Tremaine the Album (or simplified as Tremaine) is the seventh studio album by American singer and songwriter Trey Songz. It was released on March 24, 2017, by Troy Taylor's Songbook label, with distribution from Atlantic Records.[2] The album follows suit to Songz' sixth studio album, Trigga (2014).
| Tremaine the Album | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | March 24, 2017 | |||
| Recorded | 2016–2017 | |||
| Genre | R&B | |||
| Length | 58:20 | |||
| Label |
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| Producer |
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| Trey Songz chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Tremaine the Album | ||||
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Musically it's an R&B album about the toughness of changing a playboy lifestyle to a romantic one.[3][4] The album was supported by five singles: "Nobody Else but You", "Playboy", "Animal", "Song Goes Off", and "The Sheets... Still". The album peaked at number three on the Billboard 200, and was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for combined sales and album-equivalent units of over 500,000 units in the United States.[5] Tremaine was met with generally positive reviews from contemporary music critics.
Background
editTrey Songz said, during an interview with iHeartRadio, that with the album he wanted to be more vulnerable to his audience, also giving a sound that "is more genuinely what R&B means to [him] and what it has meant to [his] career", compared to the club-R&B sound of its "brash [and] bravado" predecessor Trigga.[6][7] When asked about Tremaine's lyrical theme he said:
I wouldn't say the overall theme of the album is me trying to understand why I'm still a ladies' man and not yet settled down. I would say that's a question that's asked throughout. I would say it's an answer that's explained throughout, too. Not for the world, but for myself and for men and women in the situations I've been in. Like I've said, I like to make my music the soundtrack of my life, as well as the possibility to be the soundtrack for other people's lives. So, I just want people to get an understanding of where I am mentally and what I think about sometimes.[7]
Music and lyrics
edit
Tremaine is an R&B album, with a consistent mid-tempo groove,[8] about the toughness of changing a playboy lifestyle to a romantic one, showing vulnerable moments where he desires to prove himself to his loved one, as well as introspections about how he personally feels unsatisfied not expressing his genuine love for another because of his Casanova image, also having "hyper-libidinous" tracks where he celebrates the beautiness of sexual temptation.[9][4]
The album opens up with the lines "I been stressed out / I ain't feeling my best / All they want is my sex", setting the theme for the album.[8] On the "90's inspired" slow-jam "Playboy", he laments his inability to change, singing "Don't know why I'm still kissing girls that I don't love / still stumbling out of these clubs / still I'm just so hard to trust / don't know why I'm still a playboy".[4] On tracks like "Nobody Else but You", "Come Over" and "Priceless" he approaches his loved one as a changed man, stating that all he wants and needs is her love.[10] On "Animal" and "She Lovin It" he finds himself really enjoying himself during wild one-night stands.[4] The album also contains painful breakup songs, suggesting the in and out situation with his former girlfriend caused by his way of living his sexuality, including the alternative R&B record "Song Goes Off", and the album's final track "Break from Love", a piano ballad where he yearns "I don't want to break from us / After all we've been through so much / I don't want to break from love".[9][8]
Critical reception
edit| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [9] |
| Revolt |  [10] |
| Vibe | [8] |
| USA Today | [4] |
| Exclaim! | 4/10[3] |
Upon its release, the album received generally positive reviews from contemporary music critics.[9] Andy Kellman of AllMusic praised its vocal performance stating "as vocalist of such considerable caliber [...] [t]here's no disproving that Songz is still in his element" but found its production to be "too flat and usual at times".[9] Revolt's Maurita Salkey was complimentary of the album, saying "Trey's three-year hiatus seems to have paid off. This album leaves you with an array of emotions, but most importantly leaves you yearning for more."[10] John Kennedy of Vibe praised its lyrical content, stating that it shows "a softer side of the guy who invented sex", ending up his review by saying that "Trigga and Tremaine [are] pop culture's great dualities [that distinct] the two sides of Trey Songz".[8] Maeve McDermott of USA Today commended the "better man" promise songs like "Nobody Else but You", "Playboy" and "Priceless", but was dismissive of the lyrical production on songs like "1x1" and "#1 Fan", affirming "he's trying too hard to prove his changing to still betray hints of his toxic masculinity along the way".[4][misquoted] Kyle Mullin of Exclaim! said that "If only Songz had filled out Tremaine the Album with such stronger fare, it would be an LP worthy of bearing his name."[3]
Commercial performance
editTremaine debuted at number three on the US Billboard 200 behind Drake's More Life and Ed Sheeran's ÷ with 67,000 album-equivalent units, which included 45,000 pure album sales in its first week.[5] It serves as Trey Songz's fifth consecutive top three album in the United States.[5] On September 17, 2019, The album was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America for combined sales and album-equivalent units of over 500,000 units in the United States.[11]
Track listing
editCredits adapted from Tidal.
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "The Prelude" |
|
| 1:47 |
| 2. | "Come Over" |
|
| 4:02 |
| 3. | "#1 Fan" |
|
| 3:57 |
| 4. | "Nobody Else but You" | T. Neverson | Isaak | 3:48 |
| 5. | "Playboy" | T. Neverson |
| 4:16 |
| 6. | "The Sheets... Still" | T. Neverson |
| 6:04 |
| 7. | "Song Goes Off" |
| C4 | 4:04 |
| 8. | "She Lovin It" |
|
| 3:09 |
| 9. | "Animal" | T. Neverson | 4:21 | |
| 10. | "1x1" |
|
| 3:23 |
| 11. | "Priceless" |
|
| 3:55 |
| 12. | "What Are We Here For" |
|
| 3:16 |
| 13. | "Games We Play" (featuring MIKExANGEL) |
| Guitar Boy | 4:23 |
| 14. | "Picture Perfect" |
|
| 4:07 |
| 15. | "Break from Love" | T. Neverson |
| 3:48 |
| Total length: | 58:20 | |||
Notes
Charts
edit
Weekly chartsedit
|
Year-end chartsedit
|
Certifications
edit| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| United States (RIAA)[25] | Gold | 500,000‡ |
|
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. | ||
References
edit- ^ Vinson, Nathan (September 30, 2017). "Chart Check: Tank Scores Top 5 Hit on Urban AC, Tamar Braxton and Trey Songz Pick New Singles". Rated R&B. Retrieved October 6, 2017.
- ^ "Tremaine The Album by Trey Songz on Apple Music". iTunes. March 24, 2017. Retrieved March 25, 2017.
- ^ a b c Mullin, Kyle (March 27, 2017). "Trey Songz Tremaine the Album". Exclaim!. Retrieved October 19, 2021.
- ^ a b c d e f g McDermott, Maeve (March 23, 2017). "Review: Trey Songz, Ed Sheeran and 'Tremaine's 'nice guy' problem". USA Today. Retrieved October 19, 2021.
- ^ a b c Caulfield, Keith (April 2, 2017). "Drake's 'More Life' Spends Second Week at No. 1 on Billboard 200, Trey Songz Debuts at No. 3". Billboard. Retrieved April 2, 2017.
- ^ Mohammed, Sagal (March 24, 2017). "Trey Songz opens up about love, relationships and his new music". Glamour. Retrieved October 19, 2021.
- ^ a b Thorpe, Isha (March 24, 2017). "INTERVIEW: Trey Songz Opens Up About 'Tremaine The Album' & Love Life". iHeartRadio. Retrieved October 19, 2021.
- ^ a b c d e Kennedy, John (March 27, 2017). "Review: Trey Songz Shows Remorse For His Savagery On 'Tremaine The Album'". Vibe. Retrieved October 19, 2021.
- ^ a b c d e "Tremaine the Album - Trey Songz | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved March 25, 2017.
- ^ a b c Salkey, Maurita (March 27, 2017). "Review: Trey Songz, 'Tremaine the Album'". Revolt. Archived from the original on October 10, 2021. Retrieved October 19, 2021.
- ^ "Gold & Platinum". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved October 19, 2021.
- ^ "Australiancharts.com – Trey Songz – Tremaine". Hung Medien. Retrieved April 1, 2017.
- ^ "Ultratop.be – Trey Songz – Tremaine" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved April 1, 2017.
- ^ "Ultratop.be – Trey Songz – Tremaine" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved April 1, 2017.
- ^ "Trey Songz Chart History (Canadian Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved April 4, 2017.
- ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Trey Songz – Tremaine" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved April 1, 2017.
- ^ "Le Top de la semaine : Top Albums – SNEP (Week 13, 2017)". Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Retrieved April 4, 2017.
- ^ "Charts.nz – Trey Songz – Tremaine". Hung Medien. Retrieved March 31, 2017.
- ^ "Swisscharts.com – Trey Songz – Tremaine". Hung Medien. Retrieved April 5, 2017.
- ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 1, 2017.
- ^ "Trey Songz Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved April 3, 2017.
- ^ "Trey Songz Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved April 4, 2017.
- ^ "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 2017". Billboard. Retrieved June 29, 2020.
- ^ "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 2017". Billboard. Retrieved June 29, 2020.
- ^ "American album certifications – Trey Songz – Tremaine the Album". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved August 27, 2022.