Hey, everyone. Rethony Duxtano here, the internet's busiest music nerd. It's time for a Redux review of this Childish Gambino album, Atavista.

Some of you may be saying right now, Anthony Fantano, Redux Review? What are you talking about? You've never reviewed a Childish Gambino album by that title before. That is in fact true. But I have reviewed the material on this album previously because this album was released years ago, actually, in the form of 3.15.20, the roughly mixed surprise Gambino album that dropped out of nowhere was released during a time when it seemed like Mr. Donald Glover was going to be taking a break from music or maybe even quitting entirely.

However, he seems to be dipping his toes back in the music water again with some touring and some performances, and now the reissuing of this record, which he's pretty committed to, by the way, because this new version of the album has replaced the original 3.15.20 version on streaming services now.

I'm getting ahead of myself here. The new-ish Childish Gambino album, Childish Gambino, a singer, songwriter, producer, actor, writer, Mr. Donald Glover. He is a man of many talents and creative mediums. Music is just one of them, obviously. And while I've never been the biggest fan of his work over the years, I was sad to hear a while back that he might be parting ways with music. And the fact that this album dropped in such an unfinished state around that time, it just seemed like confirmation of that.

All those years ago, what did I have to say about the album? I wonder...

"Imagine untitled unmastered., but the songs aren't nearly as good, and it's not preceded by one of the most significant musical statements of the decade..."

Wow, I really did not like this thing.

"...which only leaves this project sounding like B-sides to the album we should have gotten instead."

How is that Anthony Fantano guy so sexy?

A 4 out of 10. That's not a very positive review. But I will say, fortunately, I am not feeling as down on this new version of the album because lo and behold, the mixes on this version of the record are actually quite good and vibrant and full of life and colorful and nice. The damn thing actually sounds finished. There's a clarity now to all of the instrumentation. You can actually hear what's going on and the whole thing doesn't sound like a bad demo, which is great. That enough makes this record a more enjoyable experience, and I feel like I can actually judge and critique these songs on the merits of their songwriting and their composition because they actually sound presentable.

While all of that is well and good, and certainly has improved the quality of this album overall, I'll say this, hearing these tracks in a light where you're actually able to analyze them as songs has revealed other issues. I think the record starts off strong enough with the title track, which is a very smooth, viby piece of synth pop that has an '80s flair to it.

Following that, there's "Algorithm," which is like a Kanye West/Michael Jackson style hybrid that's really following in the footsteps of the industrial rap atmospheres of Yeezus. But I think quality-wise, things begin to take a nose dive immediately after with the Ariana Grande crossover, where the improved mix really reveals a total and complete lack of vocal chemistry between Glover and Grande, plus the rigid beat sequencing on the track, a again, feels reminiscent of the '80s, but it doesn't really have any of that old-school charm to it.

Meanwhile, "Psilocybae" is this funky little synth funk story cut that feels like an SNL skit where Donald Glover is playing Prince in the midst of an acid trip, and the whole thing unintentionally feels like a parody. And given the very specific narrative of the song, it's weird that 21 Savage pops in out of nowhere. Was he just there? Also, not to mention, 6 minutes 33 seconds is long for a song of this style if every moment isn't going to be contributing to the narrative vision.

I think "To Be Hunted" though, is really the first song on the record that I have truly warmed up to in hearing it presented in this new and vibrant way. We have another pop and synth-funk blend on this track where you can really eat up now, thanks to the new mix, the storytelling going on in the lyrics, this father-to-son advice session where Donald is being told to be beautiful is to be hunted, and he's going to have things in life that people are going to want to have access to and take advantage of.

Storytelling and interpersonal dynamics are also the selling point on the following "Sweet Thing" featuring Summer Walker, where I do really like the concept of this one, the weird and modern and flawed and tongue-in-cheek romance that's being portrayed. But I feel like Gambino is going a bit too far and yucking things up vocally rather than just singing well and really selling the track. This shortcoming becomes even more obvious when Summer Walker steps into the cut and is actually killing it vocally.

"Little Foot, Big Foot" for the re-issuing of this album has been chosen as the big music video single for the record, and I could see why. It's a very interesting and creative spin on the idea of the drug pusher anthem. Those guitar parts are absolutely killer, and I love that Young Nudy steps in with a trap beat switch to contribute to the vision of the track. I feel like this is a more sensible inclusion to one of the songs here as opposed to the 21 Savage bit earlier.

Also, surprised to see "Human Sacrifice" here because this is a track the Gambino fans have been waiting to see an official release on for a minute. And while it is cool that it's finally here, hearing it in the context of the album, I'm not sure if it adds that much. Once again, we see Glover making a Kanye West, MJ-type epic with some drum circle rhythms in the mix. But I feel like the assembly on this one is even more shoddy. I think the lack of material layers on this track prevents the song from reaching up into the stratosphere that it's obviously shooting for.

"The Violence" also suffers from similar issues. It's got a great lyrical concept, good start, but it lacks follow-through, good performance on the vocal side, the pacing is a bit awful. Even if the mix is improved at this point, it's still not great. But at least the record ends off on a strong note with "Final Church," which is a rap soul epic where Glover delivers much of the time in this fashion that makes it feel like he is a preacher giving a sermon.

Look, to put it quickly and bluntly, even if this record is more enjoyable now at this point with this new mix, everything still feels a little lost potential here because, again, I think at the core of many of these tracks, there are a lot of good lyrical and songwriting ideas. Glover, obviously, is going the extra mile and trying to get more into storytelling and narratives with how he presents his tracks. He's telling stories not just with his words, but with the guests he brings onto the songs, with the instrumental palettes he's bringing to the table, too. It's still maybe a bit too skeletal and basic to bring these songs to their full potential sometimes. Some of the progressions of these tracks are a little one-dimensional. Some of the vocal performances are a bit iffy and could have used a redo. So again, even with the mixes being fixed, there are still signs on this album that Glover in the creative process here was not taking it all the way.

However, now that we have this new version of the album and potentially more music on the way, I hope that Glover feels revitalized and incentivized the next time he does get some musical ideas, some song ideas on this level to really nail every detail and sign it and deliver it with a freaking bow.

So while I'm not loving this record, I am liking it more, and it does give me some hope, which is why I'm feeling a light to decent 6 on this album.

Fantano, Childish Gambino of Forever.