Via HipHopDX

“Supportive or critical of this album’s movement, you have to admire Kanye West’s courage. In the days of shrinking albums sales and sticking to proven formulas, one of music’s biggest artists has done a complete 180 after having last year’s top critical and commercial album in Graduation. Some call it a slap to the face of his fans, others call it a true artist’s evolution. Implementing auto-tune is hardly a new idea, but criticism that Kanye is just piggybacking some T-Pain money and not just doing this because he felt like it ignores the trends of this man’s career.

Combining the emotions of a lost mother, a called off engagement, and the stress of mega-stardom and “pap-snapping” celebrity, Kanye has taken a detour from his “school” series, as well as his proven comfort zone for 808’s & Heartbreak. The album opens triumphantly, in fact the first five songs are as good a start to any work this year. He may be singing a different, computer-assisted tune, but Kanye’s trademark attention to detail remains in tact on the minimal opener “Say You Will.” By the time it is running on at the end of the song, the beat has built and evolved beautifully. Kanye’s songwriting takes center stage on the Kid Cudi-assisted “Welcome To Heartbreak,” as he laments his drive for fortune and fame costing him everything else in his life, specifically building a family. Sampling may have been set aside, but ‘Ye’s production here – between the opening cello and the piano throughout – it’s as moving as anything he’s ever done.”

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Via NYT

“Some of the results suggest his old, oversize sound. On both “Love Lockdown” and “Coldest Winter,” thunderous drums cut through an electro haze, and “Bad News” features one of the most efficient bass lines Mr. West has ever constructed. “Amazing,” a visceral collaboration with Young Jeezy, sounds as if it were recorded inside a whirring old grandfather clock, a collection of precisely moving parts neatly interlocking — classic Kanye…”

Via ThisIsHipHop

With the latest Kanye West release, 808s & Heartbreak, Kanye has provided something unique and perhaps revolutionary. Does that mean it is a good album? He has done the whole thing in autotone (save for a few moments here and there). Does that make it a bad album? The fact is, after a week of listening to this album, you may feel like the album cover: deflated and shriveled.

It is so hard to ignore the negatives on this album because after one listen through, they slap you in the face. “Robocop” may be one of the silliest songs heard in recent memory. The biggest problem is the feeling of hope that the song gives the listener. In fact, he crushes this hope. Any signs of optimism on “Bad News” are squashed, as Kanye’s high notes are not the only thing relevant to the title; the song is a wreck. The only reason why “Love Lockdown” has proven to be significant is because of its catchy aftertaste. The early 90’s house feel gives it some oomph, still, the singing is painful and because it is, any crumbs of musical genius are swept off the table by the damp, wet cloth of Kanye’s vocals.

His voice is pretty bad; however, “Street Lights” is quite beautiful. For once, the prospective sound that has been tickled with throughout the album gets unleashed on the 3 minute introspective look on his achievements. “Heartless” is another track that shows what this album could’ve been. It is the perfect blend of a Kanye we are familiar with and the Kanye we are coming to know; both on the production and on the microphone.

Listening to 808s often feels like a drag; the beats don’t evolve, the vocoder annoys and the subject matter bores. Considering all the names that were (apparently) helping complete this album, No I.D, Herbie Hancock, and Mike Dean, the production seems entirely rushed, cluttered, misplaced and unfit. Despite all of these flaws, the album grabs the audiences attention due to the catchy hooks and addictive production, no matter how asinine.

Overall Score: 67/100

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