The album discussed involves mature topics and language.
Christopher Brent Wood, better known as Brent Faiayz, is a 28-year-old R&B singer from Baltimore, Maryland. Brent is most commonly known for his silky voice and soulful instrumentals, and his discography can be described as Pop/R&B. Brent returns after dropping his highly anticipated album, Wasteland, which debuted on the US Billboard 200 chart at number two. His third album, Larger Than Life, dropped on October 27, 2023, as a surprise drop where the only information given prior to the album’s release was a trailer posted on his X platform on October 26. Larger Than Life would be his first solo release on his record label “ISO Supremacy”. It features artists like Missy Elliot, A$AP Rocky, Coco Jones, Babyface Ray, and more. The album features 14 tracks with 2 previously released singles: “WY@”, and “Moment Of Your Life” and 2 skits: “Big Mad Skit” and “Dawged Em Skit.”
The first thing you’ll notice about the album is the artwork. The cover is a drawing of a sneaker with “NUWO” imprinted on the bottom with an overall 90’s theme – NUWO (Not Unless We Own) is Brent Faiyaz’s clothing brand which offers vague themes of “self-empowerment,” which is quite on brand with Brent as he just turned down a multimillion-dollar record deal to stay free of major labels and thus created “ISO Supremacy.” Now, let’s discuss my favorite aspects of the album.
Larger Than Life kicks off with a nostalgic intro using an answering machine. This creates a mysterious yet compelling vibe, as if you’re being transported to the beginning of a movie. Songs like “Moment of Your Life,” “Pistachios,” “Best Time” and “Outside All Night” feel smooth and catchy paired with addictive lyrics and instrumentals. Brent’s voice paired with artists like Missy Elliot and Coco Jones led to incredible harmony and mixing. Other songs such as “Upset,” “Forever Yours” and “On This Side” give a 90s hip-hop vibe with their samples and melody.
One of my issues with the album is how similar the songs are. A good amount of them have similar lyrics and overall vibes, but on the other hand, songs like “Moment Of Your Life,” “Pistachios,” “Best Time,” “Outside All Night” and “On This Side” may sound similar but are still incredible in their own ways.
The overall album is very reminiscent of his old music with similar lyrics and overall sound. That might be great or not, it truly depends on your music taste. Personally, I am a fan of Brent’s music and would like him to keep making more like this. Others though, would prefer him to branch out and expand his catalogue. If that’s you, this album might not be what you’re looking for. Although the album doesn’t seem very distinct from his other projects, it still supports his case as one of the greatest up-and-coming R&B artists. Overall I would give the album a 7/10, it has some issues but they’re made up for with the instrumentals and features. If you’re a fan of R&B and you’ve never listened to Brent then I highly recommend it.
