808's & Heartbreak is the fourth studio album from the eccentric recording artist Kanye West. Right from the beginning of the album you can sense that this album was written from a different viewpoint from Kanye's previous albums such as "The College Dropout" or "Graduation". Kanye wrote this after enduring some very distressing personal events and right from the albums cover, you can tell this is a more emotional rendition from Kanye, rather than a straight rap attack. You're probably already familiar with some of the hit singles off this record such as "Heartless" and "Love Lockdown" but I'll go further into the record to find some of the deeper cuts, and songs you may have missed.
"Say You Will"
The album starts out with this somber track that really sets the tone for the rest of the album. The droning heart monitor beat in the background really goes well with the lyrics and you could really feel the emotional connection when they are played together. The lyrics really demonstrate a longing for someone to crash-land into his life again, and how he can't seem to drop this person out of his life yet. The strain in Kanye's voice really shines through on this track and is a great tip off to this album. Even though I feel he could've cut this song short by at least two minutes. I know the droning heart beat is left for effect, and moans and screams are mixed into the beat as well, but just in my opinion, it could've been a bit shorter.
"Welcome To Heartbreak"
This song was inspired from a conversation Kanye had with MTV executive Dave Sirulnick. Dave showed Kanye pictures of his wife and kids which left Kanye with a silent, sad, and jealous feeling. At this point in his life, the whole wife and kids thing hadn't worked out for him, and the lyrics of the song made this ever so apparent. This track also features a newly signed Kid Cudi to help on the hook. The track starts out with a mellow vibe featuring some violins and violas for the first couple of seconds, then quickly changes to a more upbeat, smacking beat. Kanye's lyrics continue to paint this picture of the celebrity lifestyle he has taken on. The desolate feeling of not having anyone to share his success with, rather feeling empty inside with all the money and accolades to fill his shell. "Welcome To Heartbreak" in my opinion is one of the highlights from 808's. The beat sticks with you, the lyrics aim for the heartstrings, and even though many of us aren't in the same financial position Kanye or any other big celebrity may be in, we could all relate to the feeling of being lonely with no avenues, or end in sight.
"Heartless"
Probably the song that got the most airtime from this album. Heartless shot to the top of the charts when it was released and it even garnered a few covers from notable artists "The Fray" and former American Idol winner Kris Allen. I believe what gives "Heartless" its chops is not only its catchy beats that definitely have a bounce to them, but in the way Kanye uses auto-tune to give off a unique vibe which helps Kanye elate more than if the vocals were dry. The auto-tune didn't drown out the vocal performance whatsoever but I truly believe it gives it a special quality. The song could also be translated into many different genres of music. I wouldn't call Kanye a Bob Dylan type of artist, but this song could be transcribed into different genres quite easily as The Fray most notably proved.
"Amazing"
With a tribal drum beat, and some dark piano keys blended into the back, "Amazing" hits your right in the face straight from the start. "Amazing" turned out to be another song off this album that seemed to take a life of its own. The song was very wide-spread across many platforms, mainly through many sports organizations such as the NBA who used this song to promote the 2009 playoffs and even in UFC. Young Jeezy makes an appearance on the track and it marked the second time the two worked together, previously on Jeezy's 2008 single "Put On". You could describe this as a song that is meant to "pump you up" but I believe the song harps on how he holds on to what he believes in, that even through the toughest times he can think back to what his late mother taught him, and be able to convert that raw emotion into a song that grabs your attention right from the start.
"Love Lockdown"
My Personal Favorite. "Love Lockdown" presents the album with another song that is far removed from Kanye's previous work, Its the type of track that displays the artistic direction he's been moving towards showing growth and different dimensions to his craft. The song hooks you from the beginning with the simple bass line and crescendos into a more tribal drum beat reminiscent of "Amazing". Again, the use of auto-tune was tasteful and didn't overwhelm the track. The only knock I can put on "Love Lockdown" is the fact that it is repetitive in nature. The bass could be droning to some listeners but in my personal opinion, I could listen to this song over and over again and not get bored with it because it is so catchy. The song is inspired from synthpop stars such as Phil Collins and it is shown in this song that the crescendos leading up to the chanting vocals pay homage to that era in a new, modern way.
"Paranoid"
"Paranoid" has a disco vibe to it and takes some aspects from synthpop to create the back beat of the track. The song features British recording artist Mr. Hudson who recently had signed to Kanye's label. The song has a catchy beat but isn't one of my personal favorites. I feel the album hit a bit of a speed bump after "Love Lockdown". Though the song is upbeat and could be classified as a modern day disco song, there are other bands/artists who have perfected that type of music that I'd prefer to listen to.
"Robocop"
This song opens up with a very industrial beat that grabbed me from the beginning due to my NIN fandom. The lyrics talk about a clingy "spoiled L.A. girl" that won't stop won't stop invading his personal life. The violins during the chorus are my favorite part of this song. It gives it a nice crescendo and brings you right back down to bobbing your head to the beats. This track wasn't the most popular off the record but I'd say its the main hidden gem on this album you might've missed.
"Street Lights"
This song is very one dimensional...in a good way. The same way you'd enjoy a low-fi song by Guided by Voices. The song isn't too long, it doesn't overstay its welcome, but your head will bob with the lyrics and the back beat. The song is about moving from one place to another, but it's also about missing precious moments in life in the process. So even though there is a driving back beat that gets you through the song, it does have a somber overtone which gives this one-trick pony depth.
"Bad News"
Even though the song has a catchy "click-clacking" beat that does sound good, the song just doesn't do it for me. Everything about the track screams filler song and there isn't much to it. I'm sure it was meant to be like that, but just like how "Say You Will" overstayed its welcome, you could say the same about "Bad News".
"See You In My Nightmares"
Kanye and Lil Wayne kick back and forth this song about letting go of the past and how quickly a fairy tale could turn into a nightmare. Again, the auto-tune is very noticeable on this track but I didn't mind it. Auto-tune could really drown out a song if not used correctly but I didn't mind the use on "See You In My Nightmares". The two ramp up as the song goes on, screaming about how the past may have gone differently. But even though both of them seem to really get ramped up in this song, I didn't feel the passion like I wanted to. The robotic auto-tune, although it's used properly, gave the song an empty feel and I would've like to hear more passion from both of them. Overall the song has a cool vibe to it and to hear these two artists spit back and forth is a treat, It left me wanting more.
"Coldest Winter"
One of the more emotional tracks on the album and one of the best songs on the album in regards to the overall theme of the record. The bass drum in the song gives "Coldest Winter" its drive, and Kanye's voice is clean during most of the song, showing off some raw emotion which there could've been more of on this album. It's a shorter song but its a great way to bring the album to a close.
"Pinocchio Story" is a live freestyle he threw on at the end of the album as a hidden track. I'm not going to go too deep into this track because all it feels like is a cluster fuck of mixed emotions from Kanye. I could've done without it and I consider "Coldest Winter" the close of the album.
Final Summary:
"808s & Heartbreak" had its highs (Coldest Winter, Street Lights, Love Lockdown) and lows (Bad News, Paranoid, Pinocchio Story) but overall I was expecting more from an album that was written about someone going through an emotional roller-coaster. Some spots on the album I felt raw emotion, and I thought the first half of the album was actually solid. But for my personal taste, the auto-tune drowned out the "what could've been" on this album, leaving it with a hollow, emotionless, robotic feeling and less of an artist with a heavy heart. When I hear artists like Alice and Chains, or Radiohead emote; I really hear it. You can feel the strain and sadness in their vocals as they go through tough times. And as unfortunate as Kanye's situation at the time was, he could've crafted an album that was more tangible emotionally, rather than opting to auto-tune just about everything....now off to listen to T.L.O.P.
Rating- 7.2/10
"Say You Will"
The album starts out with this somber track that really sets the tone for the rest of the album. The droning heart monitor beat in the background really goes well with the lyrics and you could really feel the emotional connection when they are played together. The lyrics really demonstrate a longing for someone to crash-land into his life again, and how he can't seem to drop this person out of his life yet. The strain in Kanye's voice really shines through on this track and is a great tip off to this album. Even though I feel he could've cut this song short by at least two minutes. I know the droning heart beat is left for effect, and moans and screams are mixed into the beat as well, but just in my opinion, it could've been a bit shorter.
"Welcome To Heartbreak"
This song was inspired from a conversation Kanye had with MTV executive Dave Sirulnick. Dave showed Kanye pictures of his wife and kids which left Kanye with a silent, sad, and jealous feeling. At this point in his life, the whole wife and kids thing hadn't worked out for him, and the lyrics of the song made this ever so apparent. This track also features a newly signed Kid Cudi to help on the hook. The track starts out with a mellow vibe featuring some violins and violas for the first couple of seconds, then quickly changes to a more upbeat, smacking beat. Kanye's lyrics continue to paint this picture of the celebrity lifestyle he has taken on. The desolate feeling of not having anyone to share his success with, rather feeling empty inside with all the money and accolades to fill his shell. "Welcome To Heartbreak" in my opinion is one of the highlights from 808's. The beat sticks with you, the lyrics aim for the heartstrings, and even though many of us aren't in the same financial position Kanye or any other big celebrity may be in, we could all relate to the feeling of being lonely with no avenues, or end in sight.
"Heartless"
Probably the song that got the most airtime from this album. Heartless shot to the top of the charts when it was released and it even garnered a few covers from notable artists "The Fray" and former American Idol winner Kris Allen. I believe what gives "Heartless" its chops is not only its catchy beats that definitely have a bounce to them, but in the way Kanye uses auto-tune to give off a unique vibe which helps Kanye elate more than if the vocals were dry. The auto-tune didn't drown out the vocal performance whatsoever but I truly believe it gives it a special quality. The song could also be translated into many different genres of music. I wouldn't call Kanye a Bob Dylan type of artist, but this song could be transcribed into different genres quite easily as The Fray most notably proved.
"Amazing"
With a tribal drum beat, and some dark piano keys blended into the back, "Amazing" hits your right in the face straight from the start. "Amazing" turned out to be another song off this album that seemed to take a life of its own. The song was very wide-spread across many platforms, mainly through many sports organizations such as the NBA who used this song to promote the 2009 playoffs and even in UFC. Young Jeezy makes an appearance on the track and it marked the second time the two worked together, previously on Jeezy's 2008 single "Put On". You could describe this as a song that is meant to "pump you up" but I believe the song harps on how he holds on to what he believes in, that even through the toughest times he can think back to what his late mother taught him, and be able to convert that raw emotion into a song that grabs your attention right from the start.
"Love Lockdown"
My Personal Favorite. "Love Lockdown" presents the album with another song that is far removed from Kanye's previous work, Its the type of track that displays the artistic direction he's been moving towards showing growth and different dimensions to his craft. The song hooks you from the beginning with the simple bass line and crescendos into a more tribal drum beat reminiscent of "Amazing". Again, the use of auto-tune was tasteful and didn't overwhelm the track. The only knock I can put on "Love Lockdown" is the fact that it is repetitive in nature. The bass could be droning to some listeners but in my personal opinion, I could listen to this song over and over again and not get bored with it because it is so catchy. The song is inspired from synthpop stars such as Phil Collins and it is shown in this song that the crescendos leading up to the chanting vocals pay homage to that era in a new, modern way.
"Paranoid"
"Paranoid" has a disco vibe to it and takes some aspects from synthpop to create the back beat of the track. The song features British recording artist Mr. Hudson who recently had signed to Kanye's label. The song has a catchy beat but isn't one of my personal favorites. I feel the album hit a bit of a speed bump after "Love Lockdown". Though the song is upbeat and could be classified as a modern day disco song, there are other bands/artists who have perfected that type of music that I'd prefer to listen to.
"Robocop"
This song opens up with a very industrial beat that grabbed me from the beginning due to my NIN fandom. The lyrics talk about a clingy "spoiled L.A. girl" that won't stop won't stop invading his personal life. The violins during the chorus are my favorite part of this song. It gives it a nice crescendo and brings you right back down to bobbing your head to the beats. This track wasn't the most popular off the record but I'd say its the main hidden gem on this album you might've missed.
"Street Lights"
This song is very one dimensional...in a good way. The same way you'd enjoy a low-fi song by Guided by Voices. The song isn't too long, it doesn't overstay its welcome, but your head will bob with the lyrics and the back beat. The song is about moving from one place to another, but it's also about missing precious moments in life in the process. So even though there is a driving back beat that gets you through the song, it does have a somber overtone which gives this one-trick pony depth.
"Bad News"
Even though the song has a catchy "click-clacking" beat that does sound good, the song just doesn't do it for me. Everything about the track screams filler song and there isn't much to it. I'm sure it was meant to be like that, but just like how "Say You Will" overstayed its welcome, you could say the same about "Bad News".
"See You In My Nightmares"
Kanye and Lil Wayne kick back and forth this song about letting go of the past and how quickly a fairy tale could turn into a nightmare. Again, the auto-tune is very noticeable on this track but I didn't mind it. Auto-tune could really drown out a song if not used correctly but I didn't mind the use on "See You In My Nightmares". The two ramp up as the song goes on, screaming about how the past may have gone differently. But even though both of them seem to really get ramped up in this song, I didn't feel the passion like I wanted to. The robotic auto-tune, although it's used properly, gave the song an empty feel and I would've like to hear more passion from both of them. Overall the song has a cool vibe to it and to hear these two artists spit back and forth is a treat, It left me wanting more.
"Coldest Winter"
One of the more emotional tracks on the album and one of the best songs on the album in regards to the overall theme of the record. The bass drum in the song gives "Coldest Winter" its drive, and Kanye's voice is clean during most of the song, showing off some raw emotion which there could've been more of on this album. It's a shorter song but its a great way to bring the album to a close.
"Pinocchio Story" is a live freestyle he threw on at the end of the album as a hidden track. I'm not going to go too deep into this track because all it feels like is a cluster fuck of mixed emotions from Kanye. I could've done without it and I consider "Coldest Winter" the close of the album.
Final Summary:
"808s & Heartbreak" had its highs (Coldest Winter, Street Lights, Love Lockdown) and lows (Bad News, Paranoid, Pinocchio Story) but overall I was expecting more from an album that was written about someone going through an emotional roller-coaster. Some spots on the album I felt raw emotion, and I thought the first half of the album was actually solid. But for my personal taste, the auto-tune drowned out the "what could've been" on this album, leaving it with a hollow, emotionless, robotic feeling and less of an artist with a heavy heart. When I hear artists like Alice and Chains, or Radiohead emote; I really hear it. You can feel the strain and sadness in their vocals as they go through tough times. And as unfortunate as Kanye's situation at the time was, he could've crafted an album that was more tangible emotionally, rather than opting to auto-tune just about everything....now off to listen to T.L.O.P.
Rating- 7.2/10
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