Review: ‘More Life’ proves Drake hasn’t lost his edge … yet

The Daily Mississippian “More Life” album cover courtesy: Amazon.com
For once, I am able to write a review for an artist who needs no introduction. After dropping one of the most anticipated projects of all time last year, Drake is back with what he considers to be a “playlist” of new music he cleverly titled “More Life.”
Drake is not fooling anybody here – it is clear that all of these tracks are mere leftovers from studio sessions for “Views,” which still feels like a fresh release.
With a whopping 22 tracks to process, it is nearly impossible to see what direction Drake is trying to go with this release, but one thing is clear: It almost feels like Drake is dropping his rap image altogether.
The track “Free Smoke” starts the project off on a really strong note. This kind of song brings me back to what I feel to be the best Drake project of all time, “If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late,” where hard-hitting, brutal production meets pull-no-punches bars.
“No Long Talk” continues in this general direction. It is by no means as impressive as the previous ensemble, but it begins to feel as if Drake may have put together another praiseworthy project.
It’s tracks like these that renew my respect for the mainstream, but such a renewal did not last long.
The next six tracks completely revert to the generic, atmospheric dance-hall style Drake has been known for lately. It is boring, unoriginal and instantly feels like something that will plague the radio for the next year to come.
Each of these tracks is practically indistinguishable from the next. That includes what others have considered to be standouts, such as “Passionfruit” and “Blem.”
The project never fully returns to the kind of energy present on “Free Smoke,” and perhaps this is what is most frustrating about ...


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