{"id":33837,"date":"2022-07-11T16:00:02","date_gmt":"2022-07-11T16:00:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/traklife.com\/featured\/mixed-feelings-for-honestly-nevermind\/"},"modified":"2023-09-16T21:15:13","modified_gmt":"2023-09-16T21:15:13","slug":"mixed-feelings-for-honestly-nevermind","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/traklife.com\/culture\/mixed-feelings-for-honestly-nevermind\/","title":{"rendered":"Mixed Feelings for ‘Honestly, Nevermind’"},"content":{"rendered":"

In true Drake fashion, his latest album needed no introduction or promotion. Just a few Instagram<\/a> posts hours before release day were enough to send fans into a pandemonium of anticipation. Less than a year after Certified Lover Boy <\/em><\/a>was released, the Canadian rapper\u2019s seventh studio album Honestly, Nevermind<\/em><\/a> dropped at midnight on June 17.<\/em><\/p>\n

The album flows smoothly from track to track, with nearly every song highlighting Drake\u2019s dancehall, afrobeats, and UK garage influences. A genre he fully began to explore on Views <\/em><\/a>in 2016, Honestly, Nevermind <\/em>is largely characterized by Drake singing over muted dancehall beats that evoke intimacy over high energy. Though past hits like \u201cControlla<\/a>,\u201d \u201cOne Dance<\/a>,\u201d \u201cToo Good<\/a>,\u201d \u201cPassionfruit<\/a>,\u201d and \u201cGet It Together<\/a>\u201d were standout tracks on other Drake albums, his latest efforts seem more suitable as background music rather than electric club bangers.<\/p>\n

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Prince Williams \/ WireImage<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Cohesiveness, however, is a strength of Honestly, Nevermind, <\/em>especially toward the beginning of the record. Seamless transitions between \u201cFalling Back\u201d and \u201cTexts Go Green\u201d as well as \u201cA Keeper\u201d and \u201cCalling My Name\u201d give listeners the feeling of listening to one connected playlist mixed by a DJ. But some later tracks are forgettable and overly repetitive stylistically, like \u201cTie That Binds\u201d and \u201cLiability.\u201d Yet Drake remains as emotionally troubled as ever; lyrically, his characteristic lamenting over breakups and failed relationships is still largely present. On \u201cDown Hill,\u201d Drake sings wistfully, \u201cWe don\u2019t connect anymore, far, far, far gone \/ We spent last summer, we spent last summer so differently.\u201d<\/p>\n

The album closes with the trap banger \u201cJimmy\u2019s Cook\u201d featuring 21 Savage, which is most reflective of the bulk of Drake\u2019s catalog. With over 32 million streams on Spotify, far surpassing any other song on the album, \u201cJimmy Cooks\u201d is easily the fan-favorite this time around.<\/p>\n

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Cole Burston \/ Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

At age 35 and with nearly two decades in the industry under his belt, Drake continues to deliver different aspects of his artistry on every new project \u2013 whether it\u2019s well-received or not. In my opinion, Honestly, Nevermind <\/em>highlights many of Drake\u2019s strengths and signature styles, but it fails to completely captivate and lead listeners into new territory. Yet no one can argue with the impressive longevity of Drake\u2019s career and the variety of content he produces. So if you\u2019re a fan of dance music, maybe this is your bop. But if you crave trap beats and hard-hitting rhymes, you\u2019ll have to wait till the next Drake album.<\/p>\n

Listen below to Honestly, Nevermind.<\/em><\/p>\n