Drake's Honestly, Nevermind is NOT GOOD

Summary

The reviewer expresses disappointment with Drake's surprise album, criticizing its lack of emotional depth and substance. They note a shift towards house and dance music, but find the production underwhelming and the vocals one-dimensional. Despite a few standout tracks, the album is largely forgettable and lacks the effort expected from a top artist, with some songs being described as preposterous and unfinished.

Takeaways

• 🎧 The reviewer was surprised by the quick release of Drake's new album following last year's 'CLB'.
• 🎵 The album represents a shift in sound, incorporating house and dance music elements.
• 🔇 The mix and production quality are criticized as being subpar, reminiscent of amateur Soundcloud producers.
• 😕 There's a perceived lack of emotional depth and lyrical substance in the album.
• 🚫 The reviewer feels Drake is going through the motions, showing complacency similar to his previous works 'Views' and 'Scorpion'.
• 👎 Songs like 'Falling Back' and 'Texts Go Green' are described as weak and lacking structure.
• 🙅‍♂️ The use of certain samples, such as the squeaky bed in 'Currants', is deemed as goofy and unimpressive.
• 👏 'Sticky' and 'Jimmy Cooks' featuring 21 Savage are highlighted as standout tracks with better production and flow.
• 🤔 The album is seen as experimental but ultimately underwhelming due to its one-dimensional nature and lack of effort.
• 📉 The reviewer considers 'Honestly, Nevermind' as Drake's lowest point in terms of effort and quality.

Q & A

What is the general opinion of the new Drake album as expressed in the script?

The script expresses a negative opinion about the new Drake album, stating that it's not good and represents a low point in terms of effort from Drake.

How does the script describe the surprise release of the album?

The script mentions that the release of the album was unexpected, especially after last year's 'CLB', which was a big album rollout.

What is the main criticism regarding the album's sound and production?

The script criticizes the album's sound for being one-dimensional, poorly produced, and having a sound quality akin to a Soundcloud dance music producer's first remix.

How does the script characterize the emotional content of the album?

The script suggests that the album lacks emotional depth, with Drake disconnecting emotionally and lyrically from the need to provide substance.

What specific song from the album is mentioned as being particularly weak?

The script points out 'Currants' as a weak song, criticizing the use of a squeaky bed sample throughout the beat.

What is the script's view on the album's potential for a stylistic change?

While the script acknowledges that a stylistic change could have been refreshing, it criticizes Drake for not putting enough effort into the execution of this change.

Which tracks from the album does the script find somewhat redeeming?

The script mentions 'Sticky' and 'Jimmy Cooks' featuring 21 Savage as tracks that stand out, with 'Sticky' offering a good hip-hop dance fusion and 'Jimmy Cooks' being a smooth piece of southern hip-hop.

What is the script's comparison of the album's sound to other music?

The script compares some of the album's tracks to background music that might play in a store, suggesting they are forgettable and not worth seeking out outside of the album context.

How does the script evaluate Drake's vocal performance on the album?

The script criticizes Drake's vocal performance as being weak, with awkward falsettos and a numb mid-range, lacking emotional and vocal range.

What is the script's overall conclusion about the album?

The script concludes that the album is not good, with Drake putting in the bare minimum effort, resulting in a badly produced, weakly sung, and underwritten record.

Outlines

00:00

🎧 Mixed Reactions to Drake's New Album

The reviewer expresses surprise at the quick release of Drake's new album, noting a lack of expected drama or emotional depth in the lyrics. They appreciate the shift to house and dance music influences, but criticize the production quality as being subpar, akin to an amateur Soundcloud producer. The reviewer also points out a perceived complacency in Drake's recent work, with this album being no exception. They find the album's sound to be moody and introspective, but lackluster in terms of emotional connection and lyrical content. Specific tracks like 'Flights Booked' are mentioned for their poor mixing, while others are criticized for being forgettable or poorly structured.

05:00

🎵 Highs and Lows of Drake's Latest

Despite the overall negative tone, the reviewer does highlight a few positive aspects of the album. 'Sticky' is praised for its varied dance beat and catchy verses, and 'Jimmy Cooks' featuring 21 Savage is noted for its smooth southern hip-hop style and classic horn samples. However, these compliments are few, and the reviewer ultimately concludes that the album is Drake's lowest point in terms of effort, being one-note, poorly produced, and underwritten. They also humorously compare the album's music to that played in a retail store, suggesting it lacks depth and originality.

Keywords

💡Drake

Drake is a Canadian rapper, singer, songwriter, and actor who is a central figure in the music industry. In the context of the video script, Drake is the artist whose new album is being critiqued. The script discusses the album's sound, lyrical content, and production quality, indicating that the reviewer has certain expectations for Drake's work based on his previous albums and his status in the music industry.

💡Album

An album refers to a collection of audio recordings issued as a collection on compact disc, vinyl, audio tape, or another medium. In the script, the term 'album' is used to discuss Drake's new music release, which is a surprise to the reviewer given the timing and the artist's recent output. The album's quality and reception are central to the video's critique.

💡Sound

In music, 'sound' refers to the auditory sensations produced by musical instruments or voices. The script mentions a 'shift in sound,' indicating a change in Drake's musical style. It is used to critique how the new album diverges from Drake's previous work, incorporating elements of house and dance music, which is a significant point of discussion in the review.

💡House and Dance Music

House and dance music are genres of electronic dance music characterized by repetitive beats and synthesized basslines. The script notes that Drake's new album is inspired by these genres, suggesting a departure from his usual style. The reviewer assesses whether this new direction is successful and how it impacts the overall quality of the album.

💡Emotion

Emotion in music refers to the feelings or moods conveyed by the lyrics, melody, or rhythm. The script discusses the emotional content of Drake's lyrics, suggesting that there is a disconnect between the emotional depth expected from Drake and what is delivered in the new album. This is used as a critique point, indicating that the album lacks substance and emotional resonance.

💡Lyrics

Lyrics are the words of a song. The script critiques the lyrical content of the album, stating that it is 'horrendously underwritten' and lacks detail. This is a significant point of criticism, as it suggests that the songwriting is not up to the standard expected from Drake.

💡Production

Production in music refers to the process of creating a final recording. It includes recording, editing, and mixing. The script criticizes the production quality of the album, suggesting it is 'badly produced' and compares it unfavorably to the work of amateur producers. This critique implies that despite having access to top-tier resources, the final product is subpar.

💡Vocals

Vocals are the singing or chanting parts of a song. The script mentions that Drake's vocals on the album are 'weakly sung' and lack emotional and vocal range. This critique focuses on the performance aspect of the album, suggesting that Drake's singing does not enhance the tracks.

💡Beat

A beat in music is a regular, repeated pattern of sounds, often consisting of a basic pulse or rhythm. The script discusses the beats on the album, noting that some are well-crafted while others are described as 'bad' or 'unfinished.' This term is central to the critique of the album's musical quality.

💡One-dimensional

One-dimensional, in the context of music, suggests a lack of depth or variety. The script uses this term to criticize the album for being repetitive and lacking complexity. It implies that the album does not offer a diverse range of musical ideas or emotions, which is a negative aspect according to the reviewer.

Highlights

Drake's new surprise album is a shift in sound, incorporating house and dance music influences.

The album features moody and emotive beats, differing from the typical EDM festival sound.

Drake's vocal delivery is criticized as being bricked out and distorted, potentially lacking quality.

The album's production is compared to that of a Soundcloud dance music producer, indicating a lack of polish.

Drake's previous albums are noted for their emotional lows and commercial highs, setting a context for this release.

The album's disconnection from emotional and lyrical substance is highlighted as a concern.

Songs like 'Falling Back' and 'Texts Go Green' are pointed out for their lack of structural effort.

Drake's vocal range is described as limited, with awkward falsettos and a numb mid-range.

The track 'Currants' is criticized for its squeaky bed sample, which is deemed goofy and trash.

The song 'Calling My Name' is questioned for its structure and interruption, suggesting it might be unfinished.

The track 'Tie That Binds' is criticized for its attempt at a Latin direction with an amateurish flamenco guitar interpretation.

Drake's effort on the album is described as the bare minimum, with a lack of trying or showing effort.

The song 'Sticky' is praised for its dance beat variation and clever bars, standing out as a highlight.

The album closer 'Jimmy Cooks' featuring 21 Savage is noted for its smooth southern hip-hop sound.

Many tracks are criticized for being forgettable and only carried by their production, not their content.

The album is compared to background music played in stores, indicating a lack of depth and memorability.

The overall effort put into the album is considered Drake's lowest point, with a one-note and badly produced outcome.

Transcripts

yeah this new drake album

it's not good

yes we have a brand new surprise album

from drake which i didn't expect drake

to come back with a new release so

quickly after last year's clb especially

since that did seem like such a big

album roll out for drizzy and i can't

imagine too much has been happening with

him drama-wise since then and now that

would inspire any grand displays of

emotion or diary-like verses spit over

cinematic soul chops but i suppose this

new record isn't even so much about

drake as much as it's about a shift in

sound which in theory is great because i

think drake has been in severe need of a

switch up since views as clb saw him at

so many weirdly awkward emotional lows

and commercial highs that were so

preposterous they were pretty much

parody but honestly never mind it does

present drake in a new light over a

series of beats inspired by house and

dance music there are a lot of quarter

note kicks on this record pianos and

keys that skip across the grooves a few

builds and drops but all delivered in

this vaguely moody in your feels vibe

that we expect pretty much every drake

record to fit into this is not the sound

of like some wild edm festival or

anything like that really more of a sad

solo dance party with you djing for

yourself off your laptop speakers like

the mix and vocals on flights booked for

example are so bricked out and distorted

i can't imagine them sounding good on

anything else i get that nobody wants to

hear me whine about the mixes on a drake

song especially since a good deal of the

time they are bearable but i just have

to wonder what is the use in being

the biggest rap artist on the planet

with access to the best producers and

sound engineers that money can buy if

your stuff is still going to have the

quality of a soundcloud dance music

producer who's put together his first

remix and look doing better has been a

pretty consistent problem for drake

these days because there's really been a

growing sense of complacency in his

records as he handed us the

mostly passionless views the playlisted

mess that he titled more life the

bloated scorpion and sure each of these

records did have their highlights but

for the most part they did kind of feel

like drake going through the motions and

i hope that wouldn't be the case on a

record where he is switching up his

sound

so boldly and while in some ways

honestly never mind is different in so

many other ways it's pretty much exactly

the same like i think the dance beats on

this project have only given drake more

of an excuse to disconnect disconnect

emotionally disconnect from the need to

give us anything of substance lyrically

a disconnect from songwriting like this

record is generally pretty low on

lyrical details which i guess i get

because the vibe is less about what

drake is saying and more about the

melody lines that his voice is hitting

as he's just kind of riffing over these

instrumentals but i feel like the final

product didn't need to be this

one-dimensional on songs such as falling

back and texts go green it's pretty

obvious drake couldn't be bothered to

structure these tracks in any way he's

just very limpy and weakly improvising

over them and of course across these

tracks drake doesn't show the emotional

and vocal range to make these four five

minute run times worth the journey with

his very awkward falsettos and kind of

numb mid-range so yeah there are cuts on

this thing that feel very background

very forgettable very wallpaper but

there are others that are downright

preposterous like the song currants with

the squeaky bed sample yeah there's like

the sound of a squeaky chair where i

assume again bed uh playing throughout

the entire beat

sounds absolutely goofy absolutely trash

and the song calling my name is is it

even a song it's kind of like a decent

intro building things up then a random

interruption and then after that what

sounds like could have been a decent

piece of a longer dance cut granted that

final part of the song is about how a

[ __ ] is calling drake's name

you gotta be doing some crazy [ __ ] to

the [ __ ] for it to go

tie that binds is a failed attempt at

taking things in a

latin direction with what sounds like a

first-year guitarist's interpretation of

what flamenco guitar is which again

you're drake you could literally get

anyone to play this part and yet what we

have on the record is this liability is

just a bad unfinished drake song played

in slow motion for four minutes like let

me be clear here and say that i have no

issue with drake switching up styles on

this record it's fine it's cool it could

have panned out into a great lp but if

only he would actually try

if only he would actually show some

effort if only he would put something

else into these songs other than just

the bare minimum to get by now look

across the lp there are a few flashes in

the pan on the song sticky the dance

beat actually varies up along the

progression of the song the grooves are

tight drake brings some very catchy and

clean flows and verses with a lot of

clever bars as well i love the one where

he talks about somebody saying he's

changed but in fact he millions but yeah

it's just a really good hip hop dance

fusion and then there's jimmy cooks with

21 savage on the closer which is a very

smooth piece of southern hip-hop a lot

of sweet classic horn samples a very

dark and heavy beat switch drake on the

front end holds his own 21 savage sounds

great in the second half but my

compliments for this record kind of

start and end there yeah that's that's

it that's really it the only other

tracks on this thing i kind of [ __ ] with

are mostly because of

uh the beat in production carrying lycon

massive or a keeper but

neither of these instrumentals would i

go out of my way to listen to were they

not on a drake record many of the other

beats on this thing sound like drake had

a mate on fiverr yeah that's that's sort

of all i have to say about this record

there's there's really not a whole lot

to it i i really think this is drake's

lowest point yet in terms of

level of effort he really put almost

nothing into this record it's so one

note badly produced

weakly sung

horrendously underwritten and yeah a lot

of the [ __ ] people have been saying

about it online about just like you know

being the kind of music that plays over

the loudspeaker at h m uh for the most

part that's that's really accurate yeah

yeah the strake record is is not is not

good