PARTYNEXTDOOR has quietly put together a stellar career. He's been in the game for over a decade now, and he helped to solidify the "Toronto Sound" of the 2010s along with Drake and the rest of OVO. He experimented with different sounds on his last album, PARTYMOBILE (2020), but his new offering, PARTYNEXTDOOR 4 (or simply P4), serves as a return to form. It's fourth installment in his self-titled series, and it's a slick reminder that few artists are making better R&B music at the moment.
PARTYNEXTDOOR dropped four tracks ahead of the album's release, and they all slide nicely into the tracklist. "Lose My Mind" and "Resentment" are standard PND fodder, solid if not spectacular. "Her Old Friends" changes things up with an acoustic guitar and a driving drum beat, while "Real Woman" remains a standout thanks to its slow jam tempo and sultry vocal sample. Thankfully, the bulk of the album falls in this slow jam sweet spot. P4 is at its best when it settles in and lets its singer ruminate about women who have wronged him (and vice versa). "Stuck In My Ways" is one of the moodiest songs PARTYNEXTDOOR has ever released. The chopped and screwed piano sample is hypnotic, especially when paired with the mournful vocals.
PARTYNEXTDOOR 4 Is Best When It Gets Moody
"Cheers" and "Make It to the Morning" provide mid-tempo reprieves from the album's darker moments. The latter provides a glimpse of daylight in an otherwise nocturnal listen, and benefits from being right in the middle of the tracklist. There are a few missteps, like the plodding "No Chill," which feels twice its length. There's also "Sorry, But I'm Outside," which suffers from cloying breakup lyrics out of step with the PND playbook. P4 does rebound on the back end, though, with the glitchy track "Family" and the aforementioned "Resentment." Overall, it's a worthy addition to the PARTYNEXTDOOR series.
What are your thoughts on this new album, PARTYNEXTDOOR 4 (P4), by PARTYNEXTDOOR? Does PND still have the magic touch after four years off? Where does it rank in his self-titled album series? Which of the deep cuts was your favorite? We want to hear what you have to say, so be sure to leave your takes in the comments section. Additionally, always keep it locked in with HNHH for all of the latest news on PARTYNEXTDOOR. Finally, stay with us for the most informative song posts throughout the week.