Back Of My Mind
by H.E.R.
  • Record Label: RCA
  • Release Date: Jun 18, 2021
User Score
7.3

Generally favorable reviews- based on 36 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 24 out of 36
  2. Mixed: 9 out of 36
  3. Negative: 3 out of 36
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  1. Jackclohisy
    Jun 19, 2021
    10
    Amazing! H.E.R. continues to prove she is a musical force lyrically and sonically. Showing off these skills in her first LP, H.E.R. has a long-lasting career in this industry. Highlights include the sultry "Come Through" featuring Chris Brown, "For Anyone," and "Bloody Waters." H.E.R. highlights her versatility as a songwriter coming fresh off her Grammy and Academy Awards releasing anAmazing! H.E.R. continues to prove she is a musical force lyrically and sonically. Showing off these skills in her first LP, H.E.R. has a long-lasting career in this industry. Highlights include the sultry "Come Through" featuring Chris Brown, "For Anyone," and "Bloody Waters." H.E.R. highlights her versatility as a songwriter coming fresh off her Grammy and Academy Awards releasing an astounding debut album.… Expand
  2. Guilhermeee
    Jun 18, 2021
    10
    This album is a masterpiece!!! H.E.R. is versatile, sensible and confident on this new project. Worth the wait!!!
  3. caueplsk
    Jun 18, 2021
    5
    H.E.R has a beautiful voice and the production of the album is very decent, but 21 songs for this album is too much, after a few tracks it gets boring. It has some consistent tracks tho.
  4. rihnavythang
    Jun 19, 2021
    10
    A solid album by H.E.R. it shows that she is not just one thing, very versatile and brilliant. From the magnificent opening number "We Made It" with the goosebumps-giving guitar solo, old school R&B title track and lead single "Damage", a hip-hop leaning track "Find a Way" with Lil Baby, jazz inspired track "Don't", to her signature R&B sounds but done differently on tracks like "Process",A solid album by H.E.R. it shows that she is not just one thing, very versatile and brilliant. From the magnificent opening number "We Made It" with the goosebumps-giving guitar solo, old school R&B title track and lead single "Damage", a hip-hop leaning track "Find a Way" with Lil Baby, jazz inspired track "Don't", to her signature R&B sounds but done differently on tracks like "Process", "My Own" and "Exhausted".… Expand
  5. Hrisa76
    Oct 7, 2021
    8
    The best work. Some songs reminded me D'Angelo's work. And I say this as a compliment.
  6. jeffer21
    Jun 20, 2021
    7
    expected more than a debut album, H.E.R ran away from the vibe of compilations and this can cause strangeness, despite being an eclectic album, it lacks the excess of tracks and feats (none female)
  7. ROBYWON
    Jun 9, 2022
    9
    Deep sounds and a persuasive voice. Appreciated R&B work. Honestly maybe a little too dark, but a very good evolution of an artist worthy of Oscar awards
  8. CherryJones
    Sep 1, 2021
    8
    H.E.R really made a great album here, most of the record shines with calm, sasynes and great rhythms and tunes... But, somehow this album is too long without having the need to be this long. At least 4 to 5 songs here are really really forgettable. I truly belive this album could have been a straight A+ only If the tracklist was better well put togheter Overall, a good debut album that isH.E.R really made a great album here, most of the record shines with calm, sasynes and great rhythms and tunes... But, somehow this album is too long without having the need to be this long. At least 4 to 5 songs here are really really forgettable. I truly belive this album could have been a straight A+ only If the tracklist was better well put togheter Overall, a good debut album that is not trying to be that pretentious, but more lowkey great, fun, and intimate.… Expand
  9. Hi_How_RYah
    Nov 20, 2021
    6
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Great album, but its length was too long. It expresses hesitance by recurring motifs of regret and vivid darkness and dreams that harkens much of the album.… Expand
  10. edumesquita28
    Jun 20, 2021
    6
    algumas são mto boas, mas tem uns skip também kkkk eu esperava um pouco mais de R&B
  11. guimatt
    Jun 24, 2021
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. There's no denial H.E.R. is one of the best R&B artists to date. This album proves herself as a force, sonic and lyrically. The only thing is that for me this shouldn't be such a long album. By the time the 17th song is playing we feel the same way as her, exhausted, and it still haves 24 minutes to go. There's no bad music in here (with the exception of the DJ Khaled featuring, which despite being slightly better than the original it still sucks and shouldn't be here) but i can think of 3 or 4 songs that could be cut off or left for a deluxe version.… Expand
  12. yagorodoli
    Jun 20, 2021
    9
    H.E.R Guardem esse nome! Ela entregou tudo nessa obra-prima. Fez boas escolhas de posicionamento das faixas, é extremamente coeso além de entregar uma perfeita performance vocal e com boa produção. Só não ganha a nota máxima por conta da duração do álbum que podia ser encurtada com a exclusão de umas duas faixas, que não atrapalham a coesão da obra, mas podiam ser excluídas...
  13. GayPitchfork
    Jun 24, 2021
    9
    Perfeito como tudo oque a Orcar-Winner se propõe a fazer. Uma obra prima, se preparam que esse álbum vai varrer os Grammys 2022
  14. JakobMe
    Mar 6, 2022
    8
    It's enjoyable to keep tracking her music.

    Some songs sounds like they talk to you. Some others are just ok or boring to listen to.

    I personally enjoy: Back of My Mind, Come Through and Hold On above all others.
  15. lucacritic
    Jun 26, 2021
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. In this project, H.E.R. finds herself remaining loyal and true to the stripped down, seductive, and vulnerable sound she's most known for whilst displaying a growth to the texture of her arrangements. The album flourishes with addicting sounds from tracks like 'Process' and 'Bloody Waters', will have you in your feels with tracks like 'For Anyone', 'Don't' and the painfully beautiful 'Hard to Love'. As expected with an LP this lengthy, she ventures with a few tracks into some unexpected territory with some paying off. But in its entirety, the highs of the album far outclass its only two lows. It is the closest one could ever recommend to an encyclopedia of modern contemporary RnB music. We might just have an RnB album grammy worthy album on our hands.… Expand

Awards & Rankings

73
#73 Most Discussed Album of 2021

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
75

Generally favorable reviews - based on 7 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 6 out of 7
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 7
  3. Negative: 0 out of 7
  1. HipHopDX
    Jul 27, 2021
    72
    H.E.R. doesn’t push the genre or her artistry forward with this debut, but she more than proves herself a worthy torchbearer for the art of R&B balladry.
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  2. AllMusic
    Jul 9, 2021
    60
    While Ty Dolla $ign's street gospel support on the title song is a fine match, H.E.R. more often is too accommodating, most so on the Lil Baby meeting "Find a Way," where she drops de rigueur references to her bag, haters, and one of rap's most popular luxury cars. On a more discreet level, however, "Bloody Waters" -- a heady Kaytranada production tricked out with a delectable Thundercat bassline -- is a brilliant sequel of sorts to her Academy Award-winning "Fight for You."
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  3. Pitchfork
    Jun 23, 2021
    68
    Ballads were a staple of H.E.R.’s initial five EPs, and she again uses them frequently on Back of My Mind, for better or worse. Nearly all of them are simple and pretty. ... The choices she makes—from the glossy R&B production to favoring vocal riffing over a good hook—feel altogether safe, like she’s protecting a legacy she was born into.
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