UNGODLY HOUR review - x

(Reviewed by Melody Werner)

Ungodly Hour is a 2020 R&B album by sisters Chloe x Halle (Chloe and Halle Bailey). They got signed by Beyoncé's label, Parkwood Entertainment, in 2013 after a cover they did of "Pretty Hurts" went viral. Ungodly Hour is their second album, and has been met with much acclaim for its gorgeous singing and fantastic production. Which isn't surprising; they're Beyoncé's protegés and Beyoncé has always played well with music critics. I came in with that knowledge in mind, and I have to say even as someone who's not a Beyoncé fan (but who recognizes her talent), this album is incredibly impressive.

While I can't say that Ungodly Hour reaches the same heights in terms of production as the likes of the earworm that is Ctrl, UH still has some exceptional production. Whether it's lush and beautiful as it is in "Forgive Me" and "Lonely," or bassy and groovy like with "Tipsy" or "Busy Boy," this LP is usually lifted up by its production. Lead single "Do It" is a high watermark for the rest of the listen in general, it comes together perfectly when matched with the astounding vocals. There are weak moments, though, and the most obvious letdown being "Overwhelmed." A song that dances with being labeled "underwhelming" with a name like that, because it falls flat on its face. It feels so unnecessary and like a nothing of an interlude. But I do want to stress how dynamic the production is and how it typically builds and builds and builds until you're in a tower that scrapes the sky. Which is a microcosm of the greater album experience, since this thing has a nice sense of flow to it. As strong as its kickoff is, I grew to appreciate it more and more throughout. That's the hallmark of a thoughtfully assembled tracklist.

Honestly, I can't really tell which one of them is which since I haven't heard either of them singing by themselves and the live performances I've checked are kinda not helping. I think a lot of their concept as an act is playing up that confusion (going by music videos and the like), which sucks when crediting either for a line delivery of theirs. That doesn't affect my adoration of their voices or their singing though. Utterly melodic and wonderful to the ear. Which is pretty essential for R&B, innit? Not to mention the outstanding hooks on display, which this thing has aplenty. The lyrics, written by the sisters, are pretty standard R&B sass and anthems to sleeping around--clever and easy to get on with, but if you're into this genre, you've heard this lyrical content elsewhere. And it's not like Athena, which took the lovey dovey element of R&B and dialed up the femme fatale vibe by ten--there's no real recontextualization of these tropes, or an album concept a la Ctrl, to make this stand out more. As someone coming from those LP's, this feels like a slight step back. That said, these ladies are my age (~21) and putting out incredible tunes already, and it's good for them that there's room for improvement. I think this is the right level of quality from them at this point in their careers--who the hell wants to peak at 21?

Ungodly Hour kicks ass. It's a fantastic, pretty listen. Flawed? Thankfully. I want to watch these two grow sonically. I want their next album to be even better than this. With highlights like "Do It," "Forgive Me," "Don't Make It Harder on Me," "Tipsy," "Lonely," and the title track, I don't anticipate this album losing its flavor anytime soon. Ungodly Hour gets an 8.5/10.

Great

Summary:

Ungodly Hour shows the potential of these two, and I get the impression that the next one will be even better than this rock solid menagerie of catchy as hell R&B tunes.