Few Good Things

Few Good Things
Studio album by
Saba
ReleasedFebruary 4, 2022
Studio
Genre
Length47:39
LabelPivot Gang, LLC
Producer
Saba chronology
Care for Me
(2018) 		Few Good Things
(2022)
Singles from Few Good Things
  1. "Fearmonger"
    Released: November 4, 2021
  2. "Stop That"
    Released: November 18, 2021
  3. "Come My Way"
    Released: January 13, 2022
  4. "Survivor's Guilt"
    Released: January 27, 2022

Few Good Things is the third studio album by American rapper Saba. It was released on February 4, 2022, via Pivot Gang, LLC. The album includes guest appearances from Black Thought, G Herbo, Krayzie Bone, 6lack, Smino, Mereba, Fousheé and Eryn Allen Kane, as well as Pivot Gang.[1] The album was met with critical acclaim upon release for its production and introspective lyrics.

Background

[edit]

On February 9, Saba released the eponymous short film directed by C.T. Robert.[2] Saba explained the film in a press release saying:

The concept of Few Good Things is the realization of self after a search for exterior fulfillment. It is the satisfaction and completeness you gain by simply living a life that is yours. Few is a small number, but few is not lonely. In the face of all adversity, a few good things is recognizing and accepting blessings. Few is to count them, one by one. An empty glass is full of air. An empty bank is full of lessons. An empty heart is full of memories. Few good things is to grow comfortable with the empty, and despite that, finding your fullness.[3]

Singles and promotion

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During 2020 and 2021, Saba released many promotional singles including: "Ziplock", "Rich Don't Stop", "Mrs. Whoever", "Something in the Water", "So and So", and "Are You Down". On November 4, 2021, Saba announced his third album Few Good Things and released the first single titled "Fearmonger".[4] On November 18, he released the second single titled "Stop That".[5] On January 13, 2022, he released the third single "Come My Way" featuring Krayzie Bone.[6] The fourth single "Survivor's Guilt" featuring G Herbo was released on January 27.[7]

Critical reception

[edit]
Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic83/100[8]
Review scores
SourceRating
NME5/5[9]
Consequence8.3/10[10]
Pitchfork7.5/10[11]

Few Good Things was met with widespread critical acclaim from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, the album received an average score of 83, based on 6 reviews.[8] Kyann-Sian Williams of NME gave the album 5 out of 5 stars saying "On this record, Saba expertly blends the whimsical and spiritual nature of soul music with GOAT-level penmanship reminiscent of the conscious rap of yesteryear. The result is a glorious neo-rap sound. It doesn't quite fit in with his contemporaries' party music, and he's not always as crafty and traditional as hip-hop, so rappers like Saba often stay on the wayside, delivering absolute perfection without many accolades. That would be a shame, as this is an album at a divine level."[9]

Consequence wrote that "Few Good Things builds on Saba's quest to just live life while acknowledging that's a loaded proposition at times. It's hard telling someone else to pull themselves up by their bootstraps when they don't even have a boot, when there are fewer straps upon which to tug. Saba lives with that feeling every day, doing his best to enjoy the fruits of his labor, help as many as he can, and not get depressed knowing he can't save everyone."[10] Jayson Greene of Pitchfork wrote about the production from Saba, daedaePIVOT, and Daoud saying "As the trio has forged their sound, Saba's flow has softened and turned more melodic. He works best when his voice is another instrument in the mix, freely mixing up registers between melody and rhythm."[11]

Track listing

[edit]
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Free Samples" (featuring Cheflee)
2:07
2."One Way or Every Nigga With a Budget"T. Chandler
  • Daoud
  • daedaePIVOT
2:45
3."Survivor's Guilt" (featuring G Herbo)
  • Saba
  • Daoud
  • daedaePIVOT
3:42
4."An Interlude Called 'Circus'" (featuring Eryn Allen Kane)
  • T. Chandler
  • J. Chandler
  • Saba
  • Daoud
  • daedaePIVOT
1:02
5."Fearmonger" (featuring Daoud)
  • Daoud
  • daedaePIVOT
3:41
6."Come My Way" (featuring Krayzie Bone)
  • Daoud
  • daedaePIVOT
3:10
7."Still" (featuring 6lack and Smino)
3:45
8."A Simpler Time" (featuring Mereba)
3:33
9."Soldier" (featuring Pivot Gang)
  • T. Chandler
  • J. Chandler
  • Jimmy Hood
  • Martin Anderson
  • Anthony
  • Saba
  • Daoud
  • daedaePIVOT
  • Phoelix[a]
3:05
10."If I Had a Dollar" (featuring Benjamin Earl Turner)
  • T. Chandler
  • J. Chandler
  • Benjamin Turner
  • Saba
  • Daoud
  • daedaePIVOT
3:13
11."Stop That"T. Chandler
  • Saba
  • Daoud
  • daedaePIVOT
2:18
12."Make Believe" (featuring Fousheé)
  • Saba
  • Daoud
  • daedaePIVOT
3:41
13."2012" (featuring Day Wave)T. Chandler
  • Daoud
  • Nascent
  • Saba[a]
  • Day Wave[a]
4:20
14."Few Good Things" (featuring Black Thought and Eryn Allen Kane)
  • Daoud
  • daedaePIVOT
  • Saba
  • Cheflee
7:08
Total length:47:39

Note

  • ^[a] signifies an additional producer.

Personnel

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Musicians

  • Saba – vocals (all tracks), drum programming (tracks 3, 4, 7, 11, 12, 14), electric guitar (4), bass (9)
  • Daoud – synthesizers (tracks 1, 3–6, 9–13), keyboards (1–3, 5, 6, 9–14), additional vocals (1, 2, 4, 6, 9, 12–14), acoustic guitar (1, 12, 14), electric guitar (2, 5–7, 9, 12, 13), bass (2, 5–7, 9, 14), percussion (2, 5), piano (7), drum programming (9, 12)
  • daedaePIVOT – drum programming (tracks 1–7, 9–11, 14), additional vocals (2, 9), acoustic guitar (2), percussion (5)
  • Cheflee – bass, electric guitar (tracks 1, 14); drums (1)
  • Brandon Farmer – drums (track 1), additional drums (14)
  • Phoelix – additional vocals (tracks 7, 9), bass (9)
  • Day Wave – electric guitar (track 7)
  • Monte Booker – drum programming, keyboards, synthesizer (track 8)
  • Jacob Rochester – drums (track 8)
  • Nascent – drum programming (track 13)

Technical

  • Joe LaPorta – mastering
  • Papi Beatz – mixing
  • Saba – engineering (tracks 1–6, 8, 10–14), additional mixing (all tracks)
  • Daoud – engineering (tracks 1, 2, 4–6, 9, 12–14), string arrangements (1, 2, 9, 12, 14), additional mixing (all tracks)
  • Hope Brush – engineering (tracks 3, 5, 10)
  • Rudyard Lee Cullers – engineering (tracks 4, 8–10, 12, 14)
  • Josh Berg – engineering (tracks 6, 7)
  • 6lack – engineering (track 7)
  • Smino – engineering (track 7)
  • Jared "JT" Gagarin – engineering (track 7)
  • Frsh Waters – engineering (track 9)
  • daedaePIVOT – additional mixing

Visuals

  • C.T. Robert – creative direction
  • Dawit N.M. – photography
  • Ruben Rodriguez – graphic design

Charts

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Weekly chart performance for Few Good Things
Chart (2022) Peak
position
US Independent Albums (Billboard)[12] 44

References

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  1. ^ Bustard, Andy (26 January 2022). "SABA TAPS BLACK THOUGHT, G HERBO, KRAYZIE BONE + MORE FOR 'FEW GOOD THINGS' TRACKLIST". HipHopDX.
  2. ^ Williams, Aaron (10 February 2022). "Saba Focuses On Family And Community In His 'Few Good Things' Short Film". Uproxx.
  3. ^ "Saba shares Few Good Things short film". The Fader.
  4. ^ "Saba Announces New Album Few Good Things, Shares New Song "Fearmonger": Listen". Pitchfork. 5 November 2021.
  5. ^ "Watch Saba's Video for New Song "Stop That"". Pitchfork. 19 November 2021.
  6. ^ ""Come My Way" [ft. Krayzie Bone]". Pitchfork.
  7. ^ "Saba Recruits G Herbo for New Song "Survivor's Guilt"". Complex.
  8. ^ a b "Critic Reviews for Few Good Things by Saba". Metacritic. Retrieved February 12, 2022.
  9. ^ a b "Saba – 'Few Good Things' review: Heavenly neo-rap mixes soul with stunning penmanship". NME. 7 February 2022.
  10. ^ a b "Saba Pivots to Hopeful Introspection on Few Good Things". Consequence. 7 February 2022.
  11. ^ a b "Saba: Few Good Things Album Review". Pitchfork.
  12. ^ "Saba". Billboard. Retrieved 2022-02-19.
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