PARTYNEXTDOOR
PARTYNEXTDOOR TWO

Release Date: 2014 | Tracklist

Canadian R&B singer, Jahron Anthony Brathwaite must be feeling pretty good right now. It would be difficult to suppress the elation of having none other than Drake, one of the most acclaimed commercial artists of our generation, promoting you on his very own record label OVO Sound. With a void left by The Weeknd’s unexpected departure from OVO, Drake has recruited Jahron aka PARTYNEXTDOOR as his new source for moody and downtrodden R&B. After releasing his debut EP last year to a modest amount of praise, PARTYNEXTDOOR has dropped his first album Two.

The only problem is PARTYNEXTDOOR doesn’t even come close to the standard set by The Weeknd on his infamous 2011mixtape trilogy or his now legendary collaborative features with Drake. PND wears his influences on his sleeve and as such it is hard not to feel like this guy is just a watered down version of those influences. And when I say “watered down,” I mean it in a literal sense as his vocals often times literally sound like he’s under water. His reverb drenched croons do everything they can to mask just how unremarkable the sound of his voice really is. He never seems to have anything of substance to say in his music other than vague proclamations of “Girl you so sexy” or “You got niggas and I got bitches,” or “I wanna f*** you girl, I’m tryna f*** with you.” Yes, The Weeknd ran with these same kinds of themes, but at least on his initial releases he delivered them in vastly more interesting ways because they gave you a sense of his character. He held us privy to his darkest projections and in turn gave us a glimpse of the persona behind his music. PND gives us no concrete personality trait other than that of any other trend-based rap star of the last few years.

From a songwriting standpoint, these tracks offer nothing noteworthy even for those looking for some decent party tracks. PND really missed the mark in providing songs that partygoers might actually want to listen to at their outings. Even when used as a breather between bangers, these songs are just too dull to be engaging to even the most avid of listeners. The spacey/atmospheric synths which might work for a more compelling lyricist just seem dull and sleep inducing on this particular project. PARTYNEXTDOOR offers a style of R&B that is in vogue right now. The only problem is that he never does anything worthwhile to elevate it to the threshold of quality we’ve already heard from his peers. If Brathwaite’s goal was to provide a record for rotation at festive college gatherings then he has failed on every conceivable level to make that record an engaging listen.

As you might expect though, OVO provides PND some state of the art production and a guest feature by Drake on “Recognize” which helps broaden the appeal of this album. If you’re looking for some great airy, spaced out beats then you’ll find some of the best sounding ones of 2014 right here. Drake’s verse on Recognize is subpar, especially considering his recent output for rappers like YG (who aren’t even on the man’s label!). Still, Drake has a presence that manages to outshine PND even when he’s lethargically lamenting that he sent his girl that sex tape they made.

If this brand of atmospheric R&B aesthetic is your thing, I’d recommend revisiting ChannelORANGE or House of Balloons or even checking out PND’s self-titled EP from last year. While by no means was it innovative, at least it sounded like Brathwaite was at least making an effort. I guess being on Drake’s label means he’s made it so why bother trying to make quality stuff anymore, right? Here, the party operates in slow motion. Its only occupants seem to be so deep into their high that they’re glued to their seats.

Recommended Tracks: "FWU," "Recognize" (I guess)

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2.6 average

Rank: #0 for 2014