***
The latest from the Canadian rapper Drake “isn’t a hip-hop album or an R&B album so much as an album of eccentric black pop,” said Jon Caramanica in The New York Times. “Unexpected choices and juxtapositions abound,” with Drake folding in psychedelia, neo-soul, “probably more piano than on any hip-hop album ever,” and even a harmonica solo from Stevie Wonder. Drake, a former child actor, has previously released only one official album, last year’s chart-topping Thank Me Later, but he’s also made a name for himself in collaborations with major artists from Rihanna to Timbaland. This album is full of cameos, including great turns from André 3000 and Lil Wayne that show why Drake is at best a “middle-of-the-pack rapper,” said Tim Sendra in AllMusic.com. Drake’s real strength, though, is “his willingness to delve deeply into his emotions.” You might not play this album at a house party; save it instead for a night “when you need something to get you through.”
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