The new Kanye West album "808s and Heartbreak" officially dropped yesterday on Island Def Jam.
Last year's "Graduation" showcased West's ability to beef up his production styles with heavy synthesizer tones, prompting fans to anticipate more in the way of glorious tracks about good times and hope.
This is not the case for the high-profile new release. This may stem from West's confusing career pattern: one forgets he started as a producer, a big-time producer at that, prominently cutting tracks for the likes of Jay-Z.
Enamored by the prospect of fame, he went on to put out his own record, 2004's "College Dropout." While he does rap on this release, the best verbal parts of the record definitely come in the form of guest spots by Talib Kweli, Mos Def and the previously mentioned Jay-Z.
His rapper career trajectory has been at a down-slant ever since, with "Late Registration" (2005) dipping to feature some fairly unsatisfactory guest spots (Paul Wall, Adam Levine of Maroon 5, Brandy) slightly balanced out by some good ones (Nas, Lupe Fiasco).
"Graduation" saw West really blowing it verse-wise (all of "Drunk and Hot Girls," rhyming "shooting stars" with "shoes and cars" in "Flashing Lights") with the utter end coming in the form of "808s and Heartbreak" ("How could you be so/Doctor Evil").
One may ask: If Kanye's not rapping, what reason is there to listen? One must delve back to when his producer proficiency was first recognized. Every single murmur on the new record sounds perfect, save the purposefully over-driven Roland TR-808 drum sounds (which, in a good way, resemble "Closer" by Nine Inch Nails).
This record has been compared to a sort of Thom Yorke-style "Eraser" offering, an eerily fitting description despite the general downcast tempo. The lowered rhythm has never been Kanye's strong point (exception: "Slow Jamz"), but its melodrama resembles a break-up record.
Imagine that: Hip hop's first break-up album. The tones are ice cold as West recites line after line about heartache, loneliness and the constant theme of the frozen nights (though he recorded the record in Hawaii). He's rumored to be returning to rapper form for his next record, supposedly due out next summer, but for now the dead of winter hosts this release.
Song-wise, there are few losers. The final version of "Love Lockdown" (after many leaked versions and re-workings) is simply great, the drumming mimicking a beautifully synchronized African drum-line. "Heartless" does not disappoint either, released as a single earlier this month. Reggae keyboard lines compliment the omnipresent auto-tune perfectly.
The auto-tune is a point of contention for a lot of listeners for many reasons: the pitch correction makes everyone sound the same, whether they are a trained professional on top of their game or an amateur with the flu; it makes every vocal sound super-processed and inhuman; and like many fads which have come and gone, auto-tuning is a fad and nothing more. Why would Kanye conform?
First and foremost, almost any auto-tuned single will get tons of airplay, so it's money in the bank. Secondly, the omnipresent processed feel is supplemented by extra-terrestrial production on the entire album, synthesizers blipping and pulsing while West's digitally enhanced voice nearly makes him pass as a singer.
That's not even the meat of the record, however. "Robocop" is the most glorious track, with skittering percussion throughout in addition to huge drum sounds, orchestral flourishes and dainty xylophone tinkling.
The best tracks are "Paranoid" with Mr. Hudson and "See You In My Nightmares" with Lil' Wayne. "Paranoid" sounds like if James Pants produced a Jock Jams track for MTV, with the only warm synth tones on the entire record matched up with cheesy, dated percussion meant to bang in the club.
"See You In My Nightmares" hardly has the ability to fail with Weezy on the hook. It pulses and eases in until the climax where Mr. Carter gets vicious. "You think your s--- don't stink/Well you are Mrs. P.U." Well put, Wayne.
Most everything Kanye says on the record sounds terribly important and pressing, evidence of his apparent emotionally draining breakup. Listeners can only hope West gets over it and reclaims his position as one of the best party figures in popular music. Until then, we have a stark collection of moody, monochromatic tunes, radio-ready as far as they are desperate and introspective.
Ian Nelson can be reached at inelson@student.umass.edu.
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