From Toronto to Cheesecake Factory, a track-by-track look at VIEWS
Drake’s long-awaited fourth studio album has been teased out for about two years. The wait is finally over as Views from the 6 dropped last night on Apple music. Simultaneously Beats Radio 1 played a special OVO Radio mix featuring a Drizzy interview with Zane Lowe. The hype is big, and overall I say Drake has delivered on this album. My track-by-track reactions:
Keep the Family Close
I’ve never heard Drake sing with so much power, conviction and emotion. This intro track has Drake singing about betrayal. The production makes me think of a James Bond track with more soul and style. My favorite Drakism is: “All of my ‘Let’s Just Be Friends’ are friends I don’t have anymore.”
❤
9
Looove the beat which is pulled from a song by dancehall major player Mavado. Fave line comes from the chorus: “Turned a six upside down, that’s a 9 now,” he’s speaking about his mark on his city Toronto.
❤ ❤ ❤
U With Me?
This Kanye-produced track plays out with a series of little life lessons and iMessage convos. Drake is all about no compromises with the DMX-pulled chorus, “Is you with me or what?” He sounds fed up with all the games he’s playing with a significant other, then in classic Drake form, he changes up the track and ends with a charged-up high note.
❤ ❤
Feel No Ways
Drake croons on a garage vibe beat. It sounds like a beat off of Blood Orange’s Cupid Deluxe or something that could’ve been on The Life of Pablo, but let’s be real, Kanye wishes he could sing like Drake. Favorite line: “There’s more to life than sleeping in and getting high with you.”
❤ ❤ ❤ ❤
Hype
An updated thrill beat that reminds me of a messed up “Grillz,” with a chorus that switches up slow and pensively in classic Drake style. The track is kind of trying too hard to be hard, but I love the sentiment of just being over it all. Favorite line: “Don’t you see Riri right next to me?”
❤
Weston Road Flows
Very reminiscent of Drake’s last studio album Nothing Was The Same. Favorite line: “I’m the happiest when I can buy what I want, get high when I want.”
❤ ❤
Redemption
The seamless transition from “Weston Road Flows” to this track sets the vibe right back to classic moody Drake. The killer intro verse describes Drake trying to find the answers to his relationship drama. Favorite line: “I gave your nickname to someone else.” Poor Drake, I love how he ends the track with a solemn, “I know.”
❤ ❤ ❤
With You
PARTYNEXTDOOR starts off this track by changing up the vibe to something more tropical and danceable. The best part comes in the harmonies between PARTYNEXTDOOR, Drake and an uncredited Jeremih.
❤ ❤
Faithful
This cut starts with a Kourtney Kardashian type talking about her love for the finer things. “I’m high maintenance a little bit but not in a negative way. I just like extremely expensive things.” This song is a total anthem about the party girl who works for her fun and doesn’t waste her time with players. The freshest DVSN drop comes toward the end of the track, and nineties sensuality exudes in the refrain. My favorite part is the way DVSN sings “over and over again” in the chorus — it’s so serene and just plain beautiful. That electric guitar exit with the DVSN’s falsetto is dreamy.
❤ ❤ ❤ ❤
Still Here
The song comes in with a pause and space shift to transition you into a new zone. The braggadocio Drake track is about how other rappers are confused in “the game,” but he’s winning and doing it for himself, his boys and his city. Great noisy drop to break up the vibes at the end. It’s a classic Drake rap cut with a trappy repetitive beat.
❤ ❤ ❤
Controlla
This track makes me think about good vibes, dancing at sunset against warm winds. Favorite line “Jodeci cry for you.” I can imagine some good covers of this track.
❤
One Dance
Definitely the centerpiece of all these islandy tracks, “One Dance” speeds up the beat and throws in the subtle dancehall vibes to make a total banger. It makes sense why this is the lead single. The deep house sample comes from Kayla “Do You Mind” a late 2000s cut from the UK. My favorite lines: “Soon as you see the text, reply me” and “I needa one dance.”
❤ ❤ ❤ ❤
Grammy
Least fave but will probably grow on me like every Future cut does. The way Future says trophies is everything. “Trophies!”
No hearts.
Child’s Play
Drake comes back in with a song about love games over a speedy and rhythmic intro that turns into a smooth and danceable ending. Favorite line: “Why you gotta fight with me at Cheesecake?” LOL, Drizzy you got me.
❤ ❤
Pop Style
Drake made a big move and dropped the Kanye and Jay Z verse on the OG version of the song. Favorite line: “Turn my birthday into a lifestyle.” So good Drizzy.
❤
Too Good
Rihanna drops by, bringing back the island vibes on this total banger about a faltering relationship. The way Riri and Drake sing “Last night I think I lost my patience” is so cute and convincing. They’re totally singing about each other. I DIE.
❤ ❤ ❤ ❤
Summers Over Interlude
Drake ends the island beats with Majid Al Maskati taking the stage to say bye bye.
❤
Fire & Desire
Then Drake comes in all Indian summer with a steamy production about complex love and his friend Nicki Minaj. “Look, you know I’m a writer, nothin’ left to hide / Your other nigga tired.” Drake sings about his beef with Nicki’s BF Meek Mill. The sample of Brandy’s “I Dedicate Pt. 1” adds so much to this complex love story.
❤ ❤
Views
The album ends with a track that sounds something like the closer on Nothing was the Same, “Pound Cake,” with a pitched up soulful throwback sample. But, this track doesn’t throw down like the Jay Z-featured track and leaves me feeling underwhelmed after such a great set of songs.
No hearts for this track. Sorry Drizzy.
The album ends with bonus track “Hotline Bling,” bringing it back to the lolzy lovey Drake that everyone fell for last fall. You can hear how Drake moves through the seasons of Toronto through this album.
