cyrone's Full Review: 808s & Heartbreak by Kanye West
Vocal/Experimental
It's been getting increasingly difficult to tell what Kanye West has planned for us behind the scenes. Not only has he changed his style with each album, but his ambition has been escalating from being one of the greatest producers to yearning to be one of the greatest black artists in history. His cinematic Glow in the Dark tour was a product of this ambition, in spite of universal condemnation of his “ego”. And as if he hasn't suffered enough from his grandmother dying from AIDS, since the release of Graduation, his mother passed away and his relationship with Alexis Phifer strained, providing for the more personal context of new studio material. Combine his fearless, larger-than-life experimentation with the sullen subject matter of his personal life, and you get 808's and Heartbreak – the evolution of his production and possibly the future of of hip hop.
It was obvious from his Glow in the Dark Tour and other concerts over the summer that Kanye wasn't about to let go of the synth-drenched themes of Graduation. When I witnessed him performing all of “Dear Mama” in a chipmunk voice, it was obvious he was getting carried away with it. Some rap heads yearn for their favorite artists to return to their “roots” after they drift off-course (Wu-Tang, Ice Cube) and while Kanye probably has exhibited, in his career, more experimentation and progress than most said rappers, he never necessarily evokes a yearning for his 2001-2004 style. Personally, that hasn't changed upon listening to 808's. I truly enjoy how the man has evolved musically, how he never looks back, and always seems to have the right idea of what sounds good. The landscapes witnessed on here are like none present in any other album, ever. Some rap artists have hinted at it, such as Cage and DJ Shadow – but never has it had the opportunity to be fleshed out as it has here. Everyone is bound to have a different “favorite” song from this CD; based on my experiences so far I've met people that love songs that I dislike, and others not understanding why I fall in love with stuff like “Welcome to Heartbreak,” which just goes to show the different personalities the album appeals to. The complaints concerning the excessive use of Auto-Tune (the technology behind the robotic voice) are a difficult one to address. I'm happy to assure that while the whole album utilizing Auto-Tune, Kanye makes just enough tweaks between songs to keep it fresh – some songs feature a more gritty voice while other vocals are extra bubbly, as if sung from underwater. As long as you have an open mind and a decent amount of experience with electronica, you'll enjoy how it compliments the airy background music. Best part is that it never seems forced, so it's good to see Kanye still making music for the sake of making music (or for himself) instead of out of obligation.
From the getgo I'm going to have to break the news that this album is easily the weakest album Kanye has put out. 808's downfalls are a simply a lack of substance and melody. The guy seems to think that just by using Auto-Tune, he is excused from constructing verses that are consistently engaging and melodic. Upon first listens I didn't mind but at some point the laziness begins to seep through – he has traded effort for experimentation. It hurts most in the last 7 or so songs, as the radio-friendly joints fizzle out and get replaced by tracks that were made by a hopelessly disoriented rapper. The dullness most visibly shows in the lyrics, because considering all the “trauma” 808's was built upon, there isn't a lick of clever writing to be found. Particularly sad considering each song was written by a team of several writers who themselves had to get up and pull some inspiration out of Kanye, resulting in lines sounding like they were scribbled by a 12 year old. Honestly with most rappers it wouldn't be a problem, but when you deliberately try to put out a “mature” album as 808's is obviously intended to be, it kind of offsets the whole idea. Ultimately, I understand that it's something he had to get out of his system to proceed with his true career as a rapper, so whether it can be excused or not rests on the listener's expectations.
Tracklist:
Say You Will [3/5] Welcome to Heartbreak [5] Heartless [5] * Amazing [4] Love Lockdown [4] * Paranoid [2] Robocop [4] * Street Lights [2] Bad News [1] See You in My Nightmares [3] Coldest Winter [3] Pinocchio Story (live) [1]
Say You Will [3] Welcome to Heartbreak [5] Heartless [5] * If you're big on the electronica scene like me, you will fall in love with 808's immediately. In these songs, Kanye has a way of making productions dense yet sparse at the same time, fit for surround-sound speakers or $300 headphones. Coming into this expecting something like Junior Boys or Bjork (don't ask me why) will leave you satisfied. Unfortunately, “Say You Will” overstays its welcome at over 6 minutes – making repeated listens in the future difficult to imagine. “Welcome to Heartbreak” and “Heartless” are in my opinion the highlights of the album, and represent what the album's end goal should have been. The latter's production draws heavily from GZA's “Liquid Swords” and Ye's take on it immediately gets your head bopping. His vocals keep up with surprising focus and purpose, it's easily one of the most inspired tunes he's ever made. There is a lot of variety within these last 2 songs as he glides from verse to hook to bridge with surprising fluency, but don't allow them to set your bar too high for 808's.
Amazing [4] Love Lockdown [4] * Paranoid [2] This is where the swagger kicks in. “Amazing” is the only track that would appeal to commercial listeners, with infectious drums and expertly crafted vocals. The juxtaposition of his submerged, almost struggling vocals with the prominent beat and Young Jeezy's gruff rapping is what really makes the track shine with confidence. Next up is the legendary single that made everyone go “WTF” back in September. It actually has some dance appeal, and I appreciate the African influence in the tribal drums that kick in halfway in. Striking a balance between somber subject matter and its upbeat execution, the song describes how Kanye has to avoid or leave a girl from complicated circumstances. I wouldn't set it as a 5-star song because I feel it's uninspired, the piano is annoying and overall it tries too hard to be flashy without actual substance. “Paranoid” strives to achieve a cheap 80's vibe, and ranks in the same vein as last summer's “Good Life”. Depending on how you approach it, it can be a fun bouncy joint or a corny pop song aimed at 12 year olds – I, obviously will only give credit when its due :) But at least it shows Kanye is still in touch with his goofy side.
Robocop [4] * “Robocop” is the last true highlight of 808's, sporting hard-hitting industrial beats alongside a sample from Patrick Doyle that ends up sounding like an uplifting Disney orchestra, fitting for a movie soundtrack. I wouldn't be surprised if I hear this song played during next years' 4th of July fireworks show, it really puts a smile on your face. The only thing really holding it back are the atrocious lyrics – honestly they don't get as bad as this. He must have been massively doped up when he wrote:
Fast or slow You could stay you could go Now that you know Yeah I had her before But that happened before You get mad when you know Soldiers don't ask me no more
and thought “hey, this is intelligible.”
Street Lights [2] Bad News [1] “Street Lights” and “Bad News” constitute as some of the most blatant filler I've seen Kanye try to get away with (with his standards, anyway). The former is very relaxing and has good vibes, but on the flipside, a mere shadow of more inspired works. He throws in angelic female vocals and piano just for the sake of having these elements. “Bad News” is a song that sounds like it was dug out of his recycle bin after he got writer's block – and easily the worst beat he's let slip on an album. I still give the songs points for authenticity, and it doesn't kill to listen to them so I wouldn't say they're skippable.
See You in My Nightmares [3] Coldest Winter [3] If “Stronger” was the song playing nonstop at clubs, “See You I My Nightmares” is what should kick in during the after-party when everybody is ready to go home. He piled on an extra helping of synth to supplement what is possibly his most direct song dedicated to his ex-fiance on the entire album (despite Lil Wayne's appearance). If you're expecting a collaboration on the same level as “Lollipop Remix”, you've got the wrong idea. Both emcees get nearly violent on here, releasing a chunk of bottled-up tensions from past relationships as they reclaim dominance over their emotions. Kanye ends the album in the same way as past efforts with a personal story, this time dedicated to his mother, though honestly it's hard to make a distinction at first listen. It is a closer of epic proportions, returning to the ambient yet powerful tribal drums of the first few songs, making him feel stranded. It's strange how it's almost like he's being taken over by his own production, though maybe I'm looking too deep into it..
Pinocchio Story (live) [1] I've never actually heard someone “sing” a freestyle, but if this is what they all sound like, I hope I am spared from the audience. After huddling around Youtube videos of Kanye facing off with emcees like Mos Def, which featured a then-quite competent rapper and freestyler, it makes me wonder why he thinks this concert is so special that it had to be on his new album. Admittedly it's a heartfelt moment, with nothing backing him but a few simple piano strokes, but the fact that the fans are bawling over a guy who manages to say absolutely nothing makes this more of an embarrassment than anything else.
Growth Factor: [3]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Kanye West Discography:
College Dropout (5 Stars) Late Registration (5 Stars) Graduation (4 Stars) 808's And Heartbreaks (3 Stars)
Music. Remember when {$Kanye West} threatened to make an album where he would bear his heartbroken soul, align with {$T-Pain}, sing on every song with...More at DeepDiscount.com
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