slim7117's Full Review: Graduation [PA] by Kanye West
Kanye West. Some people absolutely hate him, and some people love him. Me, I used to be somewhere in between. Sure, he had great beats, and some really great songs (Never Let Me Down, Family Business, etc.), but he was also a really bad lyricist, and had some extremely wack songs (New Workout Plan, Breathe In Breathe Out, etc.). On GRADUATION Kanye improves his lyricism to a certain extent, and although its still not great, it is noticeably improved. A lot less instances where he rhymes the same word twice, and an improved flow, make for a better listen than previous efforts. Kanye does change up the feel of his beats on this album, but they are still obviously his. But the main thing that makes this album greater than past efforts is the fact that there is a HELL of a lot less filler. THE FIRST KANYE WEST ALBUM THAT YOU WILL LISTEN TO MORE TRACKS THAN YOU SKIP.
GRADUATION begins with “Good Morning (Intro)”. Oh hell, you say, another pointless intro, and I though you said there was barely any filler on this album. Well, why this track is called an intro, I’m not really sure. But I do know that this three minute long track is one of my favorite songs on the album, and worthy of repeated listens. Now this is how you open up an album: forget the skits, I want to see more of this in the future, and not just from Kanye either.
On an album filled with good songs, my favorite would have to be “Everything I Am”, in which Kanye raps about how different he is from most of the industry over a piano driven beat.
Okay fair enough, the streets is flarin up
cause they want gun-talk, or I don’t wear enough
baggy clothes, Reebok’s, or A-di-dos,
can I add that he do spaz out at his shows
All four singles off of this album, “Stronger”, “Can’t Tell Me Nothing”, “Good Life”, and “Flashing Lights”, are great songs, but my favorite would have to be “Can’t Tell Me Nothing”. Over an eerie beat, Kanye basically just spits braggadocio. Not the most original idea in the world, but Kanye executes it to perfection. “Stronger”, the first single to be released, samples Daft Punk’s “Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger.” More brag rap, but what really stands out about the song is the production. It’s really funky, like nothing I’ve ever heard from Kanye before, and when I first heard it, it was like a breath of fresh air on an otherwise stale Top 40 station. The album closer, “Big Brother” has one of the more interesting concepts on the album. It is about Kanye’s relationship with Jay Z, and all of the things they have been through together. “Homecoming” features Chris Martin from the band COLDPLAY on the hook. Kanye raps about his hometown Chicago over a nice piano driven beat.
With so many great songs on this album, I find it easy to just hit the skip button when “Barry Bonds” starts. Easily the worst song on the album, it contains a beat that just grates on the ears, and a terrible guest appearance by none other than Weezy. It seems like a lot of people dislike “Drunk And Hot Girls” but I found its clubbish beat to be rather appealing, and although it may not be up to par with the rest of the album, I don’t think that it is terrible. The only other song on the album that could have been better, is “I Wonder”. The production is actually very good, but Kanye deliberate, slow flow really gets on my nerves.
Track Listing:
1. Good Morning (Intro) (5 Stars)
2. Champion (4 Stars)
3. Stronger (5 Stars)
4. I Wonder (3.5 Stars)
5. Good Life (5 Stars)
6. Can’t Tell Me Nothing (5 Stars)
7. Barry Bonds (2 Stars)
8. Drunk And Hot Girls (3.5 Stars)
9. Flashing Lights (4 Stars)
10. Everything I Am (5 stars)
11. The Glory (4 Stars)
12. Homecoming (5 Stars)
13. Big Brother (4 Stars)
Easily Kanye’s best album, GRADUATION is a really good buy. Sure, I don’t agree with people who say he is the future of Hip Hop, but he is a decent emcee, capable of making some very good music. I’m giving GRADUATION 4.5 STARS, rounded down to 4 STARS.
Given the remarkable critical and commercial success of 2005 s Late Registration, Kanye West s rich, rewarding Graduation. Ever savvy, West flouts tho...More at Buy.com
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