bouncy and confident, and we can’t get enough.
Our album favorite, “Tipsy,” is next. It’s a statement piece that shows how far they can push their sound, and is easily the most unique on the album. It has heavy bass and a futuristic edge.
The title track, “Ungodly Hour” follows. It’s a piece of heavy R&B about loving someone at an ungodly hour. They keep it fresh by experimenting more with their rhythms on this one.
“Busy Boy” is the seventh track. It’s a funky song about a cheating boyfriend. It’s the most mature song on the album, so we’ll take a pass for now.
Now we have the only collaboration on the album, “Catch Up” with Swae Lee and Mike WiLL Made-It. Frankly, it’s forgettable. It sounds like most other Swae Lee songs, and it doesn’t possess the magic of the rest of the album.
The following mini-track “Overwhelmed” doesn’t distinguish itself much from the rest of the album, but it does deliver lyrically. It’s about feeling overwhelmed in life and relationships, and it’s nice to have a transitional track between two very different songs, “Catch Up” and “Lonely,”
“Lonely” is a warm, lovely track that asks why a boyfriend is scared to be alone. It’s sweet and conversational, a lyrical standout.
“Don’t Make It Harder On Me” and “Wonder What She Thinks of Me” are a coupling of sorts. The former talks about resisting temptation with a guy, and the latter wonders what the other woman thinks of her after she has given in to the temptation. “Wonder” is mysterious and dark, while “Don’t” floats above it all.
The final track, “ROYL” (or Rest of Your Life) is like an army chant. It stands out against the breezy, feathery previous tracks. It’s flirty and could just as well be titled “YOLO”. It’s about giving a relationship a chance because … why not? It closes the album with some welcome optimism.
Chloe x Halle’s “Ungodly Hour” is is both ambient and danceable, and one of the best R&B releases of the year.
C + L
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