Announcing their sudden disbandment in early 2022, critically acclaimed hip-hop crew Brockhampton issued their "last" album The Family months later. On the day of that record's release, the group revealed that their actual last album, an LP titled TM, would be released that night. Surprise-releasing this set less than a day after their supposed final effort dulled TM's impact, making it feel more like a cobbling together of leftovers than a true parting gift to fans. This muddled execution is a shame because TM is arguably better, yet another effortless display of ear-bending production, wild energy, and creative synergy from a team of preternaturally blessed artists. Beyond that, the most apparent boon is that TM actually features the gang itself, which is kind of the point of a "Brockhampton" album. Verse after verse, TM allows for some final memorable moments in the spotlight for Matt Champion, Dom McLennon, Joba, Merlyn Wood, Jabari Manwa, and Kevin Abstract. Clear standouts include "Listerine," a woozy head-swirler where Champion and Manwa deliver two of the most hypnotic performances on TM; the pensive "Duct Tape," a heart-rending examination of relationships and communication; and "New Shoes," where a breathless Abstract, Champion, and Manwa feed off each other before Wood swoops in, as usual, to steal the show. Wood does his thing again on "Keep It Southern," allowing Abstract to do his best Andre 3000 before stomping through his verse. Changing pace, the skittering synth-pop bliss of "Man on the Moon" offers a brief dance break, while "Better Things" and "Crucify Me" soothe with smoothed-out production and thoughtful, introspective verses from Abstract, Champion, and Joba. The latter two team up for the aptly titled "Goodbye," a touching closer that samples Q Lazzarus' "Goodbye Horses." With input from Joba, Champion, Romil Hemnani, Manwa, and more on the track, this is an even more appropriate end to this group's story, one that can truly be called a team effort. If the crew had flipped release order, TM would have received all the immediate attention as the "final Brockhampton album" -- since they got at least more than one member on the tracks -- leaving Kevin Abstract's reflective solo joint The Family as a bittersweet epilogue to Brockhampton's brief but eye-popping moment in the sun. Instead, an otherwise solid LP got lost in the shuffle, treated more as a footnote than a true parting statement. ~ Neil Z. Yeung, Rovi

1		FMG
2		ANIMAL
3		LISTERINE
4		NEW SHOES
5		KEEP IT SOUTHERN
6		MAN ON THE MOON
7		BETTER THINGS
8		CRUCIFY ME
9		DUCT TAPE
10		ALWAYS SOMETHING
11		GOODBYE

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