Album Review: Kanye West - 808 and Heartbreak

The first time I ever saw the music video for "Through the Wire", I scoffed and bristled at the idea of Kanye West becoming a household name. To me, he was just another producer-turned-rapper who would find out he had more talent in the former than the latter and fade into the background.

Well, hindsight being 20/20 and all, I'm the biggest retard on the planet.

Kanye West has proclaimed himself as the most influential person in entertainment in the past decade, and it's really hard for the world to disagree. His body of work (10 Grammys, 3 multi-plantium albums, and his face on nearly every magazine ever made) is hard to ignore, and that's probably why his fall from grace in the past year has been something of a shock.

With the death of his mother last year and the ending of his engagement to designer Alexis Phifer, Kanye seemed to unravel in front of the public, and with the decision to release an unconventional album in 808 and Heartbreak, most of his listeners were expecting his rule of the pop culture world to take a huge hit. On the other end, the critics have been very positive about this album. So it's either unadulterated hatred from fans mad because he tried to be different or overwhelming critical acclaim from magazines because he tried to be different. It's hard to tell which truth to believe.

After listening to the album, made completely using Auto-Tune, the verdict is that, like most things, it is not either side but a mixture of the two: 808 and Heartbreak is not a failed experiment, nor is it the the work of a genius. It is, however, a solid album that shows that Kanye West can do whatever he wants over one of his beats and the result is still listenable.

Throughout the entire album, there is only one glaring weakness, and it is something that is usually one of the Chicago-born rapper's second-biggest strength: lyrics. The man known for his wicked wordplay and clever jokes has nothing more than cliches to offer throughout the entire experience, with the exception of a few gems in "Robocop" and nearly the entire song of "Pinocchio's Story." This leaves most of the album to be driven by the 808 half of the title.

Thankfully, this is Kanye's biggest strength. Every track has a cleverly arranged beat that speaks louder than the lyrics do. In "Welcome to Heartbreak," it is the haunting piano line that betrays Kanye's depression more than the lyrics. The same is true for "Street Lights." Since it is obvious that this new genre did not allow Kanye to truly express himself through his words, Kanye has to use his award-winning production skills to pick up the slack. He is able to do this well.

Because of the musical accomplishments, it is easy to feel something for Kanye, if he is indeed telling the truth when he proclaims that this album is his "heart and soul." Most of the songs have somber tunes and tell sad stories, and especially in the final track "Pinocchio's Story" it makes you feel for him, which is impressive seeing that the star has millions of dollars and can at least rent happiness temporarily.

The songs actually do a good job of melting into each other to create a general mood. The only snag in the flow is the end of "Bad News," which develops into some sort of jam session of repeating beat for almost two minutes. The West/Lil Wayne supertrack "See You In My Nightmares" saves the momentum of the album, but it still gets a skip from me every time.

As for the other collaboration on the CD, "Amazing" actually does a good job of playing to plodding rapper Young Jeezy's (only) strength: a slow, grooving beat for Jeezy to ride cautiously. The result is a song that helps fade seamlessly into the single "Love Lockdown."

It isn't the best album of the year, despite the overwhelming approval from the critical world. However, it isn't a train-wreck either, as some fans are calling it. 808 and Heartbreak is a CD that shows that Kanye does what he wants, and still knows what relatively good music is.

Scoring:

Replayability: (17/20) The smooth feel of the album has unexpectedly made me eager to listen to it more and more. Much like the single "Love Lockdown," each song has a fungus feel: it grows on you and begs for more listens.

Music: (19/20) Kanye started out as a producer, so there was no surprise that the biggest strength of this album is the groovy and dark mood he has created with his simple yet entertaining arrangements.

Lyrics: (13/20) The lyrics could have a universal appeal that pulls in listeners, I guess, but for the most part the lack of originality from one of music's most creative minds is a huge disappointment.

Completeness: (16/20) "Bad News" really hurts the entire album, but the smooth ride and great transition into each song truly helps this score. I really like the idea that the concept of Heartbreak can be found in each song.

Emotional Pull: (15/20) Despite the lack of great lyrics, the music and the universal appeal mentioned earlier help cause a connection, although it's only strong in "Heartless," "Street Lights," and especially "Pinocchio's Story."

Total Score: 80

Grade: B-

The middle of the road is a strange location for the generally-outstanding Kanye West, but he travels it well. It's nothing like his college-themed albums, but I'm pretty sure that's the point.

Check, Check Plus, X
Say What You Will √
Welcome To Heartbreak √+
Heartless √+
Amazing √
Love Lockdown √
Paranoid √
Robocop √
Street Lights √+
Bad News X
See You In My Nightmares √
Coldest Winter √
Pinocchio Story √+


Happy Thanksgiving again, folks. It's been a pretty good holiday so far, and I get to celebrate by having fun with some friends, then coming back to the music room to listen to Ludacris' new album, which should be reviewed in a few days.

Sit tight til the next grade,
RRC