2008 Woodie Awards
West offers something different
Ian Nelson, Collegian Staff
Issue date: 11/25/08 Section: Arts & Living
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.
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.
Be the first to comment on this story