That’s it! The wait is finally over. After staying low for three years, PartyNextDoor’s 4th studio album PARTYMOBILE has finally been released. The famed Canadian singer/songwriter has way too many credits to name, but we can point to his recent composition of Summer Walker’s Over it as evidence that his pen and ear are still in hitmaking mode. The real question is whether or not this would translate into an album. After promising his fans music in January, PND signaled a delay in the release to put the final touches on the project.
Now that it’s here, the question is: was it worth the wait?
If you are a die-hard fan and thought that the delay was a marketing ploy or a sign this album was going to be nothing short of perfect, then you fell into the same trap a lot of us did. It seems that the delay was to change a bit more than the album title from Club Atlantis. Nevertheless, are fans wrong for holding an artist to the high bar they set for themselves on tracks like “Come and See Me”, “Persian Rug”, or “Recognize”? The problem is when a superstar pushes back an album, the anticipation continues to build. The Twitter hate surrounding the album would suggest the delay didn’t dull expectations. Now don’t get me wrong, this article isn’t going to be all hate. It’s just hard to believe that someone with Rihanna and Drake in their corner would put out some mid.
Fans will wish this had come sooner or that there were a few more hits than the standouts “Loyal” and “Believe It” but it’s still good to hear new music from PND. True fans will argue there are more hits than those two songs, possibly highlighting “PGT”. This song will catch fire once we can actually get into brunch and sundress season. Setting and mood have a lot to do with the intake of an album, especially with an artist like PartyNextDoor. I would argue that with the anxiety from the quarantine, no one was looking to PND for the summer “I miss your touch” vibes like on “Showing You”, reminding everyone that they can’t go outside.
Don’t worry, I miss the streets just as much as the next person. However, we can’t rush to kill this album like I’ve seen social media try to do just hours after its release. This album is great for spring/summer and you’ll enjoy songs like “Believe It”, “PGT”, “Trauma”, “Touch Me”, and “Eye On It”. The album is good and people are in too much of a rush to kill it because of their lofty expectations. When you realize he’s the only person that’s been able to give us a Rihanna feature since 2017’s Wild Thoughts, that has to be worth something.
Let us know your favorite songs and how you rate PARTYMOBILE.