Should I Go

"Should I Go" is built on percussive beats, syncopated handclaps and a piano riff that samples British alternative rock band Coldplay's song "Clocks", written by Guy Berryman, Jonny Buckland, Will Champion, and Chris Martin for their second album, A Rush of Blood to the Head (2002).

[9] Timbaland consulted his protégé Walter Millsap III and writing partner Candice Nelson to work with him on the bulk of Norwood's fourth album.

[6] Many of the themes and musical styles of their records were inspired by British alternative rock band Coldplay's debut album Parachutes (2000) which Nelson had just started listening to at the time.

[12] Built around a repeating melody, it features a minimalist soundscape of bluesy guitar and syncopated hand claps, while incorporating a cascading piano arpeggio that samples from the instrumental break of Coldplay's 2002 song "Clocks".

[15] Murmuring about her career concerns, Norwood sings "I'm standing on the edge of the industry / Wondering if it’s all that important to me / To get my records back out there on the street again / This game ain’t what I’m used to".

[3] Slant Magazine's Sal Cinquemani ranked "Should I Go" among Afrodisiac's highlights and commented that the song sounded like a "shout-out to the band it's become excruciatingly cool to say you like.

"[13] David Browne from Entertainment Weekly found that while "Coldplay fixation reaches critical mass" on the song, the results of sampling "Clocks" were "still pretty striking, almost theatrical.

"[16] In his review for Allmusic, Andy Kellman concluded that "Should I Go" was "about as honest and searching as anyone gets these days, and while it's also noteworthy for allowing Brandy and Timbaland to pay tribute to shared love Coldplay, it's the music industry that's being contemplated, not a romantic relationship.

"[12] Stylus Magazine's Josh Love called the song a "rarity in Brandy’s catalogue",[15] while Keya Modessa from The Situation declared it a "spectacular close.