I realize that this album is probably being blogged about a lot right now – and for the record – I haven’t read much. Still, I feel as though this LP needs to be mentioned here. 808s & Heartbreak was released two weeks ago – amidst a fair amount of publicity. The album was actually scheduled to be released next month – December – but Kanye wanted it made available to coincide with American Thanksgiving. I don’t think anyone is complaining.
Well, maybe…but that’s another story. I was tipped on to this disc by a good friend here in Korea. Honestly, I had no idea that Kanye was working on another album after Graduation – and especially had no idea that it would be released this soon! I almost felt embarrassed to be a Kanye fan (or a music fan) as I had no inkling of this release. At any rate, this friend showed me the first single (Love Lockdown) on YouTube and I was interested straight away.
Well, maybe…but that’s another story. I was tipped on to this disc by a good friend here in Korea. Honestly, I had no idea that Kanye was working on another album after Graduation – and especially had no idea that it would be released this soon! I almost felt embarrassed to be a Kanye fan (or a music fan) as I had no inkling of this release. At any rate, this friend showed me the first single (Love Lockdown) on YouTube and I was interested straight away.
Obviously, the entire collection is entirely different than Kanye’s previous efforts. It’s not really a rap or even hip-hop album – but more pop styled. There’s two incredibly evident touches to 808s – they use of a drum machine (from which the album’s title is derived) and the use of Auto-Tune (which enhances and modifies Kanye’s vocals). Every track is noticeably fashioned in this way. If I’m fair – it can get a bit wearisome – but there’s enough variety to keep things fresh.
Before I say too much more – I should probably say how much of a die-hard Kanye fan I am. This bias will undoubtedly taint this review – as I’m sure I’d be more critical if this was the first I’d ever heard of the Louis Vuitton Don. I utterly adored all three of Kanye’s past releases and so he’s somewhat of a modern hip-hop legend in my eyes. That said, 808s is emotionally powerful. It can stand on its own. As mentioned, a few tracks can be skipped over – as they tend to blend in – but most songs ring clear.
808s has gotten mixed reactions. Most critics are quite receptive – glad that Kanye took a chance and stepped out of his comfort zone. Other hip-hop heads are frustrated that Kanye wasted his talent on such an emotional concept. For me, I appreciate Kanye’s honesty – and always have. I can feel his pain through the lyrics – and associate. It’s ambitious, personal – and musically innovative. I also feel it can stand the test of time. I can see myself listening to this collection years down the road…but we’ll have to wait for that!
No comments:
Post a Comment