Drake - Nothing Was The Same (Album Review)

Drake's new album artwork sure is terrible. Isn't it? Okay now that we've come to terms with it, I can try and just judge the music. So how is the actual music? The answer is pretty good. I always find a handful of songs I really enjoy off of every Drake album. This album is no exception. It's definitely not my favorite rap album of the year, or my favorite Drake album, but it has more than a few really good standout tracks.

If this were Drake's debut it'd be a fairly strong debut. At three albums in the formula may wear thin for a few listeners. The style doesn't sound nearly as fresh or interesting as it did when I first heard Thank Me Later in 2010. Formula wise I'd describe Drake's music as mostly chilled out rap with lyrics about coming up, being famous, or trying to convey the change in Drake from before to now. Drake's delivery tends to be smooth and chill with just a dash of singing thrown in. I for one have always been a fan of Drake's delivery and how he uses lyrics. I think he continues to do that fairly well on the album.

Production wise the beats fit Drake's style pretty good. Like I mentioned though, at three albums in, the choices made with the album mirror his previous albums quite a bit. So it's no surprise he sounds decent over most of the beats because he's sounded descent in the past over similar beats. The album starts really strong. "Tuscan Leather" is a nice intro. I think "Furthest Thing" is a really great standout track and a quality Drake track that shows what listeners have come to expect from Drake. The song is A+ Drake material. Drake's lyrical ability and the beat choice works on every level. “Furthest Thing” is a song I know I will listen to a lot and it's a good representation of the album. "Hold On, We're Going Home" sounds like it could have been a lost The Weeknd song. It's a good song that offers something a little different from the album. It might feel a little out of place with the other songs, albeit slightly, but it's definitely an enjoyable enough song.

This might be Drake's weakest album, but at the same time it still has the swagger and vibe I've come to expect and enjoy about Drake's music. At this point albums like this seem to be par for the course for Drake. He can swing and get at least a birdie on almost every track with the style he's perfected over the last few albums. The big drawback may be fatigue of that style and sound. After a few albums fans may be getting a little restless to see if Drake has any more tricks in his hat. Overall though another fairly solid effort from Drake.