As usual the hype and anticipation surrounding the release of Drake‘s 3rd studio album(Nothing was the same)  is everywhere, but with minimal pre-release leakage and only 3 tracks having received radio play so far, what’s the verdict? When you first listen to it you may be forgiven for thinking the title is all wrong. We still have the honest accounts that sound as if they are straight from days on tour, we still have unconventional love songs with that unmistakable rawness. And where would we be without that love it or hate it voice (btw if you haven’t got past that yet, catch up, there is substance beyond). That said, there is something inherently different about this Drake selection. He’s perfected his own very personal craft and here we have a glowing example of a modern day Hip Hop/RnB album. There is no need for the track skip button to lose the fillers, there are no fillers. Just 70 thought provoking, candid, unapologetic, harsh, beautiful minutes inside the mind of an artist.

The production is as one would expect from someone with access to the best in the business. Subtle chords, fantastically weighted beats, understated sample use (listen out for Whitney and surprise choice Ellie Goulding), and a couple sweet sounding features by Jhene Aiko and Sampha mean there is something for everybody here. Its hard to pick highlights here as depending on your mood its all up there, but if like me you are more about the hard hitting rather than the mello then its got to be ‘Worst Behaviour’.

This is definitely one of the must have albums of 2013 [rating:5.0] And if the last tour is anything to go by, make sure you get your tickets for Drake’s live show early!

Haven’t heard or got Drake’s 2nd album – Take Care? Here is a link to my review of from 2011