Drake, Thank Me Later
Universal Motown
“How I did end up here with you?†asks Drake on “Show Me a Good Time.†Thank Me Later answers the question, weaving between a melodic croon delivered over muted balladry and lyrical allusions to nascent superstardom. “I avoided the Coke game and went with Sprite instead,†he raps on “The Resistance,†acknowledging his marketability and clean-cut image. Predictably, famous well wishers like Jay-Z and Alicia Keys appear. But this is Drake’s hour, and his introspective musings, deployed on standouts “Fireworks,†makes this an engaging and occasionally spectacular debut.