Solange – “When I Get Home” Album Review

posted March 11, 2019 in CommRadio, Arts & Entertainment by Jade Campos

While following in the footsteps of her older sister seems near to impossible, Solange proves that she can stand alone. 

Solange Knowles released her fourth studio album “When I Get Home” on March 1, following many speculations of its release. After her previous album, “A Seat at the Table,” went to number one on the Billboard 200, the singer had to work hard to surpass herself.

“When I Get Home” rises above all expectations and conventional popular methods, making it one of the best albums of the year.

“When I Get Home” contains 19 tracks that seem initially daunting for listeners. Yet, there are no tracks that go over four minutes in length. Most of the songs are merely 30-seconds with transitions into the next song. Only eight tracks surpass two minutes.

The opening track, “Things I Imagine,” is repetitive and somewhat wistful. It is almost like the singer sat down at a keyboard and began experimenting with a tune and a single line “I saw things I imagined” after hitting record. It is not a large production track like most popular songs are, which often need a full band and catchy chorus to make it great.

Solange shows that she does not need typical gimmicks to create an incredible album. After "Things I Imagine," there is a flawless transition to the next full-length song, “Down With the Clique." The shift between tracks is so smooth that the entire album seems to be tied together with a nice bow, making it incredibly cohesive.

When listening to the album, it seems as if Solange was just creating whatever happened to come to her mind. “When I Get Home” comes in so effortlessly that it resembles someone’s train of thought.

The production of the album is like The Beatles’ famous B side of “Abbey Road,” except Solange chose to focus the entire album around the transitions. The aspect that makes the album so strong is that the singer perfectly intertwines full-length tracks and interludes to make a full album. It is as if the A side and the B side of “Abbey Road” came together.

“I’m A Witness,” the album’s closing track, recalls the tune of “Things I Imagine” to wrap the entire project up. She says, “You can say what you need in my mind...and I won’t stop ‘til I get it right.” Fans can rest assured that there will be more albums like “When I Get Home” in the future.

“When I Get Home” is an album of one’s self-conscious and focusing on what makes someone completely who they are. “Almeda” is one of the strongest tracks on the album for all of its simplicity. She explores the colors brown and black and insists that it is not something that can be “washed away.”

Each song appears to focus on a singular thought, making many tracks very repetitive. The interludes between songs are the random thoughts that cross one’s mind that take them to something more important to think of.

Although her voice is not as strong as some of the most popular female singers in the industry, Solange has one of the most creative minds.

“When I Get Home” is calming and incredibly satisfying. Solange shows that she is a powerful entity in the music business, recalling the likes of The Beatles while holding onto her R&B genre. “When I Get Home” sets itself apart from more popular albums because it doesn’t need a full production to make itself incredible.


Rating: 8/10

Reviewer’s Favorite Track: “Almeda” and “Sounds of Rain”

Reviewer’s Least Favorite Track: “Down With the Clique”


Jade Campos is a freshman majoring in print journalism. To contact her, email jmc7727@psu.edu.