You have to be in a certain mood — pensive, relaxed, open — to like Drake’s latest album, “Take Care.” You have to be a Drizzy fanboy to find it compelling for its 80-plus-minute length. A slow album, “Take Care” drags in many places. It’s suited to the late night chill-out, not the club.

 

Drake seems to have matured from “Thank Me Later,” but maybe that’s just because Take Care is less radio-friendly, more moody and introspective. Or, at least, “Take Care” seems introspective, with Drake bemoaning his fame and money. On “Marvin’s Room,” addressing his ex, he raps, “I’ve had sex four times this week, I’ll explain / Having’ a hard time adjusting to fame.” Poor Drake.

 

Yet, somehow he still seems disingenuous. How much of it is an act? How much is ironic? In the end, we don’t know, and that’s one of the biggest faults of “Take Care” — it doesn’t reveal much about the real Drake. Half the time he’s blowing 50K on a vacation and is “a descendant of either Marley or Hendrix,” at least so he claims on “Lord Knows.” (Really, Drake?) Half the time he’s drowning his sorrows in alcohol and self-pity.

 

As Drake’s struggle to reconcile his overblown ego with the consequences of fame and wealth indicates, he “borrows” a lot from “My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy,” Kanye West’s 2010 tour de force. Both albums feature copious guest appearances from big names, including Rick Ross and Nicki Minaj. Both albums are shaped by their production: expansive, melancholic. Drake’s “Lord Knows” consists of rapping overlaid on striking, creepy, female vocals – much like ‘Ye’s “Power.” “I think I killed everybody in the game last year,” Drake sings. But “Take Care” probably wouldn’t have happened without “MBDTF.”

 

Of course, most music is derivative, and just because Drake isn’t especially original doesn’t mean he can’t be good. While not the greatest rapper, he spits some clever rhymes, referencing Lesley Gore’s 1963 “It’s My Party” with “It’s my birthday / I’ll get high if I want to.” There’s also the “shout out to Asian girls / Let the lights dim sum.” The track “Under Ground Kings” shines due to a haunting intro and melody. “We’ll Be Fine,” “Lord Knows” and “Look What You’ve Done” are also standouts. “Headlines” might be the best song on this album (although Drake himself doesn’t think so.)

 

“Take Care” is musically and thematically cohesive, despite mixing the talents of 12 producers. That’s both a strength and a weakness: the consistent sound makes “Take Care” an album, rather than just a collection of songs — on the other hand, it can get boring. The best tracks are those on which Noah “40” Shebib, the main producer of the album, either does not produce or shares production duties with someone else. All the ‘t-minus’ tracks are good.

 

In the end, “Take Care” is an enjoyable listen if you’re not expecting club hits. It’s a good album, and better than “Thank Me Later,” but not a masterpiece.