Drake - Thank Me Later (UMG)

There's a scene in Tremé where a violinist named Annie walks in to audition for a major gig. Annie is as talented as they come. Now faced with a rare opportunity to elevate her career, she can't seem to find the right tune. She fumbles. The other musicians suspect there's trouble in Annie's heart and tell her to take some time off and come back when her mind is clear.

Drake clearly had trouble in his heart when he recorded his major debut, Thank Me Later. From being robbed at gun point to losing the only girl he really wanted, the 23-year old rapper has seen his fair share of adversity. His ability to wring songs out of such painful encounters is commendable.

While rappers typically reserve the "fame sucks" whining for their second album, Drake couldn't wait to get it out of his system. Every other line on Thank Me Later is about the perils of success and how he'd rather turn the clock back to his college days. His aversion to the spotlight is only rivaled by his infatuation with it. "The Resistance" sums up his insecurity: "It's like I'm high right now/The guy right now/And you can tell by looking in my eyes right now/That nothing really comes as a surprise right now/'cause we just having the time of our lives right now." Those are the words of a man who's fully aware of the industry's revolving door nature.

Drake is the Taylor Swift of hip-hop. His lyrics are steeped in riveting tales of personal woes. He also understands that the best music is fueled by emotion not subdued by it. Surely, Drake balances the tear-in-your-beer sensitivity of "Karaoke" with the after-hours rowdiness of "Up All Night." One moment he's trading mean 16s with Jay-Z, the next he's belting out melodic notes alongside The-Dream. And when his prepubescent voice threatens to lapse into a wimpy zone, he toughens up, as on "Light Up."

Atmospheric piano loops accompany Drake's blend of singing and rapping in all its incertitude and despond. Kanye, who endured severe obloquy for directing the much maligned "Best I Ever Had" video, offers one hell of an apology in the form of "Show Me A Good Time." It's a gift wrapped in a bow of strings and mellifluous loops. Elsewhere, Swizz Beatz concocts a snake charmer on "Fancy," while Mary J. Blige supplies background vocals. No matter where you land, Thank Me Later is unmovable in its inclination toward woozy R&B-friendly soundscapes.

For all his playboy posturing, Drake is a conflicted man with some complex thought patterns. When he makes it rain on "Miss Me," for instance, he's not oblivious to the fact that a certain stripper lusts after his wealth "because to her I'm just a rapper and she'll have met another." His ability to nuance social situations through music is a fresh quality in a genre often charged with being a one-note instrument.

Thank Me Later is a strange album in the sense that it doesn't have any notably weak songs, just weak moments. Sadly, those moments are heavy enough to bog down entire songs. Lil Wayne's lazy guest turn on "Miss Me" and Drake's cringe-worthy hook on "Over" are just a few examples. No, it's not as brilliant as So Far Gone. But as far as debut albums go, it showcases a spectacularly gifted songwriter showing less than he's capable of, heartache and all.

Top Tracks

• "Show Me A Good Time"
• "The Resistance"
• "Thank Me Now"

Release Date: June 15, 2010