Ok, this blog post is really about how I liked 808's & Heartbreak by Kanye West.
If you wanna feel what im talking about.
I suggest listening to it while reading.
And junk.
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1.) Say You Will.
The epic opening to this great CD. Its so thought provoking when you think about it. The ambiance, left and right bleeps and the monk choir make an almost ethereal feeling in the song. The verses are well organized and then, out of nowhere the singing stops and the three minute instrumental kicks in. And you can either listen to it you either listen to it fully and zone out, or turn it to the next song without a moments notice. But its the first couple of lines that he says really struck me hard.
"why would she make calls out the blue, now im awake and sleepless in June"
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2.) Welcome To Heartbreak
The chords in the beginning makes me feel like i already know whats going to happen in the song. The verses are once again, a work of art and for the first feature on 808's, Kid Cudi is on the hook and he does an excellent job with it by just supplementing the song and not taking it over. I do feel like the song was a little fuzzy, meaning that it could have been upgraded to a better quality. But I don't know if it was just my copy of the cd. (I got my copy from iTunes)
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3.) Heartless
Heartless is one of the songs that just commands attention from the listener and literally makes them listen intensely or at the very least nod their head to the beat. Mr. West talks about a woman so heartless and actually raps on this song with the auto-tune fueled chorus. Its a very creative song that plays out a very good story about love. I love the way he uses auto-tune to express his pain by screaming out "How could you be so heartless?!?!"
This track is the heart (no pun intended) and soul of 808's and Heartbreak.
Pros: Everything
Cons: Nothing at all
10 out of 10
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4.) Amazing
Amazing is one of the more interesting songs on 808s but its so self congratulatory that it almost borders on narcissism most of the time in the song. Young Jeezy features on the song and brings his classic ad lib box with him. I like how the beat transcends into a South American jungle feel and then quickly jumps back up into the beat the after Kanye is finished with it. It is a very good song but in Jeezy's verse I dont know if this made sence at all: "Standing at my podium I'm trying watch my sodium/Got high blood pressure Even let the Feds get 'cha" I dont know if it just me but, when I heard it I literally said "What...The...Fuck...Jeezy?" But it is a good song, not my favorite, but good.
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5.) Love Lockdown
Ahh! Here we come to this song! The song that caused such an uproar with hip-hop heads and fans alike! I can admit this song is very avant-garde compared to his rap songs but it feels right at home in this CD. The track is so empty but so energetic at the same time that its hard to say its not more than three high booming 808s and one low boom. The tribal drums and piano make the track into this giant monster of a song and it takes over and it takes no prisoners. The verses are about realest thing ive heard about love in a song and the hurt and emotions rise by the frequent vocal distortion.
It is truely the picasso of his songs: Strange, yet appealing.
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6.) Paranoid
I personally love this song. It gives a little humorous tone in the beginning that he came up with the songs name in a side conversation that took place in the recording booth, so that in itself makes this song very fun and energetic to me. Cause first impressions are a good deal The third feature goes to Mr. Hudson from Mr. Hudson & The Library. He does an excellent job on the chorus and completely owns it with the simple but very effective hook: "Anyway, they don't know you like I do (They don't know) They'll never know you" But the only discrepancy with the song is that it is too good to be this short. but that's it.
Its a very, very good song from Kanye West if I must say so myself.
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7.) RoboCop
Do you remember when I said Heartless is the CD's attention grabber track?
Well I lied to you or I didn't discover this song yet. The song's intro needs no words, it blatantly shows its intentions of pummeling you with 808s and industrial sounds that make is sound like it was made in a busy warehouse. A warehouse that made its workers play tribal drums. But then it swells into a good drum pattern and violin structure for the verse and then he channels his inner orchestration abilities for the first half of the chorus and the second half delves back into the industrial side with an cold utterance by Kanye that says "Cause I don't want no robocop. You movin' like a robocop. When did you become a robocop? No, I don't need no robocop" It is simply epic.
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8.) Street Lights
"Let me know...do I still got time to grow?"
Excuse me. I have to switch up the writing style.
I have to say that this track with its swaying synth melody makes this track have a warm...glow. Its simple. Its thought provoking. Its just everything I want to listen to when I need to zone out. I think everything is perfect with this track...
And then here comes Mr. Hudson.
And he...he makes it one of the best songs that I have heard.
When I listen to music like this.
I try to compare with other music.
But...I cant. Theres nothing like it.
A+ for you Mr. West.
A+.
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9.) Bad News.
This track opens up with a low piano key...
And after that it just gets better and better.
I get what happening in the song.
I went through it too.
He basically saying, all this shit that happening with me and her...
All this bad shit...
Do I deserve this?
Do I really deserve what I got in the end?
I guess so.
Oh, and I didnt know you had someone on the side...but I will act like I did.
Just to save face.
And I must have been real horrible to you.
"Cause I Deserve Some Real Bad NuuuUuuse (News)"
Great Track.
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10.) See You In My Nightmares
"Im cold"
I love the synth.
I like that lil wayne is in the song...
I like that everyone just SCREAMS damn near.
Not my favorite song EVER.
But it just resonates with me.
Its cool...
Its just not cold.
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11.) Coldest Winter
The little hi hats at the beginning coupled by the stuttering snare that transcend into a mid level 808 boom truly make this song the greatest song that Kanye has done.
Not because of the beat. (But the beat is FIYAA...)
Its because of what being said.
May I remind you that he lost his mother.
His MOTHER.
The only person that knew him better than he knows himself.
That is the worst thing ever.
I can see why he shut down and had to sing.
This aint something you rap about.
You can even hear it.
It sounds like hes gonna break down in the song.
But then he reclaims his composure.
I cant comment on most lyrics.
But I can say that...
"Memories made in the coldest winter."
Awesome.
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This cd is everything.
Its severely emotional.
Its Positively great.
And most definitely an audio masterpiece.
Peace and love.
-Avada
