In his newest album, “Back Home,” Trey Songz goes back to the roots of R&B. His voice is the standard tenor with plenty of vocalizations and high-quality production, and his tracks follow a similar structure of ballad-like love songs about his new relationship.
This album focuses more on Songz’s life at home, which keeps him grounded in the present. What’s disappointing is that the only way he achieves any variety on his tracks is with another artist’s presence.
The album feels bloated. Tracks like “Circles,” “2020 Riots: How Many Times” and “Back Home (feat. Summer Walker)” have all been released as singles. And those are some of the best songs on the album. Trey Songz always thrived with his above-average singing voice, but repeated emotions and formulas are running out for him.
The first nine tracks of the album don’t hold much weight. The production seems repetitive, with similar R&B hooks and genetic vocalization. The first three tracks seem to tell a story of Songz inviting someone new to his home, “Be My Guest,” the first track and “Save It,” the second track, demonstrate how this woman is nervous because of the new place she finds herself. In the third track, “Hands On,” Songz attempts to seduce her by touching areas on her body, “There’s places on your body you ain’t even know ‘till now / If you let me explore, I’ll help you find your way around.” While there is a narrative, it’s not one that seems very compelling, just somewhat relatable.
The highlights of the album are the featured artists. Summer Walker, Ty Dolla $ign and Swae Lee all do more than what is asked of them on this album. While the title track, “Back Home,” was previously released, it still is a catchy song. In it, Songz once again sings about toxic love. The person he is with keeps coming and going, and Songz is affected by this. Walker sings the counterpart, demonstrating that both sides have a negative influence on the relationship. The song is nothing new in the R&B world, yet Walker, with her silky vocals, slows the track’s pace. “If it isn’t love, why do I keep coming back,” she sings.
While “On Call,” the track that features Ty Dolla $ign, adds some variety, it raises questions about how Songz uses his free time. The song harks back to a different era when the objectification of women was more prevalent. Songz uses this track as a way to demonstrate how women should act for him. “On Call” is most likely referencing a booty call: someone you call late at night when you’re feeling lonely. Songz called this person, and they didn’t respond. Now he is upset and needs to express his frustration. “Girl, you’re on call tonight / Girl, don’t leave me lonely / Better answer when the phone rings / ‘Cause baby girl, you’re on call tonight.” The biggest issue is that Songz seems to be manipulating the woman he is trying to call. He notes that he is lonely, making her the source of all his happiness — something that isn’t healthy.
This album offers nothing new. While Songz’s voice can be one of his strengths, it is generic, and there are much better R&B albums, such as “It Was Good Until It Wasn’t” by Kehlani, “After Hours” by The Weekend, or “Badkid” by Bakar. These albums have variations in production as well as different tones of singing. They also include more lyricism and finesse than “You’re on call tonight.”