Daniel Caesar opens Son of Spergy with a question about what comes after the man who made him famous. The record runs 12 tracks and 51 minutes, and it moves between confession, devotion, and quiet dread, often within the same song.
Opening With Rain Down
The album starts with “Rain Down,” a slow, heavy opener that sets the tone: this is not a record about light. “Have a Baby (With Me)” follows, a warm plea that feels like a breath of air after the opener. “Call on Me” is a short, sharp call for help, and “Baby Blue” stretches past five minutes, turning blue into something closer to dread.
“Root of All Evil” and “Who Knows” sit together as a pair of mid-tempo songs, neither reaching the heights around them. They move the record along without leaving much of a mark.
Moon and Touching God
“Moon” slows things down again, a song built on space and longing. “Touching God” is the heart of the middle stretch, a prayer that never loses its shape, and it’s one of the best things here. “Sign of the Times” and “Emily’s Song” keep the pace steady but slight, competent without asking for much attention.
“No More Loving (On Women I Don’t Love)” is a quiet, sad song that cuts through the surrounding filler. It earns its place as one of the stronger tracks on the back half.
Closing With Sins of the Father
“Sins of the Father” closes the record at over seven minutes, and it’s the longest track here. It’s also the most ambitious, working toward a conclusion that doesn’t quite land the way the build promises.
“Sins of the Father” closes the record at over seven minutes, and it’s the longest track here.
Ranking the Tracks
The strongest tracks, in order:
- “Touching God” — the prayer that never loses its shape, one of the best things here.
- “No More Loving (On Women I Don’t Love)” — a quiet, sad song that cuts through the surrounding filler.
- “Moon” — a song built on space and longing.
- “Baby Blue” — stretching past five minutes, turning blue into something closer to dread.
- “Rain Down” — the slow, heavy opener that sets the tone.
The rest of the record holds together, but it’s the weaker half. Nothing here fails, but nothing here rises either.
Verdict on Son of Spergy
Son of Spergy is a solid record from a singer who knows how to make a room feel small. Its highs are high, its lows are brief, and its ambition shows in the closing stretch even when it doesn’t fully pay off. This is a record that rewards patience and punishes skimming.
- Rain Down3:08
- Have a Baby (With Me)3:46
- Call on Me2:49
- Baby Blue5:58
- Root of All Evil4:25
- Who Knows3:50
- Moon5:17
- Touching God4:41
- Sign of the Times3:52
- Emily’s Song2:54
- No More Loving (On Women I Don’t Love)3:18
- Sins of the Father7:51
