Album Review || "CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST" by Tyler, the Creator

Tyler, the Creator just released his newest album, CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST. I had an unconventional journey with Tyler. The first album from him I listened to was Flower Boy, but at the time, I didn't really understand his artistry. However, years later, I saw a recommendation on YouTube to listen to EARFQUAKE, which I absolutely loved. I then listened to Igor and thought it was a great record. I went back to listen to Flower Boy and it finally clicked. I have yet to listen to his entire discography, but I will, especially after listening to this new project.

One of my favorite things about Tyler is how he switches up his style every era. I wish more artists did that. When the lead single, LUMBERJACK, was released, I was very excited because it sounded like a song from a mixtape. I didn't know how well he would pull it off, because I had never heard Tyler like this before, but it worked so well.

Throughout the album, I found that there was a consistent theme of traveling. The instrumentals sound foreign to an extent and on songs like SWEET / I THOUGHT YOU WANTED TO DANCE, we get a tropical sound. Even the album cover shows us that traveling is an important part of the album, but why is travel so important on this album?

Igor was a breakup album and what do you do after suffering a heartbreak? You explore and try new things. In Tyler's case, his exploration was traveling to different countries and you can hear it in the album's lyrics, production, and even some of the song titles. If my theory is correct, it seems like a perfect transition from Igor to CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST, because you can see how much he has changed. He seems much more confident and comfortable on this new album than he did on Igor.

Another theme might also be Tyler showing us his way of getting over heartbreak. The title CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST makes me think of Tyler as some kind of travel expert, but also an expert on how to deal with heartache, so a sub-category of the album could be him giving us advice on how to get back to yourself after such a life-changing experience.

From the beginning to the middle of the album, I get the sense that Tyler isn't ready to be in another serious relationship, just because of how the one he talked about on Igor ended, which originally made me think that CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST was about the thoughts he had while waiting for someone to come over to his house for a hook-up. However, as we come closer to the end of the album, we see Tyler falling for someone. It seems that traveling was the way he got over this situation, too, based on the lyrical content of WILSHIRE.

At first glance, the song MOMMA TALK could look like just a funny moment on the album, but I think it has a really important connection to my theory of what the album is about. In MOMMA TALK, we basically hear a story about Tyler never wanting to confront his problems head-on. In the context of the album, it's important because he's doing the same thing he did when he was younger - he avoided the situation, but now he did it by traveling.

Another thing I love about this album is how much more expressive Tyler is. It has long been suspected that he is a member of the LGBTQ+ community since his Flower Boy era, and I think we got the answer on a few songs on this album. He also lets us in by telling us an almost nine-minute story about a girl he was sneaking around with, who was in a relationship with his friend at the time. Tyler is a very private person, so I really appreciate him letting us into his life in the best way he knows - through music.

CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST is probably my favorite album from Tyler, the Creator. A few days ago, I wanted to listen to LUMBERJACK and ended up relistening the entire album, because it's such a cohesive project that songs feel out of place if listened outside the album. Once again, Tyler proves he's one of the greatest rappers and producers of this generation. As with all of his albums, try to go in with an open mind because his style of music is very unconventional and might be too much for your ears to process on one listen. Tyler released one of the year's best albums, and I can't wait to see which direction he will go next.

Rating: 8.5/10

Favorite songs: WILSHIRE, JUGGERNAUT (feat. Lil Uzi Vert & Pharrell Williams), LEMONHEAD (feat. 42 Dugg), LUMBERJACK, RISE! (feat. DAISY WORLD), WUSYANAME (feat. Youngboy Never Broke Again & Ty Dolla $ign), CORSO, SWEET / I THOUGHT YOU WANTED TO DANCE (feat. Brent Faiyaz & Fana Hues), HOT WINDS BLOW (feat. Lil Wayne), RUNITUP (feat. Teezo Touchdown), MASSA.

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