Drake: Honestly, Nevermind Album Review

DrakeSongwriting hits a sweet spot when he chooses narcissism over self-awareness. It led to his most defining characteristic: the incredibly specific and memorable Drakeisms, sometimes presented with the belief that they are profound – which also makes them unintentionally funny. Think of the melodramatic and self-loathing details that fill in takes care (“I think I’m addicted to nude pictures/And I sit ‘talking’ about bitches we almost had”); stinging sermon at the end”diamond danceMake a mafia legend If you’re reading this it’s too late (“I order pasta alfredo / Then eat in the kitchen as if you were in the mafia”). even so opinionsHis most serious album, His Ego is so cocky that he should definitely know how ridiculous he sounded. But maybe not.

In recent years, Drake’s increasing willingness to share in the joke has made the way he writes less exciting. So it ended up failing.”Toosie sliceViral Dance Challenge, Desperation 2021 Certified Boy LoverAnd now the fickle nature of his new album Honestly, Nevermind. The album sewed styles like House, Baltimore, and Jersey club into its moody establishment. It sounds refreshingly different from any other Drake album, and he’s brought back his go-to stunt to legitimize trend-hopping by recruiting genre heavyweights into his orbit: the South African DJ black coffee and electronic producer Chameleon Carnage (under his pseudonym Gordo) are also major contributors to production. It’s light and breezy, and the songs flow right into each other like a DJ mix, unlike in 2017 more lively. All of this should work, but it feels empty for one stark reason: Drake’s writing lacks the former zest.

Honestly, NevermindThe most memorable line is not on the album. In a tearful Apple Music note accompanying the release, he wrote, “I don’t remember the last time someone dropped the phone, looked me in the eye and asked my current view of the times.” It’s funny – a level of self-obsession and delusion is missing in the records. In “Calling My Name,” where the pulsing house rhythm does all the work, Drake talks about lost love in detail that amounts to, “You water, energize/undress, relieve stress.” When he doesn’t say anything worthwhile, you tend to amplify his vocals, but his one-tone voice doesn’t carry the load. Likewise in the 40 films “Down Hill,” his words about heartbreak are filled with platitudes. In the past, his bouncy style was kinda unique to his writing, even if it was toned down. Without it, you’ll still have a flat version of a pre-existing superior sound.