User ratings in Music are temporarily disabled. More info
  • Record Label:
  • Release Date:
Psychodrama Image
Metascore
90

Universal acclaim - based on 10 Critic Reviews What's this?

User Score
8.1

Universal acclaim- based on 205 Ratings

  • Summary: The debut full-length studio release for the British rapper features guest appearances from Burna Boy and J Hus.
Buy Now
Buy on

Top Track

Disaster
She whinin' like a nice booshie Came on a Rambo ting Everything camouflaging Lookin' like a bulletproof vest, nah, That's just a body warmer Big man... See the rest of the song lyrics
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 9 out of 10
  2. Negative: 0 out of 10
  1. Mar 11, 2019
    100
    Unvarnished and emotionally raw, it frequently makes for tough listening. Equally, as a showcase for Dave’s talents, it unquestionably works. His lyrics are smart, thoughtful, unflinching and self-aware. ... The end result is certainly the boldest album to emerge from UK hip-hop’s renaissance. It may also be the best.
  2. 100
    In exploring himself on Psychodrama, Dave has produced a masterpiece. This 20-year-old has lost in some ways and won in others, and asks us to listen as he tries to find some answers. The lessons you learn with Dave are sure to live long in the memory.
  3. 100
    One of the most thoughtful, moving and necessary albums of 2019 so far. ... Tracks are at once astute and deeply personal in how they capture vignettes of everyday life and spin them into important lessons.
  4. Mar 25, 2019
    90
    It’s rare to hear a debut album so confident and accomplished, especially when the artist himself has just turned 20 years old. Yet Psychodrama is pretty close to a masterpiece and raises the bar for a new standard in British rap.
  5. Q Magazine
    Apr 9, 2019
    80
    Psychodrama is a bold statement from a rapper unafraid to ask tough questions of himself--and the often unforgiving world around him. [Jun 2019, p.108]
  6. Mar 15, 2019
    80
    A different kind of hero’s journey through the musical mind, Psychodrama feels less like a platform for clout than a starting point for self-help and paradigmatic change.
  7. The Wire
    May 7, 2019
    60
    Musically it’s mannered to the point where he makes Stormzy look like Tempa T. Token exceptions offer some respite. On “Location” with Burna Boy and “Disaster” with J Hus he briefly escapes the bland backing and naff counselling concept to explore more primal modes of expression. But ultimately the failures predominate, most notably ten minutes of the heavy handed domestic violence PSA “Lesley”. [May 2019, p.50]

See all 10 Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 27 out of 39
  2. Negative: 3 out of 39
  1. Mar 12, 2019
    10
    This best rap concept album since good kid maad city - Kendrick Lamar
    10/10
  2. Oct 23, 2019
    10
    deep and intriguing, Dave's debut album gives the UK a new and fresh beacon of hope for their rap scene
  3. Mar 20, 2019
    10
    Psychodrama is an absolute must-listen record of the 2010s decade as it deals with Dave's struggles with mental health, strainedPsychodrama is an absolute must-listen record of the 2010s decade as it deals with Dave's struggles with mental health, strained relationships, domestic abuse, racism, and social inequality. You cannot find such realistic and hard-hitting themes like this in a typical rap album that talks about sex, partying, drugs, money, and gangster life. This is conscious hip-hop at its utter finest. Expand
  4. Nov 18, 2021
    9
    I'm not super into rap, but this floored me. Black and Lesley are incredible.
  5. Aug 10, 2019
    9
    Big heat. Not a 10 because the songs that were meant to be radio hits I found less catchy and enjoyable than the rest of album which I don’tBig heat. Not a 10 because the songs that were meant to be radio hits I found less catchy and enjoyable than the rest of album which I don’t normally get from Dave. A No Words or two would’ve made it a 10. Expand
  6. Mar 19, 2019
    6
    Psychodrama is a very introspective and personal album by Dave in which he talks about a lot of issues regarding his own mental health, hisPsychodrama is a very introspective and personal album by Dave in which he talks about a lot of issues regarding his own mental health, his relationships, his family, his race, abuse relationship poverty and the general state of things in South London.
    His wordplay and lyrics are pretty good and mostly creative. One thing that could be a problem for some people are UK slangs that they might not understand. The beats and atmosphere are pretty chill and pretty basic, you might like that or not so much. One thing that bothers me with this album is Daves' delivery and flow. There is no real variation in how the approaches songs, so if you hear one song, most of the time you heard all the other songs just with different lyrics and another beat. The delivery also hurts the lyrics and general message he is trying to tell because it just feel like it's all on the surface and not really deep.
    All in all, Psychodrama is an alright album but nothing that revolutionary, highlight for me would include the opening track "Psycho" which is maybe the best song on the album, also tracks "Lesley" and "Screwface Capital" but without the unnecessary instrumental at the end.
    Expand
  7. Apr 3, 2019
    0
    Sorry, but this album isn't really good this album should have at least a 60 to 69 score. This album is very boring in someway, too muchSorry, but this album isn't really good this album should have at least a 60 to 69 score. This album is very boring in someway, too much sadness in it, beats selections aren't really good, out of all the rap albums I've heard in my life I can truly say with confidence is that they are all better than this album. TPAB is better, GKMC is better, DAMN. is better Section.80 is better, MBDTF is better, 4:44 is better, KOD is better, 2014 forest hills drive is better, The Cool is better, Saba's care for me is better. Man I can go on and on. It's pathetic that this album actually has a 90 some rating score like come on this album is EXTREMELY OVERRATED and doesn't deserve to be in the 90's rating score and that's facts. If this album stays a 97 or go down to a 96 then I can't take metacritc serious anymore end of story Expand

See all 39 User Reviews

Related Articles

  1. The Freshman 15: 2019's Best Debut Albums

    The Freshman 15: 2019's Best Debut Albums Image
    Published: December 10, 2019
    Which music newcomers impressed critics this year? Find out as we rank the top 15 debut albums of 2019.
  2. The 20 Best Albums of 2019 So Far

    The 20 Best Albums of 2019 So Far Image
    Published: July 4, 2019
    These were the best-reviewed new albums released during the first half of 2019.
  3. Best of March 2019: Top Albums, Games, Movies & TV

    Best of March 2019: Top Albums, Games, Movies & TV Image
    Published: March 30, 2019
    Did you miss anything? These were the best-reviewed games, movies, TV shows, and albums released during the month of March.