Rating: 7.2/10
Coming off the trailblazing success of “We Don’t Trust You,” producer Metro Boomin and rapper Future dropped their sequel album “We Still Don’t Trust You” three weeks later to a mixed bag of reviews.
Released on April 12, the R&B project explores a different side of the two stars compared to their performance on the billboard-topping predecessor album.
Future, who normally raps in a very upbeat and aggressive style, instead fuels a melodic, almost sappier side reminiscent of his 2017 album “HNDRXX.” Joined by Metro Boomin’s top-of-the-line beats, the two combine to create a unique and, for the most part, enjoyable collaborative album.
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The hour-and-a-half long, 25-track project is divided into two disks, each with very individual tones and tracks.
Disk 1:
From the first track, “We Still Don’t Trust You,” Future dives immediately into heavy topics and continues to reminisce on love, heartbreak and regret through the rest of the disk.
Future confesses his remorse for missing his aunt’s funeral in “Came to the Party” and expresses his desire to take accountability for his romantic faults in “Right 4 You.”
He carries an overarching tone of painful longing for genuine human connection that envelopes “Mile High Memories” and “Always Be My Fault.” As a result, the listener can start to empathize with him through the steady flow and creative undertone courtesy of Metro Boomin.
Speaking of which, the award-winning producer stops at nothing to bring forth a variety of sounds and baselines that combine to give each song its own unique feel.
However, many of the tracks fall short, whether it be inconsistent tone or too much fluff. In an already over-packed album, many of the songs feel redundant and easily forgettable. Having songs like “Overload” and “Gracious” back to back doesn’t add anything special, and the album would’ve been just fine without them.
Even the disk’s best song, “Red Leather,” feels out of place compared to other tracks — despite having a top-of-the-line J. Cole feature — due to its seven-minute-long playtime.
While it has its moments, disk one fails to hit the mark, leaving much to be desired from the listener.
Rating: 6.1/10
Disk 2:
For disk two, Future turns on a dime and jumps right back into his trademark rap style, blowing away the listeners in a sudden change of pace and style.
The first track, “#1 (Intro),” boasts an old clipping of radio host Charlamagne the God proclaiming Future as one of the premier names in the music industry and an artist whose influence knows no bounds.
While only half the length of the first disk, Future rides this momentum as both he and Metro Boomin make the most of every bar, returning to their element: having fun and pushing beats to their creative limits.
From Metro Boomin sampling a supervillain-esc laugh — multiple times — to A$AP Rocky delivering arguably one of his best-ever lines aimed directly at fellow rapper Drake on “Show of Hands,” disk two provides an electrifying conclusion to the album.
Rating: 8.2/10
As a whole, the album gets a lot of things right. The Weeknd, J. Cole, Lil Baby and A$AP Rocky make the most of their appearances, and Future works to complete a somewhat adventurous project.
Most importantly though, Metro Boomin once again proves that he is arguably the greatest producer making music today, providing life and creative flow to each track.
That being said, the album still feels a little bloated and overstuffed. While it never really feels like a chore to get through, the album definitely would have benefited from some cuts.
In conclusion, if you have the time, “We Still Don’t Trust You” is absolutely worth a listen.
