Kendrick Lamar & Various Artists "Black Panther: The Album" Album Review

Surprise! We’re reviewing a film soundtrack today! It’s time to take a look at “Black Panther: The Album.” “Black Panther” is the next film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and it’s one that many around the world (myself included) have been heavily anticipating. Under normal circumstances, however, I probably wouldn’t have covered this album in a review, seeing as how I don’t review film soundtracks. However, hearing that Kendrick Lamar and his label, Top Dawg Entertainment, would be producing the soundtrack got me so excited that I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to give this thing a listen, especially given the star-studded lineup of artists here. So, let’s do it:

Black Panther (performed by Kendrick Lamar): Kendrick introduces us to the album with a verse from the perspective of T’Challa, the Black Panther himself. Kendrick raps smoothly over a largely piano-driven melody, and his flow, as always, is very impressive. Lyrically, I feel like the song captures the essence not only of the character, but of Kendrick himself, and I feel like, with this track, Kendrick really becomes T’Challa in and of himself. A very strong start to the album.

All The Stars (performed by Kendrick Lamar and SZA): Here, we have Kendrick and SZA in a song that’s actually different on the album than it is as a single. I’m not sure how, but either way, the two of them talk about love on a pretty R&B-leading track that features some very beautiful vocals from SZA and a really interesting, punchy electronic instrumental. I also love Kendrick’s flow on his verse, and while his vocals on the pre-chorus are very filtered, they still sound very cool. I’m interested in seeing how this song plays out in the context of the film, but either way, it’s a really fun, enjoyable R&B track.

X (performed by ScHoolboy Q, 2 Chainz and Saudi): Kendrick is joined on this track by ScHoolboy Q, 2 Chainz, and Saudi, and they rap over a very bright, trap-inspired beat. Saudi’s verse is really strong, as his vocals are smooth and his Zulu lyrics are really great additions to the song. ScHoolboy Q’s verse is also a lot of fun, and Kendrick’s hook has all the potential to become ear-wormy. And of course, I can’t go without mentioning 2 Chainz’s verse, which features the same great, rapid-fire flow we’ve come to expect from him. Again, I’m not sure how this will play in the context of the film, but even without the film, it’s a really good track.

The Ways (performed by Khalid and Swae Lee): 2017 breakout star Khalid and Rae Sremmurd’s own Swae Lee (who was also a 2017 breakout star, to an extent) croon over a pretty laid-back trap beat (and Kendrick sneaks in for a quick cameo) about a “power girl,” supposedly referring to Lupita Nyong’o’s character Nakia. As always, Swae Lee’s very bright sounding vocals are really great, and Khalid’s chorus is damn-near ear-wormy. And, again, I like the laid-back, bright, kind of beach-esque instrumental on this one. Good song.

Opps (performed by Vince Staples and Yugen Blakrok): Kendrick is joined here by Vince Staples and Yugen Blakrok as the trio rap about gangs on an opposite side over a very thumping, bass-drum heavy instrumental. I’m not all that crazy about the hook on this one, and the song does sound a bit overly-commercial, but I do think Kendrick, Vince, and especially Yugen, provide some really great flow on their verses (even though I’m not sure how Yugen mentioning Gotham City got past Disney on this one). Not one of my favorites on the album, but still a solid track.

I Am (performed by Jorja Smith): Jorja Smith, who you may remember had a few appearances on Drake’s “More Life” playlist, appears on this track and sings over a lighter, laid-back, but snare-drum heavy beat (and again, Kendrick sneaks on for the outro). Again, I couldn’t really catch any obvious references to the film, and I’m not sure how this will connect to the film in that regard, but I do love Jorja’s smooth, pretty vocals on this one, and I think they mesh well with the instrumentals on this one. Definitely think I’ll be coming back to this one in the future.

Paramedic! (performed by SOB X RXE): Kendrick and Zacari, who previously collaborated on “LOVE.” are joined on this track by an up-and-coming hip-hop group known as SOB X RXE. I like Zacari’s very smooth, pretty vocals in the intro, and I like the kind of old-school feel of the song. Lul G, DuhBoii, and Yhung T.O. all provide some great, passionate performances and great flow on their verses, though I could do without the hook on this thing. It’s kind of boring and I kind of wonder how a hook with the language on this one got past Disney and Marvel. Either way, it’s a decent track, even if it’s not one of my favorites on the record.

Bloody Waters (performed by Ab-Soul, Anderson .Paak and James Blake): For this track, Ab-Soul, Anderson .Paak and James Blake perform over a very beach-esque track with some really interesting percussion. I love Anderson .Paak’s kind of soulful vocals on the hook, Ab-Soul’s clever lyricism and humorous performance/flow on his verses, and James Blake’s kind of sad-sounding vocals in the song, which mesh surprisingly well with the bright production on the song. Definitely an enjoyable track.

King’s Dead (performed by Jay Rock, Kendrick Lamar, Future and James Blake): Another very star-studded track, this one has Kendrick joined by Jay Rock, Future, and James Blake, and they perform over a very uptempo, fast-paced trap beat. Kendrick’s hook is ear-wormy, Jay Rock’s performance is charismatic and his flow is really solid, and Future’s vocals throughout the hook actually sound decent (outside of the damn "la-di-da-di-dah," broken autotuned nonsense). Kendrick’s second verse features a really passionate performance with some of his best flow on the album, and James Blake’s cameo, while not huge, is pretty solid. Great track!

Redemption Interlude: Zacari handles this piano-driven interlude, and it’s got a really beautiful instrumental and some smooth, if a bit too spacey, vocals from Zacari. Hykeem Carter and Kendrick also come in for the outro, and they do a serviceable job, but nothing too crazy overall. A standard interlude, not one of the most memorable things on the album, but nothing too bad either.

Redemption (performed by Zacari and Babes Wodumo): Zacari also handles this track alongside Babes Wodumo, and the afro-beat on this is much more uptempo and piano-driven than before. Kendrick also cameos here and provides some typically nice vocals in scattered portions. Babes Wodumo provides some very strong Zulu lyrics, and Zacari slips into his higher register on this one to pretty good results (shoutout to Mampintsha’s cameo on this track, as well). The song succeeds as a whole to me because it’s an extremely danceable and energetic banger that never lets up. Great track.

Seasons (performed by Mozzy, Sjava and Reason): This track features Mozzy, Sjava, and Reason. I know you guys have probably never heard of them, but that doesn’t matter because they make something really great here. I love Sjava’s Zulu lyricism on his first verse, and the song itself has a very slow, kind of interestingly creepy feel to it. Mozzy’s verse has a very sad feel, but it features some really strong flow and solid lyricism, and Reason has some really solid, somewhat rapid-fire flow on this one. It’s a kind of sad-sounding track, but it’s definitely a good track.

Big Shot (performed by Kendrick Lamar and Travis Scott): Kendrick is joined on this track by Travis Scott as they discuss the joys of being rich and famous musicians (pretty sure this works in context with the film because it’s supposed to be discussing Wakanda) over a melody-driven by what kind of sounds like a pipe flute. Kendrick’s vocals on the hook are kind of scream-y, which could be a bit annoying to some, but said hook is still fun, as is the instrumental, and Kendrick’s flow on his verse is as strong as always. Shoutout also to Travis Scott’s very nice, pretty vocals for adding an extra layer of excitement to the track. Definitely enjoyed this one quite a bit!

Pray For Me (performed by The Weeknd and Kendrick Lamar): Ending things off, we have a track from two of my favorite artists, Kendrick and The Weeknd. Hearing they’d be collaborating for another track had me through the roof, and sure enough, this song is awesome! Really sweet, ethereal electronic instrumentals on this one, I love The Weeknd’s vocals throughout this song, the hook is hypnotizing and Kendrick’s verse is rock solid, as he continues to explore themes he explored on “DAMN.,” themes that were coincidentally fitting enough for the film. A great end to the record, I love this track.

Overall, I’m still waiting to see how a number of these tracks play out in the context of the film since it won’t be out for another week, but I have to say, I nonetheless really enjoyed this album. Kendrick and TDE clearly proved that the star-studded cast of musicians wasn’t brought in just to sell records, they all work together to make a record that is unapologetically African, and all the better for it. And while I’m not sure how many references there were to the film in the lyrics, I think that’s not really all that bad, because it allows the album to have a life on its own, and it allows the songs to feel like more than just “tracks that were in ‘Black Panther.’” There are some legitimately well-produced, well-written, well-performed tracks here, and the album only works to get me even more excited for the film to release next week.

I’m ready to visit Wakanda, are you?

Favorite tracks: Black Panther, All The Stars, X, The Ways, I Am, Bloody Waters, King’s Dead, Redemption, Seasons, Big Shot, Pray For Me

Least favorite tracks: Paramedic! (if I had to pick one)

Rating: Excellent

Drake "Views" Album Review

Rounding things out in the Drake marathon, we’ll be looking at Drake’s 2016 album “Views.” Even though this is not his most recent project at the time of this review, I’ve already reviewed Drake’s latest project, “More Life,” before this marathon, so this will be the final review of the saga. I’ve been interested in this project because, while I actually enjoyed a few of the singles on this thing, I’ve heard from a lot of people that it’s one of his weakest projects. Let’s see if I can understand why:

Keep the Family Close: Starting things off, Drake discusses his trust issues over a more moody, R&B-style track. It’s clear that he’s going back to the more emotional stuff here, unlike “If You’re Reading This, It’s Too Late,” but that’s fine with me, as I like those kinds of songs, and Drake’s vocals remain smooth and pretty on this one. I like this one, it’s a good start to the record.

9: Turn the 6 upside down, it’s a 9 now. Here, Drake raps more loudly over a trap-inspired beat, and he definitely sounds very confident on this one. The trap-beat is pretty standard, but it’s still really head-noddy stuff. I’m not really digging the hook on this one, but all in all, this is a solid track.

U With Me?: Okay, back to the love songs on this one. And this one just feels really standard in every way. Very basic, unexciting trap beat, and while Drake’s vocals remain as smooth as ever, lyrically there’s a little bit of cheese here. Not one of Drake’s worst tracks ever, but it’s nothing all that exciting to me.

Feel No Ways: Another song about a girl, this time talking about one who isn’t with his luscious lifestyle, I actually really like the beat on this track. There’s some very smooth percussion on here, and I do get some “Hold On, We’re Going Home” vibes with said beat, and Drake’s vocals remain as smooth as ever on here. Part of me wonders why Drake didn’t release this as a single, because I think it would’ve been a hit. Really good track.

Hype: A more trap-driven track where Drake talks more about the things he’s done successfully, I like his very confident tone on this song and his catchy, impressive flow on this one. The hook is also really solid and Drake’s vocals are smooth on it, and while the trap-beat is again pretty standard, it’s still head-noddy enough to help make up for the song’s short length. Good track.

Weston Road Flows: A song that throws things back to Drake’s old days, this track samples a Mary J. Blige song (namely "Mary's Joint") and, admittedly, feels pretty old-school. I think this honestly feels like the perfect balance between Drake’s two styles: the confident performance of Drake’s rapping, combined with the brighter, R&B-style backtrack, works really well here. It’s only one verse, which shocks me because I expect this kind of song to end the album, but either way, I actually really like it.

Redemption: Back to the relationship songs! Fortunately, though, we have a relationship song that I really like! This one feels like a slow-jam, and it’s a really moody, minimal track that really works for me. I love Drake’s very pretty, nice vocals on this one, and the song gives off a kind of sexy vibe that’s pretty great! Really enjoyable track! 

With You (ft. PARTYNEXTDOOR): On this track, Drake brings in his fellow OVO boy, PARTYNEXTDOOR, who essentially anchors the song given that his presence here is much larger than Drake’s. His vocals are quite nice on here, as are Drake’s, but I’m not really digging the kind of bombastic instrumentals on here. They are smooth and kind of ethereal, but just kind of inflated and unenthusiastically boring. Jeremih also provides some vocals at the very end, and as usual, he does sound nice, but he’s not enough to save the track, unfortunately.

Faithful (ft. Pimp C and dvsn): On this track, Drake takes an old verse from the late rapper Pimp C, and while Drake picked a solid verse (specifically from the “Tom Ford (Remix)”), Pimp’s appearance just feels kind of out-of-place with Drake’s smooth crooning on this one. The real highlight of this track is the guest verse from fellow OVO member dvsn, who definitely reminds me a bit of Chris Brown, but I think his very smooth, beautiful vocals mesh well with the beat of the song, and I can see him gaining a pretty dedicated fanbase if OVO markets him well, because he’s a great vocalist. Not one of my favorite tracks on this, but I appreciate it for showing me who dvsn is and introducing me to his very nice vocals.

Still Here: Here, Drake gives us the kit and caboodle of his accomplishments, but he does it over a very head-noddy, extremely fun trap beat and with the same tonal confidence that helped make “If You’re Reading This, It’s Too Late” so successful. The hook is also really fun and I love Drake’s sing-rapping as always on this one. Definitely one of the better tracks on this album, I feel like I’ll definitely come back to this track quite a bit in the future.

Controlla: This track was my “song of the summer” from 2016, and it was one of those songs that I listened to on constant repeat throughout that summer, so maybe it’s my nostalgia speaking when I say that I still love the song. I like the very bright feel of the song, Drake’s smooth vocals, and the danceable feel of it, and while I’m still not crazy about the random patois screaming from Beanie Man on the track, it doesn’t take away from a very enjoyable song.

One Dance (ft. Wizkid and Kyla): A song that a lot of critics really tore into, I actually have to say I really enjoyed this track. I see why others didn’t like it, seeing as how it’s a kind of watered-down dancehall track with a kind of weak performance from Wizkid and an underutilized performance from Kyla, but again, I think it’s very fun, danceable, I like the very catchy hook, and Drake’s vocals are as smooth as ever. Again, it may also be my nostalgia trumping my practicality here, but it’s an enjoyable track.

Grammys (ft. Future): Another collaboration between Drake and Future, because “What A Time To Be Alive” apparently wasn’t enough for us, I like Drake’s assured performance on here, even if the trap beat on this one is not really all that exciting or fun to me. Future’s vocals are pretty decent here, but God, that hook is so boring! How many times can you repeat “they gon’ think I won the Grammy” in the exact same way until you realize that it’s extremely dull? Definitely one of the weaker tracks on this album.

Childs Play: “Why you gotta fight with me at Cheesecake? You know I love to go there” might be one of the silliest lines on this record, and it’s hard for me to take this track seriously after that. Either way, this song features Drake wanted to indulge his woman in more than just a dress, and admittedly, it’s got a pretty fun, catchy instrumental and smooth performance with some good flow from Drake, but damn, there are some really weird lyrics on that thing (beyond that “cheesecake” lyric), and the fact that Drake sampled “Rode That Dick Like A Soldier” by…HaSizzle?…is really strange. Not a terrible track, but not a great one either.

Pop Style: Not gonna lie, ever since I first heard this song, I hated the hook. Sure, Drake’s confident performance on it is great and all, but I just think it’s boring and, honestly, rather annoying. And while I love the production on this one (the instrumental might be one of the strongest on the album), some of the lyrics on this thing are really bad (I agree that the “got so many chains they call me Chaining Tatum” might be one of the worst lines I’ve ever heard, and easily one of Drake’s worst lines). Honestly one of the weaker tracks on this thing.

Too Good (ft. Rihanna): Drake sticks firmly in his comfort zone with this love song, but once again, I actually like it. I know, it’s another kind of basic dancehall song, and the patois influence on the track is pretty cheesy, but I once again love Drake’s smooth vocals, the bright, danceable vibe of the song, and the chemistry between Drake and guest artist Rihanna. Is it one of Drake’s best songs? Probably not, but it’s still a pretty fun, head-nodding track overall.

Summers Over Interlude: A very short interlude anchored by Majid Al Maskati, this is another slow-jam type of song, and it’s definitely nice-sounding, but it just doesn’t add much substance to the album for me. Not a bad interlude, just nothing special.

Fire & Desire: A dedication to one specific woman that’s devoted to another man, this song does take some time to get going, and the sampling of Brandy’s “I Dedicate” is strange because of the Alvin and the Chipmunk-esque speedup vocals on this one, but I do like Drake’s very pretty crooning and the kind of ethereal production on this one. I feel like I’ll want to come back to this one quite a bit in the future, it’s definitely a nice track.

Views: The final track on this thing (not counting the bonus track “Hotline Bling”) and one that talks about faith, I feel like this song is a bit too booming for me, and the lack of a hook definitely hurts it. Drake’s confident tone is nice and all, and he blends well with the very loud instrumentals on this one, but I just feel like this isn’t one of his strongest songs lyrically. Sure, there’s no huge silliness on it, but it just isn’t all that interesting, and it just feels too bombastic. It’s a good thing “Hotline Bling” was included as a bonus track to end things off with because this would’ve been a weak end to the record.

Hotline Bling: Ending things off, Drake included this megahit as a bonus track, and I must say, when it first came out, I thought it was really weird and silly (blame the music video!!!), but now that I hear it again, I actually really like the vibe of this track, and Drake’s smooth vocals make it really fun. And of all the more dancehall-influenced tracks on this thing, the production on this one is actually really strong. I just kind of wish the song wasn’t attached to such a silly music video because I probably would’ve dug it a lot more if the video wasn’t the thing I remembered about the song. Hearing it now, it’s actually quite enjoyable, and it’s a good end to the album.

Overall, I have to say that “Views” is easily one of Drake’s most inconsistent records to date, and I think that lyrically, it’s also one of his weakest. There are definitely some really strange lyrics on this that are damn close to being “hot garbage,” and this album does feature some of Drake’s weakest tracks of his career. However, I’d be lying if I didn’t say that it has plenty of songs that I really enjoy and have a lot of fun with, and there’s a lot here I feel like I’ll definitely want to come back to in the future. Is it Drake’s strongest project? No, definitely not. Is it a bit too bloated and overly-long? Well, most of Drake’s records are, but yeah, it is. Did I still enjoy this album? Honestly, yes. I get why people see it as one of his weaker projects, but I feel like there’s a lot to like here, and I definitely think that a number of the tracks will get repeat listens out of me.

Phew! Now that the Drake marathon is over, back to strictly new album reviews. Stay tuned tomorrow for the Black Panther soundtrack review!

Favorite tracks: Keep The Family Close, Feel No Ways, Hype, Weston Road Flows, Redemption, Still Here, Controlla, One Dance, Too Good, Fire & Desire, Hotline Bling

Least favorite tracks: U With Me?, With You, Grammys, Pop Style, Views

Rating: Good

Drake & Future "What A Time To Be Alive" Mixtape Review

Alright, guys, next in the Drake marathon, we’re looking at “What a Time to Be Alive,” a 2015 collaboration mixtape Drake released with Future. Interesting pairing, to say the least. I don’t know what to expect out of this, but sometimes that’s a good thing, so let’s see if this tape does anything for me:

Digital Dash: Already starting off with something braggadocio and uptempo, Metro Boomin produces what kind of feels like any other modern-day rap/trap track (even if it’s nothing short of energetic), Future delivers a pretty typical, boring performance on the track, and Drake’s performance is not one of his strongest. Not a great start to this tape.

Big Rings: Where Future took the lead on the last track, Drake leads things off here, and once again, they brag about their accomplishments over a Metro Boomin track that honestly doesn’t sound much different from the last song. Drake’s performance, while a bit goofy-sounding at points, is at least energetic and confident enough to keep things exciting, and I can at least applaud that Future gives us some energy on this track. Not a great song, but nothing too bad overall.

Live from the Gutter: Future leads this track as both he and Drake discuss some of the harsher things in life. I do like the more dark, moody trap instrumentals on this one, though I don’t really care as much for Future’s performance on this thing. His flow is solid, but his vocals are just kind of uninteresting to me. Drake’s performance is where the track really shines, as he sounds extremely confident and his flow is pretty solid. An okay track, but nothing I’ll really want to come back to in the future.

Diamonds Dancing: A track that’s not particularly led by one artist or the other, I feel like the two of them have some pretty solid chemistry, as they go with something more sing-y here. Future’s kind of broken vocals mesh well with Drake’s sad but still smooth vocals, and the trap beat on this one flows well with the two artists. I like this track.

Scholarships: A more Future-led track, I feel like his performance throughout this song just feels really boring to me. And while Drake’s performance is more exciting and assured than Future’s, the song itself just feels painfully dull to me. Drake’s solid performance can’t save this basic trap song with a sleepy performance from Future, unfortunately.

Plastic Bag: Drake takes the lead on this track, and things get a lot more uptempo on this one. The hook on this song isn’t really all that interesting, but it’s pretty energetic, I like Drake’s sing-rapping and solid flow on his verses, and there’s some decent flow from Future on his verse. Don’t think I’ll be coming back to this one that much, but it’s not a bad song overall.

I’m The Plug: I actually like the sound of this one, even if it is a standard trap beat, but unfortunately, I’m not really digging Future’s performance, because his flow just sounds too boring to me. The hook is also not too exciting or memorable, though Drake’s rapid-fire flow and very confident performance really make the song better. Will I be coming back to it? Probably not, because Drake’s verse is really the only amazing part of the song, but overall, it’s not all that bad.

Change Locations: A track that relies more on the interplay between the two, this song shows Drake and Future talking about their spending in strip clubs, because…what else? The instrumental on this song is a nice mix of light and moody, and loud and excited, and I again like the interplay between Drake and Future on this track. I feel like the tracks like this that aren’t really led by one or the other are the stronger ones. The hook is also a lot of fun, and I feel like I’ll be coming back to this track a bit.

Jumpman: One of the bigger tracks from this tape, I never dug the whole “Jumpman, Jumpman, Jumpman, Jumpman” thing going on in this one, and I’m still not digging it too much. Sure, Drake and Future’s performances are interesting enough, and I like the interplay and chemistry between the two of them on this one, but I feel like the song just feels very repetitive to me, both lyrically and sonically, as the beat on this just sounds like any old standard trap beat.

Jersey: A Future solo track, here we have a wallpaper trap beat that honestly doesn’t really do much for me, and while Future has some decent flow on this track, his vocals remain kind of sleepy and unexciting for me. Still, it’s bright and uptempo enough to be sporadically enjoyable, and while Future’s vocals are cliché and generic (and again, somewhat boring), they’re definitely smooth enough on here. Not a track I’ll be coming back to, but it’s not one of the worst on here.

30 for 30 Freestyle: Ending things off, Drake gets a solo track as well, and while it starts off a bit creepily to me, I like the very stripped-down feel of this one, in that it’s a lighter piano-driven song. And while it might seem a bit cliché that Drake is ending one of his projects with a one-verse, no-hook track, it still works for me. It feels pretty introspective and kind of emotional, and that’s what makes it enjoyable. It’s a very nice ending to the mixtape, and I feel like I’ll definitely come back to this song more and more.

Overall, though, this mixtape didn’t really do much for me. After how impressed I was with “If You’re Reading This, It’s Too Late,” which showed Drake performing over some very interesting, moody trap beats, the production on this tape just feels a bit too bland for me. And while Drake had some consistently strong performances here, I couldn’t say the same for his co-star Future. A number of his moments on the tape just sound a bit sleepy to me, and even though I’m not really a fan of Future and I don’t really listen to his music, I feel like I’ve already heard all of his songs just by listening to this project. Just take off Drake and you’ve got a very standard, nothing special Future project with this one. I feel like there’s definitely an audience for this, but unfortunately, I’m just not part of it.

In the context of the Drake marathon I’ve been doing, though, I don’t really blame him for this mixtape not clicking for me. It’s clear to me that, fresh off of “If You’re Reading This, It’s Too Late,” we’re still hearing the very confident, assured, not-so-soft Drake on this project, which is good news. And again, his performances throughout this tape are consistently rock-solid, to the point where he’s honestly the most interesting thing about the project. Overall, though, not really a totally interesting mixtape, and for my money, I’d say even if you’re a big Drake fan, skip it and just listen to “If You’re Reading This, It’s Too Late” again. This thing isn’t terrible, it’s just nothing special.

Next up, we’re gonna round out the Drake marathon with “Views” (since I already reviewed “More Life”). Been interested in that one for a while, you’ll learn why when the review is posted.

Favorite tracks: Diamonds Dancing, Change Locations, 30 for 30 Freestyle

Least favorite tracks: Digital Dash, Scholarships, Jumpman

Rating: Bad

Drake "If You're Reading This, It's Too Late" Mixtape Review (70th Review)

Moving right along in the Drake marathon, we’re now gonna talk about his 2015 mixtape “If You’re Reading This, It’s Too Late.” Despite being a full-length project (it’s apparently a bit longer than his last full-length record “Nothing Was The Same”) and having all-new material, Drake classified this project as a “mixtape.” Strange, but I’ve been interested in looking at this project because I’ve been hearing that even non-Drake fans said some pretty positive things about this tape. So, with that in mind, let’s take a look and see if I can understand why:

Legend: Starting things off with something really braggadocio, Drake sings over a pretty minimal trap beat that really works, and his voice once again sounds really smooth. There’s a lot of really sonically interesting things going on here, and I think it’s a really great start to this mixtape.

Energy: A track that went viral thanks to his music video, Drake remains very confident and braggadocio as he raps over a kind of moody, minimal trap beat about his haters and his feuds. It’s a great track because it feels like Drake is more confident than ever here. It feels like he definitely wanted to move away from the “radio-friendly” feeling with this project, and so far, it’s a far more successful attempt than “Nothing Was The Same.”

10 Bands: Here, Drake talks about all of the money he’s getting over a trap beat that meshes well with his assured, confident performance. The hook on this one is also pretty catchy, and I like Drake’s charisma throughout his vocal performances on this song. Definitely another really strong track.

Know Yourself: The song that introduced the world to the now-iconic line “running through the 6 with my woes,” I like his moody, sad-sounding crooning throughout the first part of the track, and I love the very ethereal instrumentals on both parts of the track. I also love how Drake switches from some rather sad crooning in the first part to a more confident, energetic performance after the beat change. He blends both vocal styles well, and the result is a really fun, really strong track.

No Tellin: A very light and, again, moody song, Drake speaks about all of the things he plans to accomplish in the future, I love Drake’s flow throughout the track, the hook is a lot of fun here, and I again really love how assured Drake sounds on this track, like he really means business on the song and isn’t really feeling as emotional as he is usually portrayed. Great track.

Madonna: A very loud trap track named after the icon herself, Madonna, Drake talks about a girl he is attempting to hook up with on this track, and he makes it interesting by not letting his usual emotions get to him. He shows us an air of confidence on this song that works really well. Not really all that crazy about the hook on this one, but all in all, it’s a pretty decent track despite its short length.

6 God: A track that surprisingly samples the song "Haunted Chase" from “Donkey Kong Country 2” (a lot of rappers really love sampling video games, now don’t they?), this one feels like a slightly extended interlude since it’s just Drake rapping one verse over a loud, pumping trap beat. Once again, I like his very assured performance on the track and, while I wasn't initially crazy about this track before, it's definitely grown on me with repeat listens.

Star67: On this song, Drake takes us back to his days of growing up in the 6 over a very moody, kind of atmospheric instrumental that I really like, and I like Drake’s flow throughout his verses here. He also adds in a small bit of crooning at the end, which helps to more fully round out the song and put a cherry on top of it. Really great track.

Preach (ft. PARTYNEXTDOOR): A song that features Drake’s protégé PARTYNEXTDOOR, I like his vocals on his verse of this track, even though I’m not really digging the hook on this one (I’m not as crazy about the way his voice sounds on it, and it’s a bit boring). Drake’s sing-rapping is also really solid, and I once again really like the very minimal, moody instrumental on here. Not one of my favorites on the mixtape, but it’s a solid track overall.

Wednesday Night Interlude (ft. PARTYNEXTDOOR): A three-and-a-half-minute interlude that feels more like a slow jam than a rap track, PARTYNEXTDOOR takes this one by himself and he takes an introspective approach to this song, singing over a lower-tempo, lighter instrumental that sounds really pretty. He’s also got a really nice voice, even if it does drown in some autotune, and his voice meshes well with the production. Definitely enjoyed this track.

Used To (ft. Lil Wayne): A song by Drake and Lil Wayne that may/may not have served as a diss about Wayne and Birdman’s feud over at YMCMB, Drake once again oozes energy and confidence, rapping over a bright trap beat, and Lil Wayne shows some confidence on his verse as well. I wasn't all that crazy about the hook on my first listen, but it really grew on me with repeat listens. This is definitely a great track.

6 Man: Another track devoted to Drake’s home in the 6, I again love Drake’s energetic, charismatic performance on this track, and his strong flow indicates his continued assurance and confidence. The instrumental is far less minimal than the others on here, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t good: it’s upbeat, fast-paced, and it flows well with Drake’s vocals. Definitely enjoyed this track.

Now & Forever: Another track that sees Drake burning bridges with Cash Money Records (his label), I like Drake’s more emotional singing on the hook, and the moody instrumental blends well with the pumping, fast-paced beat on this song. and there’s a lot of really interesting sounds on this one. This is how you make the transition to something less “radio-friendly,” Drake.

Company (ft. Travis Scott): I’m personally not all that crazy about Drake’s flow on this one, and I think his verse is a bit boring, but his small bits of crooning keep things pretty interesting for me. I again love the minimal, emotional instrumental in the background, and Travis Scott’s verse has some solid flow and vocals. Not one of my favorites on the mixtape, but it’s a pretty decent track overall.

You & The 6: A more introspective song that features Drake talking about life with his mom, I like the pretty, atmospheric instrumental on this one, and Drake’s tone throughout the song is really interesting, as it sounds like he’s having a back and forth with his mom and he’s trying to air out to her. This one really works for me, and I think that, even if it’s not as braggadocio as some of the other tracks on here, Drake’s sound blends well with the rest of the mixtape, and it doesn’t feel out of place.

Jungle: An ode to a familiar neighborhood for Drake back in Toronto, this song feels moody not just because of the minimal instrumental, but because of Drake’s sad-sounding crooning on his verses, which remains smooth and pretty as always. Gabriel Garzón Montano sings the hook and, as minimal as it is, it’s interestingly spacey and beautiful. Really like this track a lot.

6PM In New York: The final track on here, a one-verse, no-hook song, is essentially an all-out attack on several rappers, including Tyga, who he was beefing with at the time. He raps about this over a pretty bright, kind of jazzy beat, and as always, Drake sounds more confident and assured than ever on this track, and it’s clear here that he wants to be the best rapper out there. It’s a really good track and a great ending to the mixtape.

Overall, I definitely enjoyed this project a lot. Drake indicates here that he has far more confidence than ever, and after “Nothing Was The Same,” I think Drake handled the “less radio-friendly” thing far better than before, and I like the reliance on more minimal, moody trap beats on this thing, and the amount of energy he shows on here is incredible. It definitely feels like Drake showed up with more assurance on these tracks, and he’s not letting that typically “soft” image that he gets associated with purge through and impede on the enjoyment of the mixtape. It’s a very well-put-together, well-executed tape that really shows us what Drake can do as a rapper. So far, this definitely stands as Drake’s best project, and it feels good to see him deliver something this well-considered and exciting.

Up next, we’ll look at Drake’s collaboration mixtape with Future, “What a Time to Be Alive.” Don’t know what to expect from that, but stay tuned.

Favorite tracks: Legend, Energy, 10 Bands, Know Yourself, No Tellin’, 6 God*, Star67, Wednesday Night Interlude, Used To*, 6 Man, Now & Forever, You & The 6, Jungle, 6PM In New York

Least favorite tracks: Company (if I had to pick one)

Rating: Excellent

(*An asterisk next to a “favorite track” indicates that the track wasn’t initially one of my “favorite tracks” when I first wrote the review. If a track has an asterisk next to it, it means the song wasn’t initially a favorite of mine, but it grew on me, and the text for the song may have been edited to more properly reflect that.)

Drake "Nothing Was The Same" Album Review

Alrighty, guys, the Drake marathon forges on with his third full-length album, 2013's “Nothing Was the Same.” I don’t really know what to expect from this, but I have enjoyed Drake’s projects up to this point: I liked the “So Far Gone” EP and “Thank Me Later,” and I really enjoyed “Take Care,” so I’m interested to see where this one goes; let’s find out!

Tuscan Leather: A straight rap song with a kind of dark, kind of nocturnal (and admittedly creepy) instrumental, there’s no hook on this one, but it actually feels like Drake is trying to be a bit harder than he usually is, and he’s trying to prove he’s not super emotional here. And it works, it makes for a really interesting track because it feels like he’s talking about going in a less radio-friendly direction, but still having music that will get airplay because he’s Drake. The track does beg the question, though: how much time is he spending on the intro? In all seriousness, good track and good start to the album.

Furthest Thing: A lighter, more nocturnal track that feels more trap-flavored, Drake spends more time crooning in his lower voice on this track, and as always, his sing-rapping is smooth. The hook is also really fun and catchy, and while the beat changes to something more anthemic after the second hook, Drake’s high-energy performance and decent lyricism keep this one pretty interesting.

Started From the Bottom: One of Drake’s biggest tracks, I honestly never liked the hook on this thing. I don’t know why, but I guess I’ve never really been that crazy about Drake’s kind of shouty vocals on this track, and while I get he’s trying to be a bit harder, his performance just comes off as cheesy to me. The lyrics aren’t too bad here, but the rather generic trap-flavored beat doesn’t do the track any real favors. I’m sorry, I’ve just never been all that crazy about this track, and outside of Drake’s smooth vocals on the bridge, hearing it again fully didn’t do anything different for me.

Wu-Tang Forever: Another more generic trap-flavored beat accompanies something of a tribute to Wu-Tang, and while Drake comes through with some nice crooning on this track, some parts of the song just feel a bit cheesy, lyrically and vocally. I think there’s some decent enough charm here, but I can’t tell if he’s trying to make a love song, or something introspective about his life. It’s not a bad track, but I kind of just feel nothing after listening to it.

Own It: Another very nocturnal, spacey track, I feel like this is a more successful attempt at a “love song” than “Wu-Tang Forever” was, and I once again love Drake’s sing-rapping throughout, along with the minimalism on the verse. The only thing that really stops this track from being one of my favorites is that I’m not really all that crazy about PARTYNEXTDOOR’s hook because, while it’s definitely pretty fun, I think the vocal effects really don’t allow him to fully utilize his vocal potential enough (he’s got a great voice, and the effects stop him from showing that). Decent track, but I’m not sure I’ll be coming back to it all that much.

Worst Behavior: I’m sorry, I don’t see how this track shows Drake on his “worst behavior.” It’s just him kind of screaming and talking about how people never loved him over a boring trap beat that feels like it has too much going on. Sure, Drake’s flow is rock solid on the third verse, but unfortunately, you’d have to sit through two rather uninspired verses and hooks to get to that strong third verse, and even on the third verse, you’ll have to deal with the annoying, “too-much-going-on” beat, so all in all, not a great track.

From Time (ft. Jhené Aiko): I like the lighter, more piano-driven melody on this track, and I think it flows well with the snappy trap beat on this one. Also, I personally think that, when you add Jhené Aiko’s very beautiful, gentle vocals to your hook, you’re only making your song better, so big ups to Drake for getting her on the hook. Not to discredit his performance, though, because I like his rather introspective, kind of sad-sounding verse on this track. I really like this one!

Hold On, We’re Going Home (ft. Majid Jordan): To me, this feels kind of like a sequel to “Find Your Love.” It’s a nice, dreamy R&B track with some very smooth, pretty crooning from Drake and a fun, catchy drum beat. It’s obviously not a straight rap song, but it’s definitely a pretty-sounding, dance-y track. Here, Drake collaborates with Majid Jordan, and the result is something fun and upbeat that, even after so many years, remains danceable and head-noddy.

Connect: Drake’s vocals on this track are very nice, but his verses just feel a bit too boring for me, and it feels like there’s too much empty space on those verses. The trap beat is also relatively contrived for the most part, though I do think the hook has some ear-wormy potential. All in all, some good things are going on here vocally, but it feels like the instrumental melody and the beat leave a bit to be desired. Still not the worst thing Drake has ever put out, just nothing all that exciting.

The Language: A much louder, more braggadocious track, once again it feels like Drake is trying to find a balance between bragging about life and crooning for a girl, and it just doesn’t work for me. Drake’s flow here is reminiscent of Migos’ “Versace,” and while it’s impressive to see him rapping pretty fast, it just gets a little annoying after a while. Birdman also comes in at the very end of the track…for some reason. I don’t know if his appearance was an attempt at saving this, but unfortunately, it doesn’t, and while this isn’t one of Drake’s worst songs, it’s just another song that I feel nothing after hearing. It just felt like it went in one ear and out the other, and I don’t want to return to it after this review.

305 to My City (ft. Detail): Detail sings the hook on this track, but unfortunately, his hook doesn’t…ahem…*hook.* It just kind of bores me. And while I like the ethereal, nocturnal instrumental, Drake’s performance just sounds slightly sleep-inducing to me. Having a very basic, wallpaper trap beat doesn’t really help the song feel any less boring than it is, either. Unfortunately, just not digging this track. It just feels like it’s going on too long, and for how little energy it has, don’t be shocked if you start to nod off or zone out while listening to it.

Too Much: On this very introspective track, Sampha handles the hook with some kind of broken-sounding, delicate vocals, and Drake raps about his insecurities about becoming one of the biggest rappers out there, and he also interweaves this with some lyrics about his family that make this feel like one of his more personal, more nerve-wracking tracks. And while I was a bit iffy on the beat at first, Drake’s honesty and Sampha’s emotional hook keep this one interesting enough that I can forgive it.

Pound Cake / Paris Morton Music 2 (ft. Jay-Z): Not counting the two Deluxe Edition tracks, this is the finale to the album. For Part 1, which is “Pound Cake,” Timbaland handles the hook, and his performance is…well, it’s something. I do like Drake’s verse on this track, and while his lyrics were a little cheesy at first listen, they quickly grew on me, and Jay-Z comes through with a pretty decent verse on this one, even if his second verse left something to be desired. For the second part, “Paris Morton Music 2,” Drake once again goes pretty introspective over a pounding, pretty enjoyable beat, and his lyricism keeps this second part pretty interesting, even if the track slows to a crawl in the end. Not one of the album’s best songs, but it’s definitely a good track, and it might grow on me in the future.

Come Thru: The first bonus track of the album sees Drake talking about a girl that used to live in his town, Drake croons throughout this track and blends this crooning with some nice, smooth sing-rapping (and occasionally straight-rapping) on the verses. His straight-rapping verse also sees him providing a pretty charismatic (and kind of funny) performance. Even when the song goes through a really strange beat change after the second hook, it’s a pretty fun, emotional track that I think I’ll listen to quite a bit in the future.

All Me (ft. 2 Chainz and Big Sean): The final track of the album sees Drake providing a pretty memorable and enjoyable hook and dripping with effortless self-confidence over a more upbeat, ethereal instrumental and a decent trap beat. The song also features 2 Chainz and Big Sean, the former delivering a verse that, has enough effortless self-confidence to entertain. The latter provides a verse that, while not turning me into a fan, still has some pretty decent flow and a charismatic enough performance from Big Sean. This is a song I used to play a lot a few years ago, and while it did cool on me significantly, it’s kind of grown back on me a bit with repeat listens. A pretty good track that ends off the album solidly enough.

Overall, though, this is a Drake record I’m largely indifferent towards. Here, it feels like Drake tries to go in a bit of a harder direction than usual, going less radio-friendly and sticking to some more hard-rap tracks, and while that’s fine and all, it just kind of feels like it’s a facade, and he’s still not as “hard” and “tough” as he could be. Constantly rapping over some very contrived and bland trap beats throughout doesn’t really help matters much. It feels like all of the songs on here could be improved in several ways and, in general, I just find a lot of the stuff on here to be some of Drake’s least interesting, least replay-button-worthy material. Maybe it’s because of the less radio-friendly approach, maybe it’s because the concept of going less radio-friendly was just better in concept than in execution, but a number of the songs on here just went in one ear and then out the other. It’s not a terrible record, per se, but all in all, I think it’s the weakest Drake project I’ve covered so far.

Next time, however, we’ll be covering “If You’re Reading This, It’s Too Late.” I’ve heard great things about that record, so I’m interested in checking it out!

Favorite tracks: Tuscan Leather, Furthest Thing, From Time, Hold On, We’re Going Home, Too Much, Come Thru, All Me*

Least favorite tracks: Started From the Bottom, Worst Behavior, The Language, 305 to My City

Rating: Okay

(*An asterisk next to a “favorite track” indicates that the track wasn’t initially one of my “favorite tracks” when I first wrote the review. If a track has an asterisk next to it, it means the song wasn’t initially a favorite of mine, but it grew on me, and the text for the song may have been edited to more properly reflect that.)

Justin Timberlake "Man of the Woods" Album Review

I know, I know, Drake marathon, yes. I’m supposed to be doing that, and I really do want to finish the marathon, but as I always say, new albums get priority, which means I have to hold off when there’s a new album on my radar. So yes, I’ll get back to that marathon soon, but there’s a new album I want to talk about, so here we go: it’s time for a review of the new Justin Timberlake album “Man of the Woods.”

He shouldn’t need an introduction, but of course, he’ll get one: the famed singer-songwriter, actor, child star, former *NSYNC member, and potential pop icon Justin Timberlake is back with his fifth full-length record. After his success with *NSYNC, he became a gigantic solo artist with his first two records “Justified” and “FutureSex/LoveSounds” and, after a 7-year musical hiatus as a result of his increased amount of acting projects, he returned in 2013 with “The 20/20 Experience,” a two-part album that fully got him back into the music scene. He then saw huge success in 2016 with his voice role in the film “Trolls” and the track “Can’t Stop the Feeling!” hitting #1 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Now obviously, I know who Justin Timberlake is, he’s been in the entertainment industry since before I was born, and I’ve been seeing and hearing him ever since I was a child. I’ve really enjoyed a number of his older tracks, with “Rock Your Body” and “Summer Love” being two personal favorites, though I also enjoyed “My Love” and “SexyBack” when I was a kid, and while I was kind of indifferent towards most of “The 20/20 Experience,” I did enjoy tracks like “Suit & Tie” and “Love Never Felt So Good” and while “Can’t Stop the Feeling!” cooled on me a bit, I can’t deny there was a point where I really did love that track.

However, despite my enjoyment of several Justin Timberlake tracks, I wasn’t really all that excited going into this record because none of the singles really grabbed me. Sure, “Say Something” was not bad, but “Filthy” and “Supplies” went from bad to worse and hearing that this thing was gonna be 66 minutes long had me fearing for the worst. But, I’m willing to at least give this thing a shot, so let’s go song-by-song to see if Justin can make up for the weak singles:

Filthy: This track was extremely underwhelming to me as soon as it came out. I applaud Justin for trying to do something slightly different here, but the problem is that the song just sounds like noise to me. Justin’s vocal charm is drowned out by the overly-loud and obnoxious instrumentals on this thing which, combined with the incredibly repetitive lyrics, make the song really bad. And honestly, hearing some of the other tracks on this record, this song just feels so at odds with everything else on here.

Midnight Summer Jam: Justin’s vocals at several parts are admittedly charming, but once the hook kicks in, he loses that charm when he reaches for the higher notes in his falsetto. And while the song is admittedly pretty funky, I can’t help but feel like Justin is trying to do a Bruno Mars impression on several points in the song. The repetitive “I GLOW, I GLOW, I GLOW, I GLOW” also gets annoying after a while, and lyrically, much like “Filthy,” it gets very repetitive. Not a terrible track and there could be some decent commercial appeal to the track, but it’s just nothing I’ll want to come back to all that much after this review.

Sauce: I’m a little shocked that, for all the rumors about this album going country, Justin is sticking firmly in the electro-pop sound with these first few tracks. And all in all, this song just sounds really cheesy, from Justin’s falsetto vocals that don’t really retain his usual charm, the really goofy lyrics on the hook, and the once-again purging feeling that he’s trying to impersonate Bruno Mars. Come on, Justin, you’re capable of more than this.

Man of the Woods: This one moves away from the electro-pop sound for something more stripped-back and acoustic, but lyrically, this track makes me feel like I need a shower, and considering this is the guy that created “Summer Love” and “Rock Your Body,” that’s when you know it’s an issue. Sure, his vocals are still pretty nice and charming (especially since he’s not trying to jump too high into his falsetto), and the groove on this is cool and all, but when I feel kind of gross after listening to it, that’s a problem. It’s definitely not a terrible track, but it’s not great, either.

Higher, Higher: Once again, Justin jumps into his falsetto for something that is pretty lackluster. He’s trying to create some kind of sensual vibe with this track, but I feel like it just doesn’t work. It literally is just one of those tracks that just goes in one ear and out the other for me. There’s nothing really unique or interesting about the track, it’s just very average in every area. Nothing terrible, just wholly average (and once again, the repetitive lyrics don’t help matters much).

Wave: Another more stripped-back song that’s much more acoustic than the others, the song once again just feels very repetitive and just like a bunch of songs we’ve heard plenty of times before. Justin’s vocals have some charm to them every once in a while, but I was kind of waiting for Justin to either say something interesting on the track or make his repetitive use of “waves” and “now the other way” a little more charming. Never happened, and thus, we have yet another “whatever” track here.

Supplies: The second single released from this record was honestly even worse than the last. While Justin’s vocals are slightly more charming on this one, the hook is beyond annoying (I GOT SUPPLIE-IE-IES), the 808-inspired drum beat is as bland as they come (and it’s way too overpowering here) and Pharrell’s random “burrs” just kind of come off as really silly here. It tries to be a fun, upbeat, party song, but it just comes off as annoying and ear-bleeding.

Morning Light (ft. Alicia Keys): Justin’s damn lucky he enlisted Alicia Keys on this track because that actually gave me something to look forward to. Don’t get me wrong, the stripped-back feel of the track is very beachy and nice-sounding, and Justin’s vocals are solid enough here, but Alicia Keys’ has some very pretty vocals that really make the track work even more for me. Definitely one of the better tracks on this thing, and probably the first track I legitimately enjoy thus far.

Say Something (ft. Chris Stapleton): On this track, it feels like Justin is trying to infuse country music with a few electronic bits, and honestly, while the lyrics can, again, get a bit repetitive after a while (I was kind of waiting for Justin and featured artist Chris Stapleton to actually “say something” on this track), the vocals from both Justin and Chris are actually pretty solid, and there is some very real charm to the simplicity of the acoustic guitar melody and stripped-back feel of the song. Not a bad track, and definitely better than the first two singles off of this record. Might need to hear it a few more times to let it grow on me, though.

Hers (Interlude): I know that minute-long interludes shouldn’t really be judged on the same wavelength as full-length songs, so I’ll try to keep this short but “ew” is the word I use to describe this. Look, no disrespect to Jessica Biel, and it’s nice that Justin included her on this, but this interlude adds next-to-nothing to the album, and once again, I kind of feel the need to take a shower after hearing this. Let’s just forget this one, next…

Flannel: Keeping things pretty country-flavored on this track, this song kind of makes me feel like I want to fall asleep. Justin’s vocals are nice and all, and the acoustic guitar track on here isn’t too bad, but it’s just really boring, and given that it’s almost five minutes, don’t be shocked if you feel like you’ll want to nod off during this track. Again, I feel like Justin is capable of so much more than this, and it’s not bad because it’s different, it’s bad because it’s boring.

Montana: Alright, now we’re back to the funky sound that hasn’t been working at all, and I don’t know why/if he’s expecting it to work now, but it just feels like dentist’s office music at this point. Once again, his jumps into his falsetto lack any real charm or excitement, and the instrumental on here doesn’t really distinguish itself from many of the other songs on this record. Sure, a few cool things are going on in it, but it just feels really contrived and boring at this point.

Breeze Off The Pond: While this track has a nice groove to it, Justin really doesn’t say anything all that interesting on this song, and instrumentally, he doesn’t do anything to really make this thing all that exciting…or, for that matter, any different from the other tracks on the album. There’s definitely some commercial potential on this track, and it could be a nice dance-y single, but it honestly just doesn’t sound all that interesting to me. Better than some of the other stuff on here, but nothing that special. (Oh, and very minor thing that doesn’t affect the song here, but Justin, Ed Sheeran beat you to the “Tiny Dancer” reference. Just saying.)

Livin’ Off The Land: I can appreciate this one for trying to be slightly more soulful than some of the other tracks, but some of the strange instrumental sounds I’m hearing are really annoying and almost ruin the song for me. Justin stays out of his falsetto here, which keeps the track from really hitting any super-duper low points, but again, this thing just feels really contrived and overdone, especially in the context of the album, seeing as it follows so many similar-sounding tracks.

The Hard Stuff: A more sunny track that’s definitely firmly in touch with its country roots, this one doesn’t distinguish much from other tracks and, while it sounded like he was trying to do a Bruno Mars impression before, this track makes him sound like he’s doing a not-so-faithful impression of John Mayer. Sure, it’s nice on the ears, but Justin, I don’t want to give you “the hard stuff.” I actually want the image of you asking for “hard stuff” out of my head now. Please and thank you.

Young Man: Justin ends off the album with a dedication to his young son Silas. I think it’s a really sweet gesture and I’m usually a sucker for these very personal songs, but I have to say that I still feel like I need a shower after the one line where Justin says “got it from your momma / damn, she look good, you might get a sister.” Please don’t put that imagery in my head when I’m trying to hear you make an ode to your son, it’s out of place. Anyway, the song is definitely sweet, and Justin’s vocals are pretty smooth, but again, it does sound like a lot of the other tracks on here. A decent end to the record, but nothing all that special.

Overall, with “Man of the Woods,” Justin Timberlake resorts to some pretty boring, repetitive funk and (occasionally) country sounds in what amounts to an overall very unexciting, very lackluster record. Lyrically, Justin spends a lot of the album repeating himself, and instrumentally, he does nothing even remotely interesting on this record. His vocals often lack any real charm, as he jumps into his falsetto to weak results, and the album doesn’t really have all that many features to save this thing. I’m sorry, I just think this record is really weak and really forgettable in almost every area, and while the tracks are pretty nice on the ears at times, it feels like Justin doesn’t have that effortless charisma and charm that he used to have. I can’t help but feel like even hardcore Justin Timberlake fans might look at this thing and demand something better, something a little less contrived and mediocre. I wanted to like this, but there’s just no way that I can.

Honestly, avoid it. Justin’s capable of far better than this.

Favorite tracks: Morning Light

Least favorite tracks: Filthy, Sauce, Supplies, Hers (Interlude), Flannel, The Hard Stuff,

Rating: Awful

Drake "Take Care" Album Review

Alright, guys, finally getting back to the Drake marathon. Sorry for the delay, a bunch of new albums came out and took up my time. Anyway, it’s now time to review Drake’s second studio album, 2011's “Take Care.” I mentioned before that this was the Drake album I was most looking forward to, so let’s see if my excitement pays off, shall we?

Over My Dead Body: A kind of sad-sounding track with a really interesting, subdued drum beat, I like Chantal Kreviazuk’s vocals on the hook, and while Drake’s sing-rapping still sounds like he’s trying to do a Lil Wayne impression, I like his kind of introspective take on his career and his haters in this song. It’s definitely a really enjoyable, kind of emotional track that I feel like I’ll definitely come back to quite a bit.

Shot for Me: On this track, Drake switches between crooning and rapping about his exes over a very overpowering, hi-hat driven 808 beat, and while it might seem a bit cliché, I think there’s some very real enjoyment to this song. Again, it’s very emotional and some interesting things are going on here instrumentally. I actually like it quite a bit.

Headlines: One of the first Drake songs that I really fell in love with, the sing-rapping sound flows really smoothly on his track, the lyrics send a message that Drake is really trying to make something that’s very confident, instead of going with what’s radio-friendly, and even when the song slows to a halt at the end, it remains really smooth and nice on the ears. I like this track a lot, even after so many years.

Crew Love (ft. The Weeknd): A song that transitions perfectly between being loud and booming, and soft and subdued, The Weeknd comes in and really owns this track. His performance on his verse is great, the hook is ridiculously ear-wormy, and Drake’s verse features some pretty clever lyrics. There’s a reason The Weeknd continues to bring this track out at concerts: because it’s one of the best he’s ever been involved in.

Take Care (ft. Rihanna): One of the first Drake tracks I really enjoyed, I loved how the song felt like a banger with an emotional edge to it. I loved Rihanna’s very pretty vocals on the hook, and Drake’s sing-rapping sounded smooth as well. The song as a whole has cooled on me quite a bit, and I think the interlude on the song is kinda boring, but all in all, it’s still a pretty solid track. I don’t love it as much as I did five or so years ago, but I still think it’s not bad.

Marvins Room: Once again, Drake discusses his own loneliness on this track as he croons in a way indicative that he is drunk. And once again, I think Drake manages to take something he talks a lot about and manages to make it interesting by creating a really low-tempo, very sad-sounding track that features Drake mixing his crooning and his sing-rapping really well, and the subdued beat and instrumental melody are nice on the ears and really memorable. The piano melody on the end is especially strong as well. Really great track, I like this one a lot.

Buried Alive Interlude (ft. Kendrick Lamar): A pretty loud, grandiose track, this interlude features Kendrick Lamar discussing his ascension to fame and how he kills his old self as a result of the fame, and somehow, with his sad-sounding rapping blending well with the pretty upbeat instrumentals, this turns into a pretty emotional track that also manages to be a banger! This is a track I’ll definitely come back to quite a bit!

Under Ground Kings: On this track, Drake has a bit of sing-rapping but all in all, focuses largely on just straight rapping, and throughout the track, he goes back to his more “unemotional ways” (while also paying tribute to Pimp C, part of the Underground Kingz duo with Bun B) by talking a lot about his city and his crew. His flow is pretty solid, the occasional moments of sing-rapping are smooth, and while the song does sound a lot like his other stuff, it’s still a pretty enjoyable banger, even if it’s not one of my favorites on the album.

We’ll Be Fine (ft. Birdman): Another track that sees Drake less in his feels, I’m not really all that crazy about Drake’s flow at various points in the song, the hook is definitely not one of Drake’s best, and the instrumental is pretty boring and contrived. Birdman’s outro is also nothing special, and I feel like it was one of those “he’s there to be there” kind of moments. Definitely one of the weaker tracks on the album.

Make Me Proud (ft. Nicki Minaj): While Drake’s more rapid-fire flow on his verse is pretty solid and different, I think some of the lyrics border on the “cringe-territory” I talk about in certain reviews. And while I like Drake’s smooth vocals on the hook, the whole “I’m so I’m so I’m so I’m so” just ruins the hook as a whole for me. Nicki Minaj really runs away with this song on her verse, and her flow and charismatic performances keep this one interesting. I’m not all that crazy about the song, but Nicki’s verse kept it from being one of the worst on the album.

Lord Knows (ft. Rick Ross): A slightly gospel-influenced song, Drake spends this song really trying to prove that he’s not as “soft” as everyone makes him out to be, and he goes really hard over the instrumental on this one. It feels like a really definitive answer to his critics, and Rick Ross shows some pretty solid flow on his, admittedly shorter, verse. Definitely a pretty solid track, I think I’ll come back to this a bit in the future.

Cameras / Good Ones Go Interlude: The first part of this track, “Cameras,” sees Drake kind of emotionlessly rapping over a very typical 808 drum beat that, at one point, samples “Calling on You” by Jon B, and while there are a few slightly clever lyrics on the first part, the track itself just doesn’t do much to generate any real excitement. The second part of the song, “Good Ones Go Interlude,” takes things down several notches and features Drake crooning a bit about a girl (what else?). His voice is once again quite smooth, and The Weeknd provides some sneak vocals throughout, which add to the emotional feel of the song. It’s honestly a shame it’s attached to “Cameras,” because if it was its own track, it would be one of my favorites on the album, but unfortunately, it’s paired with one of my least favorites on the record. All in all, half good, half bad here.

Doing It Wrong: A really soft, low-tempo ballad about a breakup (because, of course), Drake nonetheless keeps this one extremely interesting by creating a track with some really smooth, pretty-sounding crooning, a really catchy hook, and some really subdued yet interesting production. This is a track I didn’t expect to enjoy as much as I did, but it’s definitely one of my favorites on the album.

The Real Her (ft. Lil Wayne and André 3000): I shouldn’t really need to say again that this is about a breakup, but I like the references to “Houstatlantavegas” on this track, and as always, Drake’s vocals, even if they are overly-autotuned, are smooth and sound very nice. His sing-rapping also sounds sharp, and the snare drum-driven beat blends well with the piano-driven melody. The song also features guest appearances from Lil Wayne and André 3000, both of whom provide some pretty solid verses. Good track overall.

Look What You’ve Done: This more somber track is actually a tribute to Drake’s family members, and his pretty sad-sounding rapping fits well with the more downbeat, piano-driven melody on this one. Drake’s flow also sounds really solid, and I definitely think this is a huge standout on the album. I’m a sucker for these kinds of really personal tracks, and this one is definitely rock-solid. It goes in some directions Drake doesn’t often go in, and it also happens to sound very nice.

HYFR (Hell Ya Fucking Right) (ft. Lil Wayne): We then move into this really upbeat, grand, louder song that kind of feels at odds following up on a really light, personal track, but here Drake shows some really strong flow on his verse where, even if he talks about things he’s spoken about before, he still manages to keep it pretty interesting with some rapid-fire delivery. I’m not all that crazy about Lil Wayne’s hook on this one (given that Drake sings the hook at one point, I wish he just handled it throughout the entire song), but he shows some pretty solid flow on his verse here. Don’t think I’ll be coming back to this one much, but it’s a decent track overall.

Practice: A tribute of sorts to an old Cash Money song “Back That Azz Up,” Drake keeps thing really interesting here with his smooth, pretty vocals, a good mix of sing-rapping, and a really catchy hook (that was apparently written by The Weeknd, which doesn’t shock me since he has a pretty solid ear for catchy hooks). The production is typical Drake stuff, but it’s still head-nodding fun stuff. Definitely feel like I’ll want to come back to this one in the future.

The Ride: Drake finishes things off with an autobiographical song, and he also enlists The Weeknd to provide some vocals on the hook. His vocals are top-notch as always, even if the hook is kind of hard to follow and a little unorganized. I like Drake’s flow on his verse, and I like that he talks less about the women in his life, and more about the general ups and downs he has faced. It’s not one of my favorite tracks on the album, but it’s a fitting (and pretty good) ending to the album.

Sure, I can see why some people would not be crazy about this kind of thing, because Drake does speak a lot about the same things (mostly breakups and love), and he does prove to be much softer and in tune with his emotions than a lot of rappers, but that doesn’t make the music any less enjoyable for me. I still think he showcases some solid flow on this, an ear for good production, and some especially smooth, nice vocals throughout. He also manages to pick some pretty solid features throughout, which helps further strengthen the project, given that his support team only adds to the excitement. Again, it’s not for everyone, and some hardcore rap fans might find more faults in it than I did, but I definitely think Drake is putting out some really great tracks on this record, and I definitely think I’ll be coming back to it quite a bit.

Up next, “Nothing Was The Same.” Not sure what to expect out of that one. We’ll see, I guess.

Favorite tracks: Over My Dead Body, Shot for Me, Headlines, Crew Love, Marvins Room, Buried Alive Interlude, Lord Knows, Doing It Wrong, The Real Her, Look What You’ve Done, Practice

Least favorite tracks: We’ll Be Fine

Rating: Excellent