Thought Summer Walker was over it and moved on? Nope. She's quite literally still over it. It has been two years since the release of her critically acclaimed debut LP "Over It" (2019). Since then, Walker has been crafting her next album entangled in the same themes as her prior work. "Still Over It" (2021), Walker's follow up, was released on Nov. 5, and it's clear that some relationships continue to prove tumultuous. In this newest work, Walker dives into herself to identify the emotions she's experienced throughout her pregnancy and introduction to motherhood.
"Still Over It" opens with "Bitter," a track featuring an outro from Cardi B. Walker recounts that this album was written sequentially, with "Bitter" being the first track written toward the project. A testament to her frustration with producer London on da Track, the father of her daughter, this track centers around her loss of love and betrayal.
Following up the intro to the album are "Ex For A Reason" and "No Love," featuring JT from City Girls and SZA, respectively. Both tracks work well in this body of work, transitioning some of Walker's pure R&B artistry into a more mainstream pop format. In the latter song, SZA's verse works as the best feature on the album, with her firing out, "If it did it all again/ I would give like ten percent/ You deserve like half of that/ I'ma need my money back."
"Throw It Away," "Reciprocate" and "You Don't Know Me" are all too similar and a cause for confusion when distinguishing between tracks. The lyrical content of "Throw It Away" and "You Don't Know Me" is stunning but can sometimes be lost when the production overlaps too much.
The same fate ensues later tracks which fit so similarly together that there can be difficulty identifying the difference in theme between the two. Such is the case for "Broken Promises" and "Session 33." It's evident that Walker's been hurt, but many of the tracks can be so repetitive to the point that a 20-track album can feel redundant.
However, there are some shining points which bring Walker back to the spotlight, such as "Constant Bulls--t" and "4th Baby Mama." These tracks accomplish what Walker set out to do, which is to convey a message of hurt and still-over-it-ness. In the former, Walker cries out, "Even them times you ain't do me right, I was right hеre/ Showin' you what the word, bein' loyal is." In the latter, Walker takes it upon herself to not only call out London on Da Track for his infidelity, but also reprimands his mother for contributing to his behavior. She delivers the best verse on the album in "4th Baby Mama," including the ultimate cut, "I wanna start with your mama, she should've whooped your ass/ Know you ain't shit, but she don't care 'cause you lit/ Payin' for trips, cars, bags (Bags), and bought the crib (Crib)/ But she ain't never call you out 'cause she like the way that she live/ But that some foul shit, she wasn't even around when you ain't have no money (Money)/ That's why I find it funny (Funny)."
Ultimately, some of the remaining tracks — such as "Insane," "Circus," "Closure," "Toxic" and "Screwin" — fade to the background to highlight some of her more effective songs on the album, including "Switch A N---- Out" and "Unloyal." The aforementioned five tracks fail to deliver the most standout performances by Walker but do fill the album well in their production styles and lyrical descriptions. "Dat Right There" and "Unloyal" are great collaborations featuring Pharrell Williams and The Neptunes on the former and Ari Lennox on the latter.
The album rounds out with "Ciara's Prayer," an outro completely featuring Ciara, and it's evident Walker is similarly praying for a change of fate in her relationships. Because of this, one can only look to the future and anticipate what amazing comeback album will be produced. Focusing on "Still Over It," Walker does an incredible job piecing together the nuances of her current experience and documenting her frustrations. Summer Walker may be over it, but we're still not over the lyrical finesse she employs on her works, including her sophomore LP "Still Over It."
