After years of teasing and an industry-shaking beef with Kendrick Lamar that shepherded him to look inward for his next project, Drake and PARTYNEXTDOOR have delivered Some Sexy Songs 4 U. Here’s what you need to know about the two Toronto crooner’s first full-length link-up.
The Start To “Some Sexy Songs 4 U” Is Full Of Promise
To be sure, many of the records’ splashiest moments, either for Genius.com dissection or Billboard chart-filling, come on the back of Drake solo cuts. However, his penchant for dipping into different genres makes Some Sexy Songs 4 U lose much of its cohesiveness in those moments. The transition out of the LP’s beginning moments is the most instructive. “CN Tower” is laser-focused. Though you may roll your eyes at some of the imagery (the Canadian landmark “read” like a text message), the longing, melodic tones that both Drake and PARTY cop on the song is the exact formula that made much of their previous efforts so compelling.
Songs like “Recognize,” “For You,” and “Preach” paved the way, and in the early goings, it seems the artists effortlessly pick up where they left off. That continues into “Moth Balls,” where PND provides an incredibly sticky, pained hook, while Drake dipping back into the actual rap bag delivers a perfect foil. Though “Crying In Chanel” and “Deeper” feature individual divergences, “Spider-Man Superman” in the middle bridges the gap for a stretch that, again, showcases much of the air-tight albeit saccharine promise of the album.
A Middle Stretch Of Commercial Hits But Mixed Artistic Results
However, as we already tipped off, the middle stretch is where things begin to fall apart a bit. Some Sexy Songs 4 U already spawned two major singles, each Drake solo cuts, “Nokia” and “Gimmie A Hug.” In coming to the forefront, they’ve developed a “love-it-or-hate-it” quality, no doubt bound for high chart positions but equally groan-inducing for those not ready to accept Drizzy as a commercial force anew.
Though they’re each fine for a few listens, what makes the songs all the more frustrating is that they encapsulate a run of songs where Drake is very much rinsing and repeating, neither song pushing the envelope much further than what he just executed via songs like “Rich Baby Daddy.” “Meet Your Padre” is similarly vexing, maybe marking new territory by enlisting Chino Pacas. Still, neither Canadian accomplishes much more in embracing flamenco flavor than already visited during his Bad Bunny collaboration, “Mía.”
Certainly, some of the swings at stepping out of the R&B bread and butter don’t pay off, but that makes noting the ones that do worth noting. “Die Trying” accomplishes this by entirely “going pop,” a concept Drake has floated plenty in the past but may not be executed so full-throated as on this song. Carrying jingling guitar lines a la Post Malone’s “Circles,” there’s hardly a whisper of hip-hop influence, predominantly driven home with an appearance by frequent collaborator Yebba towards the end. Rap purists may use it as ammo in poking holes in the proverbial GOAT case, but zeroing in on this glossy, down-the-line pop ballad is worth giving flowers for, particularly on a first genuine attempt.
Some Sexy Songs 4 U Places Focus Back On The Two Canadians For Its Close
Some Sexy Songs 4 U finds itself back in that bedroom-focused atmosphere from “Somebody Loves Me” until the close, and though there are a few highlights, the actual standout material in this lane comes towards the start. If anything, “Glorious” is notable for the guerilla Ice Spice feature, not only flipping the Bronx MC’s dialogue from a Zane Lowe interview but also borrowing some of her ad-libs and her signature Bronx drill sound. In that application, Drake heavily uses his “War” style rapid-fire flow, which is likely the most pointed performance here, in aiming at the other man in a partner’s life.
The blessing and the curse of Some Sexy Songs 4 U is how long-anticipated it was, not necessarily for uniting the two OVO headliners for an LP, but for getting an earnest R&B album out of Drake. When tackled head-on, this collab delivers on that front, but the moments where things return to the typical grab-bag nature of recent Drake albums sadly make a bit run-of-the-mill.
Catch Some Sexy Songs 4 U and PARTYNEXTDOOR’s and Drake’s discographies wherever you stream your music.
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