Give or Take

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* Album
* Animated

## **Singles from *Give or Take***

1. "For Tonight"
Released: September 24, 2021
2. "Lie Again"
Released: April 29, 2022

“When's the last time we heard a story from the perspective of, I'll say, a 25 to 27 year old man really just telling his story. Then on top of all of that, you add all this new found attention. I can't remember the last time I heard that. That's the timelessness I aim for. I want to know, once I know that I could just drop a project off in any decade and it could grow and flourish, that's why I also have the confidence to take my time.”
― Giveon to *Apple Music*
***Give or Take*** is the debut studio album by American R&B singer Giveon, released through Not So Fast and Epic Records on June 24, 2022. It consists of fifteen tracks. He remarked that there were no features, because it was so personal, and formatted in the way of a conversation with his mother. The songs are drawn from his personal experiences, where he explained in an interview, "I just pull from everything. It would never just be one specific situation. I decided a long time ago that I'm going to keep everything as completely private as possible... I choose to express it in song form".

It debuted at No. 11 on the *Billboard* 200 Chart and appeared on *Rolling Stone*'s 2022 year-end list at No. 78. In promotion, he embarked on the Give or Take Tour, which began on August 16, 2022.

## Synopsis

"The whole concept of the album is me having a conversation with my mom, and we're just catching up," GIVĒON tells Apple Music of his debut album. Hers is the first voice we hear, as she tells the singer how proud she is of him. Then comes the nocturnal breakup jam "Let Me Go." "Decide if I am worth the time I cause you/Let me know or let me go," he declares on the hook, before Mom closes it out with a reminder: "People make mistakes/People don't always agree with each other/Keep that in mind."

*Give or Take* unfolds like the pages of a journal, detailing the romantic escapades of a twentysomething who loves love but isn't always prepared to have it. Between wandering eyes, bad timing, and a desire to heal always at odds with the weakness of the flesh, there's a bit of everything here conceptually. The songs are experiences he recounts to his mom, in search of advice or perhaps absolution. "That's why the stories kind of feel like a roller coaster and not just one smooth story—because it was more sporadic," he explains. "I really wanted to give people a look behind the curtains of a 26-year-old man growing up today."

GIVĒON's gorgeous voice has the kind of grit and soul that imbues every lyric with emotional resonance; the production throughout further adds to the mood while also allowing his instrument to take center stage. As a result, these songs sound—and feel—like some of his most mature to date, even as he searches for romantic maturity within himself. "I just wanted to make sure I was being honest and vulnerable, and making sure everything was elevated," he says, adding that there was little different about his approach this time around. "I made my other stuff in 2019-2020, so naturally, with the course of time, I knew I was evolving as an artist, so I wasn't really worried about it." By the end of it all, Mom is brought to tears—the happy sort though.

## Background

* The first single, "For Tonight", was released on September 24, 2021.
* The second single, "Lie Again", was released on April 29, 2022.
* The album's cover trailer, cover artwork, title, and release date were made public on June 2, 2022.
* The track list was revealed on June 22, 2022.

## Critical reception

*Give or Take* received generally favorable reviews. At Metacritic, the album received a score of 72 out of 100, based on reviews from 6 critics. *Rolling Stone*'s Maura Johnston wrote, "It's confident yet vulnerable even in its most blissed-out moments, making his songs hit harder and imbuing his voice with even more soul". Josh Herring of *The Line of Best Fit* noted how, thematically, he took "the dive from toxic heartthrob to responsible lover". While he commented upon the sonic range being limited, he praised the vocals as "impressive", due to Giveon's lower vocal register. Andy Kellman of AllMusic wrote, "Giveon's rich and graceful voice remains so distinct that he could get away with singing nonsense. Despite the involvement of roughly two dozen production partners, the set is cohesive, almost to a fault, and most stimulating when it's slightly vaporous yet bristly, with a foundation in low-end thrum".

*HipHopDX* was less impressed, stating, "An indistinct retread of his past work that falters further under self importance and desire for ambition that falls flat". *Pitchfork* remarked that "lyrical vulnerability isn't enough to lift the dreary cloud of Giveon's static vocal performance [...] The dull midtempo rhythms and runny guitar lines are equally uninteresting". They concluded that Giveon stayed in his comfort zone, rather than having growth and challenge that was seen in his project *Take EP*. *The Telegraph* wrote, "*Give or Take* presents Giveon as an undeniable talent who isn't inclined to go deeper than his comfort zone for now; he coasts quite sweetly, between heartache and humblebrag".

Year-end lists

## Track listing

All tracks written by Giveon Evans, with other writers noted.

## Personnel

* Giveon "GIVĒON" Evans – vocals (all tracks)
* Brian Cruz – recording engineer (all tracks)
* Rodrigo Barahona – recording engineer (tracks 1, 2, 10-12)
* Andrew Schwartz – recording engineer (track 4)
* Sam Valentine Zuckerman – recording engineer (tracks 5, 6, 8)
* Robert N. Johnson – assistant engineer (tracks 1, 2, 4, 5, 8, 11, 12)
* Syd Tagle – assistant engineer (tracks 3, 7, 13, 14), programming (track 12)
* Ian Rene – assistant engineer (tracks 6, 10)
* Jonathan Lopez Garcia – assistant engineer (tracks 6, 9)
* Brodie Means – assistant engineer (track 10)
* Josh Seller – assistant engineer (track 12)
* John Kercy – mixing engineer (all tracks)
* Colin Leonard – mastering engineer (tracks 1-5, 7-15)
* Leon Thomas – miscellaneous production (tracks 1, 2, 5, 8-11)
* Nils Nöhden – miscellaneous production (tracks 2, 5, 10, 11), programming (tracks 5, 10)
* Peter Lee Johnson – miscellaneous production (track 9), programming (tracks 2, 4, 5, 12)
* Trisha Cruzada – programming (tracks 5, 14)
* Ayanna – programming (track 12)
* Victor – programming (track 12)

## Release history

* Not So Fast
* CS
* DL
* streaming

## Trivia

* Regarding the dated tracks, "Dec 11th" and July 16th", he explained, "I was trying to structure the album like a timeline of me having a conversation with my mom and just updating her on everything that's going on in my life. It takes place in a journal and every time I write in my journal there's a date".
* Before the release of *Give and Take*, he confessed he was "telling stories before through a vague lens to keep the relatability and multiple perspectives. This time, I was like, 'I'm just going to speak specifically from my point of view, and if you relate, then that's great'".

## References

1. ↑ "‎GIVĒON: Debut Album, Musical Education, and Choosing to Exclude Track Features | Apple Music". *YouTube*. June 22, 2022.
2. ↑ Gage, Dewayne (June 26, 2022). "GIVĒON Goes Deep on the Making of His New Album, 'Give or Take'". *Rolling Stone'*.
3. ↑ Hamilton, Gary Gerard (July 14, 2022). "Giveon's 'Give or Take' Makes Heartbreak Enjoyable". *AP*.
4. ↑ Swain, Marcus (July 8, 2022). "Giveon's 'Give or Take' Makes Top 15 Debut on Billboard 200". *HipHopToday*.
5. ↑ "Giveon (@giveon)". *Instagram*. June 2, 2022.
6. ↑ "Giveon - Give or Take (Album Trailer)". *YouTube*. June 2, 2022.
7. ↑ "Giveon (@giveon)". *Instagram*. June 22, 2022.
8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Herring, Josh (June 24, 2022). "*Give or Take* sees Giveon mature from toxic heartthrob to responsible lover". *The Line of Best Fit*.
9. ↑ "Give or Take by Giveon" critic review". *Metacritic*. Retrieved January 24, 2023.
10. ↑ "Give or Take Review by Andy Kellman". *AllMusic*. July 5, 2022.
11. ↑ Barglowski, Rebecca (August 10, 2022). "Giveon 'Give or Take' Drowns in Indistinct Writing & Tired Excuses". *HipHopDX*.
12. ↑ Paige, DeAsia (July 5, 2022). "Give or Take by Giveon. *Pitchfork*.
13. ↑ "The 100 Best Albums of 2022". *Rolling Stone*. December 1, 2022.
14. ↑ *Give or Take* release formats:

	* Give Or Take Jewelcase CD.
	* Give Or Take Cassette.
	* Give Or Take Digital Album Download.
	* Give Or Take by Giveon. *Apple Music*.
15. ↑ Ware, Asia Milia (July 13, 2022). "Givēon Is a Hopeless Romantic". *The Cut*.
16. ↑ Bobila, Maria (July 19, 2022). "Nobody Keeps It Cool Like GIVĒON". *NYLON*.