Albums of the Week
DRAKE
“Nothing Was the Same”
★★
We all know that Drake is an introspective soul, but there’s a moment on “From Time,” a track on his new album, where the Canadian rapper suddenly begins to whine about a girl from Hooters he once dated. Seriously, dude, you’re 26 and world-famous. Grow the hell up! In fairness, that navel-gazing he’s become famous for is something he slowly inches away from on his wonderfully produced third album, particularly with the harder-edged bravado of “The Language” and “Started From the Bottom.” But it often seems forced and leaves him sounding like a boy in men’s clothing. Although Drake clearly seeks greatness and gets close on “Nothing Was the Same,” it remains elusive. Maybe next time, he should try looking in places other than Hooters.
KINGS OF LEON
“Mechanical Bull”
★ ★ ½
Some called it a slump but, in truth, the last Kings of Leon album, “Come Around Sundown,” felt more like a coma. But the Followill clan has dusted off their denims and sound confident throughout “Mechanical Bull.” It’s something you can hear in the U2-indebted “Beautiful War”; the sneeringly fun “Don’t Matter,” which will please early fans; and the jam-band bounce of “Family Tree,” which has a chorus that was clearly designed to lead tens of thousands of festival-goers in a giant singalong. It’s a shame that after 10 years together, Kings of Leon are unwilling to try anything different — but in this form, their classic- rock template is satisfying enough.
Downloads of the Week
ELTON JOHN
“Oceans Away”
★ ★ ½
Back after seven years, Elton John’s new album, “The Diving Board,” is soaked in piano-based melancholy that might seem off-putting at first. But on tracks like “Oceans Away,” the Brit’s rich voice and Bernie Taupin’s lyrics (which almost read like mini-stories) are strong enough to draw you into the emotive darkness, no matter how much you resist.
ICONA POP
“Then We Kiss”
★
The Swedish duo’s new album, “This Is . . . Icona Pop,” is essentially a series of half-baked attempts to rewrite the ubiquitous “I Love It.” The new-wave buzz of this album closer provides a subtle change from the dance-pop domination, but it’s still utterly disposable. The status of one-hit wonders awaits them.
CHVRCHES
“Lies”
★ ★ ★
“I can feed your dirty mind,” purrs Lauren Mayberry, the lead singer of this fine Scottish synth group, on “Lies,” from their debut, “The Bones of What You Believe.” Her eerily crystalline voice is the perfect match for the band’s evocation of early Depeche Mode, and when those two elements unite, it’s wonderfully unsettling.
STING
“Dead Man’s Boots”
★ ★ ½
The ex-Police man has recently written a musical (due to premiere on Broadway next year) about his memories of the shipping industry in England. As a taster, his new album “The Last Ship” sketches out the story with an impressive vividness, especially on this folky track that captures an angry conversation between father and son. It’s an affecting drama that bodes well for Sting’s stage aspirations.
CHER
“Red”
Half a star
The fact that Cher’s new album “Closer to the Truth” is her first in more than 10 years is a significant fact because, like many other cuts from it, “Red” is steeped in a horribly outdated trance house influence. Top it off with that grating foghorn she calls a voice and you’re left with what sounds like three minutes in hell.