Mike Posner, A Real Good Kid | Album Review 💿

Despite being underrated throughout his career, Mike Posner comes off incredibly authentic & mature throughout his third LP, ‘A Real Good Kid.’ 

Some artists are naturally likable (Alessia Cara is a prime example), while others, well, not so much.  Mike Posner has never come off as the type of artist you naturally gravitate towards, for whatever reason.  It’s not because of a lack of musical prowess, but, arguably, he’s always been a difficult to connect with.  “Cooler than Me” was a novel hit back when, but didn’t make Posner ‘Mr. Lovable’ or ‘Mr. Popularity’ per se.  A deeper song like “Buried in Detroit” (At Night, Alone.) exhibited much more range, while arguably, the entertaining, yet obvious ‘fuckboy’ rap characterizing much of Mansionz only ratcheted up the anti- attitudes towards Posner.  That didn’t set up A Real Good Kid for roaring success, yet despite the lukewarm reception, Posner has his most distinct and most mature work to date.

“January 11^th, 2017”

“Hello, you are about to listen to A Real Good Kid… and is meant to be listened to in one sitting, straight through… It’s hard to describe how I feel right now. People keep asking what happened to me. What happened to me? The answer is this.” The honesty and emotional nature of the A Real Good Kid begins with its minute-long, spoken-word “Introduction.” “Introduction” leads to one of the most moving songs of Posner’s career, ✓ “January 11^th, 2017,” where he discusses the impact that his father’s death had on him. It’s a bit tough to listen to, because you feel the pain that the musician experiences, yet at the same time, it feels as if Posner breaks down walls that previously stood tall and unmovable.

“The day my daddy died, I damn near quit the band
The day my daddy died, I held my mama’s hand
I cried my tears, then dried ‘em up
Put my face inside my hands
The day my daddy died, I became a man.”

“Wide Open” has a tough act to follow, but continues the reflective, thoughtful sentiments of “January 11^th, 2017.” The production is lovely, comprised of guitars, keyboards, and groove.  The most beautiful aspect of the song is Posner’s voice, particularly his falsetto on the simple chorus (“And I’m wide open”).  

“Song About You”

“Put all your stuff in a box in my room / I don’t wanna write no song about you.” Single ✓ “Song About You” thrives off of its funky pop groove.  Compared to the music that appeared on his sophomore album At Night, Alone., “Song About You” is a complete contrast.  This is positive in the sense that Posner is the restless, continuingly evolving artist – give him credit for the experimentation.  The concept is simple; Posner is struggling with a break-up – the loss of a girlfriend.  Basically, this song ‘that he doesn’t want to write about her’ is all about her, evidenced by how it’s affecting his life – “Try to be productive at work, I just can’t / I miss you a lot, but I ain’t comin’ back.”  He even busts a rhyme on the bridge, which features faster rhythms and more lyrics.  Ultimately, Posner successfully expresses his feelings, and most importantly, they’re incredibly relatable. 

“I wish Tracy Chapman was my friend / She would know exactly what to say / Beginnings always hide themselves in ends / At some point, I will be okay.” Follow up ✓ “Move On” served as the third single from A Real Good Kid.  Rhythmic guitar accompaniment proves to be a fitting backdrop. From the onset, the ‘singer/songwriter vibe’ is easily perceptible. Notably, Posner delivers respectable, highly-effective vocals – his distinct tone shines. Lovely, ‘powered’ harmonized vocals on the pre-chorus earn him yet another ‘W’:

“I got high when I met you
I got high to forget you
I feel pain, I don't want to
But I have to, yeah, I have to.”

A sleek groove arrives during the chorus, despite the simplicity and repetitiveness lyrically: “If I want to move on, move on, move on, move on.” The second verse incorporates the groove, upping the ante following the more restrained and stripped nature of first. 

“Drip”

✓ “Drip” is among the most ambitious records from A Real Good Kid, split into two distinct parts.  Quirky, it’s incredibly entertaining, particularly when an unexpected, souped-up groove follows the first post-chorus (“I’m liberated”).  The second part of the song is where the “drip” settles in, following the silky, smooth chorus.  There’s an extended, emotional, spoken word interlude where Posner truly lets his guard down, questioning his status in life despite being “a multimillionaire,” yet despite the fact “It’s supposed to all be good, it is not fucking all good.”

“Staring at the Fire” is a bit more traditional than “Drip,” following a form of verse, chorus, verse, and chorus.  Like much of A Real Good Kid, the chorus is repetitive and simple – “Watch it burn, burn, burn.” Also, like many of the songs from A Real Good Kid, it’s yet another respectable, well-performed number. ✓ “Perfect” keeps the momentum going strong on A Real Good Kid.  The lengthiest number of the album is brilliant thanks to awesome production work, particularly the gospel cues with the choral vocals singing, “oh, yeah.” Posner continues to be incredibly honest and on his ‘A’ game. “Amen,” a half-minute-long skit, follows.

“Stuck in the Middle”

“Here I am again, stuck in the middle.” ✓ “Stuck in the Middle” has a folk-pop sensibility, in addition to incorporating unique world music and electronic cues.  It’s a stark contrast compared to the majority of music that Mike Posner has released previously, but ultimately successful. The record is comprised of three verses, all of which keep things brief, with relatively simple language. Likewise, the bridge, occurring between the second chorus and third verse, is brief. Notably, it contrasts the verses and chorus that precede and follow.  As for the chorus, brevity continues, as aforementioned.

“One More Song,” another skit precedes the closing cut, “How It’s Supposed to Be.” Here, Posner remains in full-on reflective form on this notable singer/songwriter cut.  This is a fitting conclusion, particularly the outro featuring Posner’s late father where he states, “Anyways, he is a real good kid.”

Final Thoughts 

All in all, Mike Posner delivers the best album of his career with A Real Good Kid.  Like At Night, Alone., only taking things a step further, Posner is honest about how life has affected him, specifically the death of his father.  This shows most on the likes of the moving “January 11^th, 2017,” or the perceptible confusion and pain of “Drip.” Maybe he is merely misunderstood, but Posner opens himself up like never before, and the results are intriguing and nothing short of stellar.  More people should listen to A Real Good Kid – they’d be pleasantly surprised. 

✓ Gems: “January 11^th, 2017,” “Song About You,” “Move On,” “Drip,” “Perfect” & “Stuck in the Middle” 

Mike Posner • A Real Good Kid • Island • Release: 1.18.19

Photo Credit: Island