The Weekly Coos

Solo DOLO albums by Freddie Gibbs are a rarity. Rather, we’ve truly only had two before. They have been some of his better records to date—Freddie and You Only Live 2wice—that continues to be the case with his latest album You Only Die 1nce, which becomes an antithesis to the conceptual background beholden to You Only Live 2wice, wherein it relishes in the extravagance of life as if awakening to a second chance while the You Only Die 1nce sees death through a different angle. Where You Only Live 2wice had reflections of lavishness, where this nuanced evokes this earned second life once hitting success. You Only Die 1nce tackles more perseverance in the journey toward his current status while acknowledging the downs, instead of the highs. It’s a vibe with more depth than expected, especially Gibbs, who’s on a lyrical high over fantastic production; however, it does have its downbeats, which come at the expense of perfect synchronicity since two tracks pull it down with bland directness. It’s an unfortunate, but common stance when there are ups and downs from both sides, the production which can play it safe or meandering one-dimensional writing.

Freddie Gibbs and Satan open You Only Die 1nce with a smooth reminder about status on “Status,” doing so in a brash and confident way that doesn’t make you second guess the open door he is leaving with some of the tracks that follow. It’s a major vibe, I have stated, but sometimes that isn’t a positive, especially when you have weak tracks in the mix; however, Gibbs brings us two subpar moments that aren’t as glaring, despite fitting the sound mold. Don’t take that as an admittance that I’m considering it a perfect album, since not every beat hits, but when it comes to Gibbs, he makes sure no flow is left unturned and his words have the right power to get through. It benefits greatly from the boldness emanating from Gibbs going about it solo, so being able to hear range from a more bombastic “Steel Doors” to the smoother and more soul-jazz “30 Girlfriends (Yeah Yeah).” This is a key positive, as there are two moments where he takes a step back for something that fits the sound structure but not the kind of depth he has been delivering in his bars, yet more forgetful than drab.

Having an introspective Freddie Gibbs isn’t rare, but it’s not ever-present behind a concept, one where much of what we hear relates to different emotional reasons to keep living akin to what Drake made popular in 2011 with YOLO. However, instead of the more party-like attitude, Gibbs is coming from what you’d consider the core of his heart, so the content will pop out unlike some of what he gave us previously, specifically the more braggadocio nature of some of the content. It’s been heard before, sure, but was never a focus of an album as Gibbs would go about different motions, similar to what we hear with You Only Live 2wice. Gibbs isn’t lamenting much there, and hearing him reflect adds a different dimension to the album. The beautiful piano in “Rabbit Island” and the grim strings of “On the Set” are prime examples that contrast the more bombastic tracks to open the album. It isn’t devoid of braggadocio confidence, but in a sense, it feels more earned. It’s how we can get something as crisp as “Brick Fees,” “Origami,” and “Wolverine,” delivering slightly nuanced topics of focus to bolster, unlike “Ruthless,” which tacks on more than it can chew with boring direction.

The high point of You Only Die 1nce is the middle section, which has a tremendous run from “Wolverine” to “Steel Doors.” It modestly dips after, but ends on a high note, making the journey more enjoyable. Freddie Gibbs isn’t without the production, which bolsters the sentimentalities beholden to him. It allows for clean access to his words, even if there is a slight shot at Curren$y for not promoting their collab album from 2020. Additionally, some of the production plays it safe despite fitting the mold, making the impact more reliant on the verses Gibbs spits, which isn’t this bad thing but holds an imbalance. “Walk It Off” and “Brick Fees” come to mind, but Gibbs is on another level lyrically, and it brings the dimensions needed to keep you reeled into the powerful flow emanating throughout 2/3s of the album. It’s safe to say this is better than his last album, but the bar was lowered since the last one wasn’t trying anything new or inventive, which came alongside the features doing similarly. Thankfully, Gibbs gives us that juice solo dolo, making the impact more measured and great.

You Only Die 1nce is great, offering a lot for fans of Freddie Gibbs, and may reel the skeptics back in. It’s personal and finds ground in being real and relatable, giving us something new and refreshing, even if the description is rather loose. I found myself appreciating this album a lot, even with its small missteps, but it doesn’t fully derail the flow. It’s fluid and strong, and Gibbs sounds like the motor isn’t stopping anytime soon. Get on the Kane Train, because it’s always a topsy-turvy ride, but the highs are momentous.