Might as well start with an album that I avoided illegally downloading, and waited until release date to enjoy, (With the obvious exceptions of Love Lockdown and Heartless)-Kanye West's 808s and Heartbreak.
Most of you weren't too keen on the new direction of 100% AutoTune singing from Kanye on the basis of the 2 songs I mentioned above, and understandably. Graduation was a Hip-Hop classic (go back and listen to it if you dare question that statement) and potentially ruining that is an understandable concern.
Trust me on this-you need to get this album. When people do the same thing on more than one album, it gets boring. That's why Late Registration is never viewed as a classic Kanye album. It was viewed as a lesser version of the (also classic) College Dropout.
Doing something different is always a risk, and fortunately Kanye West pulls it off to near perfection. The AutoTune isn't turned up to max volume unlike some recent songs (Ron Browz/Jim Jones-Pop Champagne abuses the AutoTune) and it still lets Kanye's voice come through.
Most importantly, it just makes artistic sense to use it. The production is generally minimalistic, and almost classic sounding. Adding AutoTune singing gives a nice retro feel, but with a futuristic tinge.
Enough blabbing (I could go on further...). Song-by-song ratings:
Say You Will - 7/10
-It's a bit too long, but has a good beat and chorus.
Welcome To Heartbreak (Ft. Kid Cudi) - 10/10
-Amazing chorus, great lyrics, great beat, almost perfection.
Heartless - 8/10
-Great chorus and bouncy production. This grows on me more and more.
Amazing (Ft. Young Jeezy) - 6.5/10
-The beat is too plain, but Jeezy's verse saves it. May grow on me.
Love Lockdown - 8.5/10
-Great drums and atmosphere, lyrics a bit of a letdown.
Paranoid (Ft. Mr. Hudson) - 7/10
-Nice beat, good rapping from Kanye. I need to listen to it more.
RoboCop - 7.5/10
-Really unusual beat, something different with strings tied to robotic samples.
Street Lights - 7/10
-Nice atmospheric track with some deep lyrical stuff going on.
Bad News - 7/10
-This is generally a sound track, but there's nothing outstanding going on.
See You In My Nightmares (Ft. Lil' Wayne) - 9/10
-A real anthemic feel. Wayne is the star of this. Imagine this with some guitars!
Coldest Winter - 9.5/10
-Brilliant, heartfelt lyrics added to an undeniably memorable chorus.
Pinocchio Story (Live) - 6/10
-Nice lyrics, but far too long, poor quality, and is there even a beat?!
Most of you weren't too keen on the new direction of 100% AutoTune singing from Kanye on the basis of the 2 songs I mentioned above, and understandably. Graduation was a Hip-Hop classic (go back and listen to it if you dare question that statement) and potentially ruining that is an understandable concern.
Trust me on this-you need to get this album. When people do the same thing on more than one album, it gets boring. That's why Late Registration is never viewed as a classic Kanye album. It was viewed as a lesser version of the (also classic) College Dropout.
Doing something different is always a risk, and fortunately Kanye West pulls it off to near perfection. The AutoTune isn't turned up to max volume unlike some recent songs (Ron Browz/Jim Jones-Pop Champagne abuses the AutoTune) and it still lets Kanye's voice come through.
Most importantly, it just makes artistic sense to use it. The production is generally minimalistic, and almost classic sounding. Adding AutoTune singing gives a nice retro feel, but with a futuristic tinge.
Enough blabbing (I could go on further...). Song-by-song ratings:
Say You Will - 7/10
-It's a bit too long, but has a good beat and chorus.
Welcome To Heartbreak (Ft. Kid Cudi) - 10/10
-Amazing chorus, great lyrics, great beat, almost perfection.
Heartless - 8/10
-Great chorus and bouncy production. This grows on me more and more.
Amazing (Ft. Young Jeezy) - 6.5/10
-The beat is too plain, but Jeezy's verse saves it. May grow on me.
Love Lockdown - 8.5/10
-Great drums and atmosphere, lyrics a bit of a letdown.
Paranoid (Ft. Mr. Hudson) - 7/10
-Nice beat, good rapping from Kanye. I need to listen to it more.
RoboCop - 7.5/10
-Really unusual beat, something different with strings tied to robotic samples.
Street Lights - 7/10
-Nice atmospheric track with some deep lyrical stuff going on.
Bad News - 7/10
-This is generally a sound track, but there's nothing outstanding going on.
See You In My Nightmares (Ft. Lil' Wayne) - 9/10
-A real anthemic feel. Wayne is the star of this. Imagine this with some guitars!
Coldest Winter - 9.5/10
-Brilliant, heartfelt lyrics added to an undeniably memorable chorus.
Pinocchio Story (Live) - 6/10
-Nice lyrics, but far too long, poor quality, and is there even a beat?!
12 comments:
Very very interesting points... doing something different is allways a challenge but like the way kanye dresses, he can pull it off.
Autotuning isnt used to the fullest in the album, personally i think kanye west's voice is great from a ''rapper''
808's and Heartbreaks get 5/5 from me
Hugs and Fishes !
Nikul
i think u should bump up street lights 2 a 8.5
Good lad. Maybe we can do the blog together at some point...
i would love that.... next operation
I love your song analysis. My favourite track on that album so far is Coldest Winter, closely followed by See You In My Nightmares and Welcome To Heaetbreak. I was apprehensive about listening to the album as I didn't know if I would enjoy an entire album so different from his previous, but after listening to it, it worked for me, and i think it's amazing.
Nikkita
Pretty much agree with almost everything with this review. except that i love the track 'amazin'! i like the beat, especially the haunting screams in the background. Also I probably would rate paranoid as a 6. Welcome to heartbreak is my favourite track, followed by see you in my nightmares and then amazing. Anyway very good review dude.
Cheers man!
Amazing is growing on me more and more...
gotta be honest here... Really not feeling this album. Some great tracks yes... But some average ones also. Just my opinion ofcourse!
i hated this album when i first heard it tbh.
i was like WTF-> LETDOWN!
but lately ive been playing it whilst ive been doing stuff like crappy economics work LOLS!
AND IT IS AMAZING-> so amaazzinngg its aammmazzinnggg rofl
yeh so 100/100 for me.(all the songs are wkd)
seems like STREET LIGHTS... GLOWING!
{{BIG UP KINGS OF LEON'S ALBUM ASWELL OBV! ;)
bye x
love it! I agree with most of your ratings but i think paranoid deserves at least an 8.5+. Also the heartless video is pretty cool. Do not think its better then the college dropout, also disappointed that jay-z was not in any of the songs lol x
Didn't think I'd like it after hearing it the first few times. However, after (through no choice of my own) having it played all day everyday by my housemate, it began to grow on me. Pretty different...pretty bold...pretty good!
Jilly Fernandes is of course exagerrating. I don't play it in my sleep.
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