Although the accompanying book, Titles Ruin Everything, is full of uninspired one-liners reminiscent of captions on your Instagram Explore page in 2018, the announcement of Drake’s newest album was the perfect start to his tour with 21 Savage. While in Seattle, Drake assured fans, “If you’ve ever loved anything I’ve ever done in the past, I promise you, this album will be for you.” For All The Dogs was an ambitious undertaking from the start, since both Certified Lover Boy (2021) and Honestly, Nevermind (2022) fell flat with his fanbase and critics upon their releases.

The popstar “New Drake” set out to give the fans what they want: the “Old Drake,” formerly known as Aubrey Graham. Whether or not he met the mark, however, is up to the court of public opinion, and, as is my civic duty, my vote as a juror is in …

Virginia Beach 

A perfect intro to the album, Virginia Beach begins with a heartfelt sample of Frank Ocean’s Wiseman, which the track’s producers 40 and Hayley Arsenault pitch up, reverse, and chop Ocean’s vocals to create a beautiful soundscape. The line “I bet your mother would be proud of you/I bet our mother would be proud of you” sets the tone for an album that is a tribute to Drake’s past while maintaining elements of his present, signifying how far he’s come. As Drake’s relationships hit rough patches, lyrics like “I wanna get back to the days that you loved me for nothin’ but what you could see” show that things are deteriorating. His fame has changed how those closest to him perceive him, leaving Drake longing for the past.

First Person Shooter (featuring J. Cole)

Dreamville meets OVO yet again on their first collaboration since 2013, a long-awaited reunion for two artists with a great friendship, overlapping fanbases, and similar career trajectories. The undeniably fire First Person Shooter is split into two halves, with the first being J. Cole heavy –  he finds no difficulty taking over, answering Drake’s question “Who the G.O.A.T?” and sliding over the production with ease. Following up on Cole’s verse might have made Drake sweat a bit in the studio, but the beat switch and buildup to his verse establish his prowess and show that Drake can hold his own.

All The Parties (featuring Chief Keef)

The Chief Keef-assisted track was a standout on an album that had begun to drag on, due to its runtime like that of a feature film, and the track I was most excited to listen to as the first-ever collaboration between two of the most iconic rappers of the 2010s. Although I wish Chief Keef had a full verse, relegated to a chorus Drake piggybacked off of after a beat switch, it was worth it to hear Drake interpolate Love Sosa and the Pet Shop Boys’ synth-pop classic West End Girls despite controversy over credits (or lack thereof) to the London duo.

Rich Baby Daddy (featuring Sexyy Red & SZA)

Featuring Sexyy Red, the viral Skee-Yee-er who opened several shows on his tour, and SZA, who is coming off of the success of SOS and Slime You Out, it’s hard to figure out what Drake was trying to do with this song, even after listening. The track opens with a weirdly emotional sample by a mysterious “Jessica Domingo,” pump-faking the listener while the Sexyy Red supplied chorus begins to build up. SZA’s verse and the track’s production are highlights on a track that seems disjointed, especially since the second half features Drake interpolating Florence + The Machine’s Dog Days Are Over in a way that reminds me of AI-generated covers on TikTok.

Away From Home

The most underrated song on the album, Away From Home takes a deep dive into Drake’s career, going into detail about the challenges he faced on the come up that a lot of people seem to have forgotten. At the same time, he reflects on all the wealth he has and thinks back to a time “when it used to mean much more,” constantly working to make it big for himself and the people around him. Some of those relationships deteriorated as his hard work paid off, but with the penultimate track, Drake pays his respects to his most loyal friends who have stuck around until the end. 

If there’s one thing to take away from For All The Dogs, it’s that maybe the old Drake we want is not the Drake we need, and that it’s maybe not the Drake the 37-year-old Canadian can give us anymore. As with many of Drake’s albums, initial reception has been mixed, with music publications giving it a solid C overall. A loud faction of fans on social media and in the Tatler poll were disappointed on early listens, calling it a “letdown” and “terrible.”

But, if anything, I think Drake’s new album is a grower, and with a few more listens, it might be one of the best albums released this year.