Byron Lee's Writing Blog

Album Review: Kanye West's 808s & Heartbreak

808s & Heartbreak finds Kanye West moving in a new sonic direction, and it works best when the songs are crafted into concise, (relatively) subtle statements. "Welcome To Heartbreak," finds the Louis Vuitton Don poignantly expressing regret over the sacrifices he's made to get to where he is.

Dad cracks a joke. All the kids laugh.
What I couldn't have, way up in First Class.
Chased the good life, all my life long.
Look back at my life, and my life gone.
Where did I go wrong?

Also providing insight is "Heartless," where West gives you a view into the end of a relationship. A headnodding beat gives the song the feel of an inverse of "Golddigger," with hurt and tension replacing the one-liners.

How could be so Dr. Evil?
You bringin' out a side of me that I don’t know.
I decided we weren't gon' speak, so
Why we up 3 A.M. on the phone?
Why does she be so mad at me fo'?
Homie, I dont know, she's hot and cold.
I won't stop, I won't mess my groove up
'Cause I already know how this thing go.

The proceedings perk up with "Amazing." Utilizing minor key piano chords that call to mind some of Eminem's production work, the song marks the return of the braggadocious Kanye of old.

It's amazing, I'm the reason
Everybody fired up this evening.
I'm exhausted, barely breathing.
Holding on to what I believe in.
No matter what, you'll never take that from me.
My reign is as far as your eyes can see.

Although the guest appearance of Young Jeezy could be read as a concession to the streets, he infuses the track with an energy that is palpable.

They like 'Oh god!
Why you go so hard?'
Look what he's been through.
He deserves an applause.

Although these tracks work well, a Kanye fan would probably think that there is an element that is missing: humor. Well, "Robocop" remedies that problem. On a track complete with machine noises that mimic the ones used in movies whenever robots walk slowly, West uses wit to convey the anger and terror that accompany a relationship with someone who, in his view, was overly controlling.

About the baddest girl I ever seen.
Straight up outta movie scene.
Who knew she was a drama queen?
Thatll turn my life to Stephen King’s.
Up late night, like she on patrol.
Checking everything, like I'm on parole.

Having the most impact, however, is “Pinocchio’s Story,” where Kanye sings a freestyle in concert. He uses the wish of the titular character ("I wanna be a real boy.") to frame a searing look into the dehumanizing side effect of fame.

What does it feel like to live life, to be real,
Not some facade on tv that no can really feel?
Do you really have the stamina
For everybody that sees you and say 'where's my camera’?
For everybody that sees you and says 'sign my autograph'?
For everybody that sees you and says that 'you all that'?

Unfortunately, there are many other moments on this recording when I wished that someone would have dissuaded Kanye from following through on his impulses. "Paranoid" sounds like a more extreme version of Pharrell's "Number One." Imagine the St. Elsewhere theme song, as interpreted by early-period Prince, with a sing along chorus attached to it. It's such a mess that I couldn't help but be amused by its audacity. Furthermore, album-opener "Say You Will" has tearjerking chords and laidback trip-hop percussion, but is ultimately undone by processed crooning, a lack of direction (You'll never hear the saying "Hey, hey, hey" in the same way, again.), and its mind numbing (for a pop song) length. Likewise, "Love Lockdown," the abysmal choice for first single, begins intriguingly with a sparse bassline and haunting lyrics, but the treatment of the vocals and the galloping drums on the chorus create a wall of noise that obscures the song. You wonder what the result would have been, if the production had more restraint and if the arrangement was performed by someone who could legitimately belt out a tune.

"Say You Will" and "Love Lockdown" exemplify a major problem with the album: many of these songs start off promisingly, but are ultimately aimless, with Kanye saying the same lines, ad nauseum. Rarely has the line between catchy and resonant, with regard to the work of a critically-heralded artist, been so distinctive. Frankly, some of the tracks, among them "Coldest Winter," West's dedication to his dearly departed mother, sound unfinished. (This occurrence leads me to believe that Island Def Jam was determined to have another big, fourth quarter release (along with Ludacris's), in order to improve their bottom line for the year, especially in light of Jay-Z's album being pushed back.) (At the risk of incurring the wrath of my readers, I will also point out that one of the lackluster tracks, "See You In My Nightmares," is nearly saved by a fellow Auto-tune convert: Weezy F. Baby.) Making matters worse is that, even on the better songs, Auto-tunes's occasional off-key warble is off-putting.

Groundbreaking artists make missteps. Now that West has gotten 808s & Heartbreak out of his system, here's hoping that he regains his footing.

Bottom Line: 808s & Heartbreak is a mixed bag. When it's focused, it's an insightful, captivating look into loss, regret, and resentment. The collection is marred, however, by self-indulgence, and, ironically, a feeling of incompletion.

Rating: 6.0/10

Track Listing:
1. "Say You Will"
2. "Welcome to Heartbreak" (feat. Kid Cudi)
3. "Heartless"
4. "Amazing" (feat. Young Jeezy)
5. "Love Lockdown"
6. "Paranoid" (feat. Mr Hudson)
7. "RoboCop"
8. "Street Lights"
9. "Bad News"
10. "See You In My Nightmares" (feat. Lil Wayne)
11. "Coldest Winter"
12. "Pinocchio Story" (freestyle live from Singapore) (bonus)

Album Review: Taylor Swift, Fearless



Country star Taylor Swift's follow-up to her 2006 eponymous debut begins, tellingly, with the title track, a subtle, yet solid number that serves as a thesis statement for the album, as a title track should. In this case, the song uses love to implicitly urge the willful abandonment of inhibitions in order to embrace the pleasures of life.

and I don't know how it gets better than this
you take my hand and drag me headfirst
Fearless
and I don't know why but with youI'd dance
in a storm in my best dress
Fearless

On "Fifteen," the album standout, Swift poignantly takes the listener through the milestones of early life (the first day of high school, the first kiss, a devastating break up), while singing from the point of view of an older woman speaking to a girl of the titular age.

when all you wanted
was to be wanted
wish you could go back
and tell yourself
what you know now

Making the song more powerful is the use of personal lyrics to transcend trappings of a pop artist.

back then I swore I was gonna
marry him someday
but I realized some bigger dreams of mine
and Abigail gave everything she had to a boy
who changed his mind
and we both cried

In the liner notes, in the center of the lyrics for "Fifteen," is a picture of the singer with the Abigail she sings of.

The next track, "Love Story," (the first single) uses a toe-tapping tempo and Swift's soaring voice to bolster its trite Romeo and Juliet references. It is at these moments that, despite the pop sheen put on the material, Swift shows herself to be the star of her album. It's a testament to both her personality and her vocals (which alternate from a girl's tantrum to a woman's yearning)) that she is able to bring distinction to the rather routine girl-wants-boy/girl-is-disappointed-by-boy/girl wish-fulfillment scenarios in many of the songs found here.

What is also noteworthy is how well the collection functions as a transitional album. Some songs address teenage angst (the person you like likes someone else, people in school are mean, etc.), while others depict love in a much more general way, all the better to prepare Swift's audience for the grown up songs Swift, who receives either full, or partial, songwriting credit for every song on the disc, will soon be singing.

Making Swift's evolution less risky is the CD's sonic packaging. Fearless has the same mixture of poignancy, spunk, and sweetness that was found on her last album, but all parties involved have upped the ante. This music is being engineered to sell to as many people as possible, and no part of the formula (the violin flourishes, the guitar riffs that build during the verses to overpower the listener on the choruses) is overlooked. Every sonic touch is introduced exactly when you expect it to be. (Even the sequencing of the songs, which, at times, reflects the ups and downs of a relationship, is done for maximum effect.) Oddly enough, this aspect is most noticeable when the album threatens to go off the beaten path. The intro to "Tell Me Why" sounds like bluegrass hip-hop, but then it deftly segues into the song proper. It's a remarkably smooth shift that could only be executed by people who know what they're doing. (It should also be said that it's not just the production that is slick. The CD jacket has a colorful, meticulously-designed format that incorporates a lyric sheet and photos that look like theme shoots from America's Next Top Model--if you're into that sort of thing. It's a sight to see and almost worth the price of the disc, in and of itself.)

The album hits its home stretch with "The Way I Loved You" (an emphatic number co-written by John Rich) and never lets up. "The Best Day" nearly matches "Fifteen" with Swift recalling how important her family has been to her during her young life. In talking about a car trip with her mother, after a day of being bullied, she sings

I don't know who I'm gonna talk to now at school
but I know I'm laughing on the car ride home with you
don't know how long it's gonna take to feel ok
but I know I had the best day with you today

She also vividly depicts her childhood connection with her father, when singing

there is a video I found from back when I was three
you set up a paint set in the kitchen and you're talking to me
it's the age of princesses and pirate ships and the seven dwarfs
daddy's smart and you're the prettiest lady in the whole wide world

It's a vivid and heartfelt song that will make people think of the moments when they felt the most affection for loved ones. The album concludes with the Olympics-commissioned, yet suddenly timely, "Change," an obligatory, hope-for-a-better-day song that, true to form, is delivered with enough authority to overcome its familiarity.

Bottom Line: Pop country isn't for everyone, but, if you give it a chance, Fearless will most likely win you over with its charismatic star, powerful lyrics, and glossy production. It left me excited to hear what Taylor Swift will offer next.

Rating: 8.5/10

Track Listing:
1. "Fearless"
2. "Fifteen"
3. "Love Story"
4. "Hey Stephen"
5. "White Horse"
6. "You Belong With Me"
7. "Breathe"
8. "Tell Me Why"
9. "You're Not Sorry"
10. "The Way I Loved You"
11. "Forever & Always"
12. "The Best Day"
13. "Change"