TM (album) explained

TM is the eighth and final studio album by American hip hop boy band Brockhampton. It was released on November 18, 2022, one day after the release of the group's previous studio album The Family, through RCA and Question Everything. For its entire rollout, The Family was advertised as the band's final album. A surprise release, TM was announced for release alongside a promo image for The Family, and was billed by the band as a "parting gift for fans".^[1]

The album was executively produced by Brockhampton member Matt Champion, marking Champion's first production credit on a Brockhampton project.^[2] Although he is credited as part of the group, vocalist and producer Bearface did not contribute to the record.^[3]

Background

The Family had been advertised as the final studio album from Brockhampton. Despite this, in a promo image posted to social media alongside the release of The Family, the band announced surprise album TM in small text towards the bottom of the image, reading "Surprise album (TM) midnight local."^[4] TM completed the 6-album deal that the group signed with RCA Records in 2018.^[5]

Recording

Stated in a press release, TM is "an album made up of songs that were started by the group during a two-week stint in Ojai, California in 2021, but were never fully completed during those sessions." The album is executively produced by Brockhampton member Matt Champion.^[6]

"Keep It Southern" and "Man on the Moon" were previously teased as part of the band's Technical Difficulties Radio livestreams in 2020.^[7]

Critical reception

Clash journalist James Mellen called TM "a classic Brockhampton record" that successfully ended the Brockhampton project, featuring "immaculate production, genre shapeshifting, and some of the cleanest verses from the group in quite some time".^[8]

Track listing

Samples

• signifies an additional producer
• signifies an additional drum programmer
• All tracks are stylized in all caps. For example, "Animal" is stylized as "ANIMAL".
• "Listerine" contains excerpts from "Sha Na Na" as performed by El Michels Affair, written by Homer Steinweiss, Leon Michels, and Shannon Wise.^[9]
• "Keep It Southern" contains a sample from "Yesu Mahesha", by P. Susheela.
• "Goodbye" contains excerpts from "Goodbye Horses" as performed by Q Lazzarus, written by William Garvey.^[10]

Personnel

Brockhampton

• Matt Champion – vocals (1–4, 6–9, 11), production (7), additional drum programming (1), art direction, executive production
• Kevin Abstract – vocals (1–10)
• Jabari Manwa – vocals (2–4, 9), production (2, 4, 9–11), additional production (3)
• Dom McLennon – vocals (1, 3–4, 10), production (3, 9)
• Joba – vocals (6–11), production (1)
• Merlyn Wood – vocals (4–5), production (5)
• Bearface (credit only)
• Romil Hemnani – production (2–6, 9, 11), recording (1–7, 9–11)
• Kiko Merley – production (1, 3, 5–8), arrangement (7)
• Henock "HK" Sileshi – art direction, graphic design
• Ashlan Grey – photography

Additional musicians

• Ryan Beatty – vocals (2, 6)
• August Royals – additional vocals (6)
• Rich Hinman – slide guitar (7)
• Jay Rudolph – drums (8)
• Sean Matsukawa – guitar (10)
• Brad Lewis – production (2)
• Baird – production (2, 7, 9)
• WilliamVanZandt– production (2)
• Goldwash – production (2)
• Jonah Abraham – production (3, 5–6, 8, 11), synth bass (2, 9)
• Alex Goose – production (3)
• Dutra – production (4)
• Grant Lapointe – production (5), synth (1), keys (6, 8)
• Solomonophonic – production (6), additional production (3)
• John Debold – production (6)
• Coop the Truth – production (8)
• Dylan Neustadter – production (9)
• The Kount – production (9)
• Wesley Allen – production (9)
• Jordon Lumley – additional production (8)

Technical personnel

• Alex Thompson – recording engineer (1)
• Eddie Roberts – recording engineer (1)
• Garry Purohit – recording engineer (1–4, 7, 9, 11)
• Jeremy Simoneaux – recording engineer (8)
• Alex Tumay – mixing
• Andrew Kim – mixing assistant
• Nacor Zuluaga – mixing assistant
• Joe LaPorta – mastering

Notes and References

1. Web site: Anderson . Carys . Graves . Wren . 2022-11-17 . Brockhampton bow out with final album The Family: Stream . 2022-11-17 . . en-US.
2. Web site: Interviews . Clash Magazine Music News, Reviews & . Hussain . Shahzaib . 2024-07-22 . Elysian Fields: Matt Champion Interviewed Features . 2024-09-30 . Clash Magazine Music News, Reviews & Interviews . en-GB.
3. Web site: Curto . Justin . 2022-11-18 . Brockhampton Isn’t Quite Ready to Say Good-bye . 2024-09-30 . Vulture . en.
4. 1593229006627041280. brckhmptn. https://brockhampton.lnk.to/thefamily. Brockhampton. November 17, 2022. November 17, 2022.
5. Web site: Knopper . Steve . 2018-04-02 . Brockhampton’s RCA Deal Worth $15M: Sources . 2024-11-20 . Billboard . en-US.
6. Web site: Aniftos . Rania . 2024-03-09 . BLACKPINK’s Jennie Teams Up With Brockhampton’s Matt Champion for ‘Slow Motion’ . 2024-03-11 . Billboard . en-US.
7. Web site: 2022-12-01 . Top 10 BROCKHAMPTON Albums . 2024-09-30 . Live365 Blog . en.
8. Web site: Mellen. James. November 18, 2022. BROCKHAMPTON – TM . Clash. November 18, 2022.
9. Web site: BROCKHAMPTON – Official Site .
10. Web site: Credits / The Family . November 17, 2022 . November 17, 2022.