'808s & Heartbreak' Tracklist
When Kanye West released Graduation, he was on top of the world. The rapper’s third album boasted crazy sales during a major music industry slump, thanks in part to the popularity of "Stronger" and "The Good Life" at fitness clubs, nightclubs and everyplace in between. Kanye was also one of the most anticipated at award shows, and it wasn't just for the possibility of another tantrum. And he was marrying his longtime girlfriend, all with his mom cheering him on.Unique Concept?
We’re near the end of 2008 and a lot has changed. He tragically lost his mother Donda, after post-surgery complication and he later broke up with his longtime fiancée Alexis. Surely anyone with half a heart can sympathize with this kind of loss. And any true Kanye fan knows that he wears his heart on his sleeve. Unfortunately, the outcome of his emotional honesty on 808s and Heartbreak failed to connect, unlike his previous efforts. In nearly all of the album’s 12 tracks, Ye's pain is palatable, but the witty rhymes have been replaced with Auto Tune distorted vocals that obscure his usual veracity and make him sound unnaturally distant.
Mixed Reactions
On hip-hop blogs, message boards and other forums, the reaction to 808s and Heartbreak has been a mixed bag so far. Some have said they love the lead singles "Love Lockdown" and “Heartless,” while others have questioned if he’s "making a T-Pain album" due to the overuse of Auto Tune. Early on, 808s and Heartbreak had been labeled the Electric Circus of Kanye’s career. No disrespect to Common, but Electric Circus has become the unfortunate metaphor for experimentation gone wrong. Common has since bounced back with Be, Finding Forever, and the upcoming Universal Mind Control, ironically with Kanye’s help. Kanyeezy’s diehard fans, as well as any listener with a high tolerance for Auto Tune, will stay involved. Despite the minimal rapping and electronic overtones, his characteristic high-quality production remains intact. The extended 808 heartbeat thump at the end of “Bad News” is one such treat.
A Monotonous Sound Montage
Though Kanye has always displayed wit and candor in his rhymes, he's never been a prolific lyricist and 808s and Heartbreak does little to show new ways to translate his innermost feelings into words. Take "Welcome to Heartbreak,” for instance. While it expresses a surprising envy of a friend’s fatherhood with, “his daughter got a brand new report card and all I got was a brand new sports car,” the lyrics sound silly. At the song’s bridge he repeats, “I’ve seen it, I’ve seen it before.” I feel like we’ve heard it before. A large aspect of Kanye West’s nearly universal appeal is his ability to be unpredictable. Indeed, his resilience and work ethic are admirable. However, 808s and Heartbreak is a monotonous montage of sound from a man who should have perhaps taken some time off to confront his feelings rather than drowning them in work and producing subpar material.
Top Tracks from 808s and Heartbreak- "Welcome to Heartbreak"
- "Heartless"
- "Paranoid"
- "Street Lights"
