The cover of Drake’s sophomore offering displays the Young Money magnate looking despondent despite being surrounded by the material luxuries of his success. It is clear to see that the dull introspection of Drake’s debut, despite album sales in the millions and a string of high-profile hook-ups, has done nothing to improve his mood one year later.
Take Care supersedes its predecessor’s success because of its brazen willingness to delve further into the tribulations of fame and money. Like Kanye’s My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy before it, Take Care’s exploration of personal failings despite superficial achievements conveys introspection often hidden from view in the rap world.
The production of Noah “40” Shebib, Drake’s long-time collaborator, on tracks “Shot for Me” and “Doing It Wrong” is partially to thank for this character exploration, the hushed synths and minimalist backbeat serving as sonic backgrounds for Drake to sing over. The 8-minute “Marvins Room”, with its dull bass kicks punctuated by swirls of moody guitars, provides the perfect backing for Drake’s drunk-dial epic.
Elsewhere, guest spots are a-plenty, with The Weekend’s brilliant falsetto on “Crew Love”, and Andre 3000’s dazzling cameo on “The Real Her”. The lavish sampling on Just Blaze’s “Lord Knows” give way to a resonating collaboration with Rick Ross, again impressive. Ultimately though it’s when Drake goes solo on a beat that the album stands alone as a future great. “Over My Dead Body” and “Look What You’ve Done” act as confessional peepholes which Drake spills his troubles through; the latter track containing a poignant sample of a voicemail message from his grandmother.
Ultimately, Take Care is an undisputed success, its defining and over-spilling openness being a needed exception to a genre obsessed with facile come-ons, beefs and brags.
4 Stars