New York City host BVNGS has returned for her ninth extended show. Starting over a decade ago with her debut EP Not Available, she has since released 7 Dutches & a Sweet Tea, Brown Girls & Bubble Coats, Lula and Only Crying because I’m Drunk. She later released her sixth EP, LaQuisha, in the spring of 2021, and just 4 months later, I had the pleasure of meeting her at a Catch 1 show in Los Angeles, where I was deeply impressed by her performance. However, after the end of “Mary Mac” and “Bringing Food Twice a Day,” she admitted that she “only cried because I was drunk too.”
After the “Statistics Show” intro, opener “In Love Again” connects with a soul sample to get things started talking about her falling in love with someone, while “Crazy” takes a smoother sound and describes how this person is driving her crazy. “Opal” takes a more melodic approach in its delivery, asking her lovers if they would write to her if she were imprisoned, while “Reaction” displays an alternative R&B influence, singing about trying to relax.
“Everything That You Do,” which follows “Apple Pie (Bianco’s Interlude),” closes out the final verse of “Only Crying because I’m Drunk Too,” paying homage to the one person in her life who makes her feel complete, while the syrupy “Me Too” is once again in her R&B bag, singing about the body of her lover calling out to her. The outro “Delusional” takes up the last 135 seconds of the EP, with an atmospheric alternative R&B note asking the person if she is a loss to them, or if they miss her.
“Only Crying Because I’m Drunk” remains one of the most vulnerable works in BVNGS’s entire discography, but this sequel kicks the vulnerability up a few notches and makes full use of her versatility, drawing more inspiration from R&B music, even if she sometimes raps. I appreciate “Only Crying because I’m Drunk Too” because she showcased her artistry on the late Big L’s fifth and final posthumous album, Harlem’s Finest: Return of the King.
Rating: 7/10
