QUICKSPINS: Summer Walker – Still Over It

The R&B superstar releases her sophomore album, and she’s back with a vengeance.

Two years after Over It, Summer Walker has returned to the music scene in full force. Her latest release, Still Over It, can be seen as the follow-up to her last project. This is Summer’s second studio album and it’s brimming with incredible tracks. 

Summer Walker continues to prove through and through in each of her projects that when it comes to R&B, she understands the assignment. Still Over It is the perfect album for listeners who love the early R&B themes of heartbreak and betrayal but also love modern beats and melodies. Tracks like “Constant Bullshit,” “Reciprocate,” and “Broken Promises” are all easily some of the best tracks in her entire discography thus far. Summer knows how to tear her ex-lover apart on one track, revel in her pettiness on another, and cry about it on a third — all while maintaining a palpable cohesion and flow throughout the LP.

Still Over It has a running time of just over an hour and contains 20 songs. It chronicles the public downward spiral of her relationship with producer and rapper London on da Track over the last two years. Summer has accused him of being a deadbeat dad, of not respecting her or their baby, and of mistreating her. Although this entire project revolved around criticizing London, he is nevertheless an accredited producer on half of the songs. The couple is no longer together, but they maintain a relationship professionally and they also co-parent.

If Over It was about needing love and finding intimacy, Still Over It is about coping with infidelity and embracing vulnerability. The album is chock-full of heartbreaking lyrics, zippy one-liners, and melodies that warm the soul.

Out of 20 tracks, eight contain features. A voicemail style recording by Cardi B plays at the top of the album, and one by Grammy award-winning R&B artist Ciara closes it out. Summer teams with SZA for the petty anthem “No Love,” and joins forces with Ari Lennox on the smooth and jazzy “Unloyal.” The project furthers its range of collaborators with Pharrell Williams and The Neptunes on “Dat Right There,” one of the danciest tracks on the album.

This album, at its core, is an homage to women struggling with disloyal partners, all while trying to find themselves. If there is a singular moment that captures this, it is on “4th Baby Mama,” where Summer sings “Telling people that I’m your queen / But all you mean is just of R&B.” After this release, it is safe to say that Still Over It is one of Summer Walker’s strongest projects to date.

 

Trial Track: “Reciprocate”

Score: 8/10

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