Summer Walker, Over It | Album Review 💿

Up and coming R&B artist Summer Walker shines on her highly anticipated debut album, Over It, which is dominated by matters of the heart.

R&B, at least to some extent, is “on the struggle bus.” The once prosperous genre has cooled off tremendously, much to my personal chagrin.  That said, when a promising R&B artist comes along with the potential to break through, it’s ‘kind of a big deal.’  23-year old Summer Walker checks off those boxes, exemplified by her highly anticipated debut studio album, Over It.  Over It follows a 2018 mixtape (Last Day of Summer) and an EP, Clear.  Her full-length debut certainly doesn’t disappoint.

“Over It”

“I want a nigga who can handle me, on / Nigga, keep your hands off me.” Summer Walker definitely has ‘that attitude’ on the sleek opener, ✓ “Over It.”  The lyrics and performance by Walker perfectly capture the sentiment that the title suggests.  The third verse perfectly exemplifies Walker being over the BS – “I be tryna numb the pain, I be so hizzigh / Fuck it, you can catch me in the Hills…” The nostalgia is real on ✓ “Body,” which hearkens back to the 90s R&B sound, brilliantly sampling the 702 gem, “Get it Together”.  Even with classicism in play, “Body” still fits the mold of urban contemporary and hip-hop.  Vocally, Walker brings ample smoothness, and despite the lustfulness and profanity (at the end), it’s pretty refined.  The chorus is pretty sweet:

“Baby, I’m talkin’ crazy
I need you right in my space, but I
Need it, baby, I’m late, but I
Still can check in with you
I know that I need my friend, but I
Wouldn’t wanna leave you, no, oh, I
Wouldn’t wanna plead
But my heart, my mind, and my body is sayin’…”

✓ “Playing Games (Extended Version)” follows, featuring the first collaboration from Over It, courtesy of Bryson Tiller.  The nostalgic vibes continue, thanks to an interpolation of the 90s Destiny’s Child classic, “Say My Name”.  Once more, Summer Walker sounds truly awesome, bringing a smooth delivery where it sounds as if she’s never forced to break a sweat. Love continues to dominate the theme, and ideal match for R&B.  Basically, Walker just wants the attention that she deserves – her man to treat her like a queen, and not with materialism. The chorus, once more, is a huge selling point, while Tiller provides a welcome contrast to Walker on the third and final verse.

“Drunk Dialing…LODT”

“Drunk Dialing…LODT” gives Summer Walker a brief, two-part song. Even at only two-minutes-and-fifteen minutes in duration, Walker makes her point loud and clear.  She continues to atone for her pain by drinking too much but understands her inebriated state might force her to do things she shouldn’t: “Too much Patrón’ll have you callin’ his phone or / Have you wantin’ some more.” Interestingly, “LODT” lifts off of the Lenny Williams classic, “‘Cause I Love You”. ✓ “Come Thru” brings the second collaboration of Over It, enlisting Grammy-winning R&B superstar, Usher.  Once more, the 90s roar, with Usher’s “You Make Me Wanna…” (My Way, 1997) sampled, while he appears exclusively on the second verse.  The modus operandi? A potential sexual reconnection between exes – “You make me wanna come through / Quarter after two / Just to put it down on you.”

On “Potential,” Summer Walker shows off her hip-hop swagger, as she characterizes a potential suitor as having potential to be the right man for her.  “I know you’re good in the hood, bust a couple juugs for me, yeah,” she sings on the first verse, continuing, “When I’m on the low, will you still cover for me?” On the second verse, she has tempered expectations, singing, “I’m not tryna be out her with my hopes up / If you all for me, then let me know what’s up.” “Fun Girl” is raw, lacking the finesse of the longer, sleeker numbers.  That seems to be the intention, as this is a monologue of sorts for Walker.

“Tonight”

Follow-up “Tonight” is a return to finesse, with Walker singing beautifully and lushly against an equally lush, sound backdrop.  “Tonight” is a sensually charged, definitely the perfect soundtrack to what goes down in the bedroom (regardless whether it’s sex or make up sex). “I just wanna get into something tonight,” she sings, continuing, “I just wanna make up for lost time.” As for the follow-up, the incredibly slow ✓ “Me” finds a woman scorned – “You make a bitch have to go in her purse / Or go in her trunk and pull out the strap.” Damn! Of course, there’s more.  Walker makes it clear this guy “wasn’t my first,” but goes on to state, on the outro, “Definitely be my last love, my last fuck / That’s what I gave my last nigga.” As previously stated, Walker exemplifies a woman scorned.

Hungry for another collaboration? Summer Walker links up with 6LACK on “Like It,” the 10^th track from Over It.  Like Bryson Tiller on “Playing Games (Extended Version),” 6LACK doesn’t arrive until the third verse, and provides the masculine perspective.  Furthermore, even though it’s mostly sung, his verse has more of hip-hop lean, further contrasting Walker.  PARTYNEXTDOOR joins Walker on the lethargic, woozy “Just Might,” which is definitely a total V-I-B-E.  At three-and-a-half-minutes, “Just Might” is one of the longer songs on an album that generally keeps things ‘short and sweet.’  Of course, matters of the heart continue to plague Summer, as she seems to think she “just might be a ho,” lamenting the shallowness, superficiality, and temporariness of her relationships, etc.

“Stretch You Out”

“You want pussy six times a week / And you never wanna clean up / And you talk to me like shit / And you handle me too rough / And at the end of the day, you got nerve to bring up that bitch.” Safe to say, Summer Walker is truly ‘over it’ with this lame-ass dude.  She’s joined by the ubiquitous A Boogie Wit da Hoodie on the second verse of “Stretch You Out.” “Off of You” continues the brevity that is characteristic of most of Over It, not to mention the purge of this no-good loser – “‘Cause I’m off of you / … We ain’t even speaking / I don’t care…”

“Anna Mae” is definitely a vibe, finding Walker continuing to deliver some cool, yet energetic vocal performances.  She’s profane, definitely embracing the streets and vernacular, but at the same time, the voice is delightful. The key lyric? “‘We’ll have our cake and eat it too.’” Until ✓ “I’ll Kill You,” Walker collaborated with the boys – 6LACK, A Boogie With Da Hoodie, Bryson Tiller, PARTYNEXTDOOR, and Usher.  An equally cool R&B female, Jhené Aiko, arrives, complementing Walker superbly.  Both women are pissed off, with no shortage of curses.  “If them bitches ‘round you, better be blood,” Walker sings on the first line of the first verse, continuing, “If it ain’t me or your mama, shouldn’t be showin’ you no love.” As for Aiko, “Don’t want no problems, I wish a bitch would / Try to come between us, it won’t end up good.”

“Nobody Else” 

“Nobody Else” earns the honors as the longest song on Over It, nearly reaching four minutes in duration. The script reads much the same: sleek, lush production, on the slower side of the metronome, and most importantly, love. “God, I feel it in my chest at night,” Walker sings on the second verse, adding, “I want this, I want this, yeah, yeah / Will never fall out of love with you…” That robust bass line (Stevie J) and those backing vocals really amplify the love centricity of this particular number.  “Playing Games,” the solo version sans Bryson Tiller, arrives as the penultimate record.  Does Walker need Tiller? Not necessarily, but at the same time, might as well stick with the version where he offers that perspective, right? Right!

Over It closes with a bang thanks to ✓ “Girls Need Love (Remix).” Summer Walker saves the biggest collaboration for last – Drake. Her honesty is appreciated:

“I just need it now, better swing my way
I just need some dick, I just need some love
Tired of fucking with these lame niggas, baby
I just need a thug.”

As for Drake, like many of Walker’s other male collaborators, he brings the masculine perspective.  One lyric that is a direct response is when he states, “You just need some dick with no complications / You just need some, you just need some / Late night attention, un-condition.” Honestly, “Girls need love, too.”

Final Thoughts 

All in all, Summer Walker delivers a fantastic debut album with Over It.  She delivers terrific vocals, never over-singing, yet packing the right amount of punch.  She’s profane, yet her silky-smooth vocals atone, adding a sense of refinement to her bluntness.  The productions (many of which come courtesy of London On Da Track), get the best out of Walker, integrating 90s samples, slow tempi, and a lush sound palette with some hip-hop elements.  Sure, the plight of love can be a bit much at time on Over It, but more often than not, Summer makes her point loud and clear.  Highly recommended!

✓ Gems: “Over It,” “Body,” “Playing Games (Extended Version),” “Come Thru,” “Me,” “I’ll Kill You” & “Girls Need Love (Remix)”

Summer Walker • Over It • Interscope • Release: 10.4.19

Photo Credit: Interscope