Stanisland Magazine

We review the new LP featuring PARTYNEXTDOOR, in spoiler free fashion. An R&B album celebrating Canadian music.

Drake (Aubrey Graham) is back, with fresh music in the shape of Some Sexy Songs for You alongside fellow Canadian PARTYNEXTDOOR (Jahron Brathwaite).

I’m curious how he has survived this long in the game considering his most recent music lacks distinction. Include his ongoing feud with Kendrick Lamar, and you have more to anticipate. The entire saga that surrounds their beef is unremarkable; I understand why, though its apex will likely be forgotten. But tremendous applause for their media efforts.

While Kendrick is more an artist than a lyricist, Drake is neither. Lyrically, he could ghostwrite pop songs, and if anything, he’s an escaped experiment from Akihabara. 

What the New Album Sounds Like

It’s more disappointment. I’ve read comments that best describe its sound: from chronically “poor”, to “constipated robot”, these vivid interpretations don’t come close to actually hearing it. Such a lacklustre project discharged from months of preparation is baffling.

Just who exactly is buying this drivel? It’s flat, monochromatic and full of skippable tracks. It lacks potency and I can feel brain cells dying with each listen. Graham fails to reinvent himself and PARTYNEXTDOOR feels like a third wheel, offering little input.

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Between them, inspiration is lacking. Take Moth Balls for example, where lines like “She from Michigan, but tastes like water, and Lasers, with lyrics like “Baby, say my name like Beyoncé” underline these issues. This is just a pinch of the album’s production quality, and its lacklustre delivery is further evidence that this was indeed a rushed effort.

Later, it continues, on what I can only assume is a parody on Meet Your Padre. The rapper lays down these genius bars: “Yeah, I want to pay your rent and pay your taxes. She kissed my cheek and she said, “Muchas gracias” I mean, what?

Some Sexy Songs For You sounds like a pillow fight on a trampoline from a rapper who still thinks he’s recording in his bedroom. Now, there’s nothing wrong with this of course, but when you have so much ‘experience ’ in the industry, where is the progression? Where is the niche? There are tonnes of artists who drop similar work, and there’s a reason they’re never considered top tier either.

Verdict

Skip it. It’s not worth your time. There are plenty of “hip-hop” albums, sonically speaking, that sound the same. It’s a cliched pile of ubiquitous sounding music.

If you’re into it, then feel free to add this to your library but I guarantee, if you enjoy this, you won’t be able to tell when his begins and other entry-level material ends. I mean, the title alone is enough to make a person laugh.

All in all, the entire ‘project’ is just one big song cut into a list of 21-tracks. Drake has been coasting for a long time, and it seems he’s now stuck on autopilot for the most part.

The rapper has released maybe one or two good albums and this leaves me intrigued by what’s next.

Put it this way: do you think this will be considered a classic in a year? No. Will most listeners revisit the album? Probably not. With more polished acts in circulation, the appetite for its rotation is likely to quickly decline.

Addendum: I returned to this once more, and I truly feel there is nothing of merit at play here. The musical production, vocal inflection and cadence seem to serve promotional values rather than the artist’s true identity. I stand by my original assessment of this work.

Where to Stream and Buy 

You can stream the new album via Spotify, Apple Music, and Tidal. A vinyl version is not yet available, though a compact disc (CD) edition can be purchased directly via OVO Sound.