8. Something's Got To Give

Something’s Got To Give

Right from the start, this track sounds and feels different than the previous ones we’ve heard on the album. The progression moves along differently, in a way I can’t quite put my finger on. The melody is somewhat similar to Avicii’s “Wake Me Up” for a short time, which is a completely different tone than what we are used to from Labrinth. Just as I’m getting used to the difference, Labrinth brings his classic style back in. The beginning still has his recognizable style, but until that hard-hitting bass and background gospel-like vocals come in there’s something different in the onset. It sounds like a smooth slide into the more intense part of the song instead of hitting us right from the start. The slight change is comfortable and, honestly, welcomed. I just wonder why it comes before his midsection piece, “I’m Blessed,” which acts as a buffer similar to the intro and outro tracks, instead of the first track after that buffer.

The differences end very early on, with the background vocals and methodically placed shouts coming back in and remaining throughout the rest of the song. His signature strong bass and brass section is present with some keys in the mix, acting almost as characters in a story. Along with the line, “‘Til I come tumbling down,” we hear descending notes played on a piano. It acts as a sort of character “tumbling down” the notes on the piano, or in the case of the individual in the song, experiencing a setback. This is just one of Labrinth’s excellent stylistic choices for this track.

As soon as the hook comes in, Labrinth’s classic sound is fully restored in all its glory. You can feel the bass notes reverberating in your feet (or head, depending on what mode of consumption you choose), the catchy chorus pushes your head into a nod, and the gospel has returned. A nice twangy electric guitar comes in for a short solo, conjoining the chorus and second verse. One of my favorite parts that reappears in the second verse is the repetition of the last words of lines.

This song feels uplifting, a road to success. After “The Producer,” this song pushes us through the fog. It’s hopeful, looking towards a brighter future. The mindset here has changed to a positive outlook on the necessary struggle. “Something’s Got To Give” shows us perspective. We’ve fought through hard times, faced struggles and setbacks, now we rise up, as he tells his audience, “When the going gets tough, gotta give a little more.” The overall message is coming across as keep fighting for what you want to achieve.

In the middle of the song, we get an abrupt break, where “Usually I wouldn’t do this but uhh…” comes as a line said in prose-style instead of sung. The beat and tempo changes into more of a gospel type stomp-and-clap, with shouts of “woohoo” in between the lines. “I love it when the plan comes together” is the repeated line in these concluding verses, seemingly bringing us to the final stage of success. If we’re going with the theme of the album thus far, we’ve been planning and building up with the main character/s and finally things are falling into place.

Although we started off with a tune and tone not immediately recognizable as Labrinth’s style for this album, we are back in the comfort of his production by the end. We can imagine the hardships faced when climbing the ladder of success. It’s not so much a ladder as a cliff with no ropes or harnesses. The speaker is aware that this is a difficult feat and it may be discouraging, but “something's got to give.”