Kanye West

[Mike]

You guys seen this? New track at 8:30. It's the first track on his new album.

[LoathedVermin72]

I haven't played the album for a while, LV, but that was the impression I always came away with. I remember several others (on RM, if memory serves) commenting to the same effect, and also remember Robert Christgau making a similar remark in his year-end article thingy for Barnes and Noble. If nothing else, I do remember it seeming a lot darker and meaner on "Yeezus," where on previous records it had been offset by more wit, humor, vulnerability, brighter melodic samples, etc. -- so maybe it's just a matter of it being an uncut dose of the same stuff giving a harsher buzz. Either way, it hasn't had me rushing back to play the album.

I can understand that. You're right - it sounds noticeably darker and angrier than his previous work. It doesn't give you the relief of lush music or overt humor for the most part. It's distilled rage. It's in your face. It's not really pleasant music. But, again, I love that about it. It's righteous fury, I think.

Honestly, the only album of his that felt at all misogynistic to me was 808s, which had that sad-sack, juvenile, wounded-male brand of female-targeted anger. "Heartless", in particular. I wasn't crazy about that album's sound in the first place, but that made it so much worse.

[Kevin Davis]

It probably bears mentioning that excessive sexual details in songs always kind of feel weird to me, even if they're not overtly degrading. I always just kinda feel like I'm being told something that's not my business.

"808's" pretty much had me in the palm of its hand after the first "hey hey hey hey" on "Say You Will" -- I think your description of the album is astute (though I do think he turns the finger on himself a few times, especially in "Welcome to Heartbreak"), but that melody just sucked me right in. That and "Graduation" are my go-to Kanye albums.

[epilogue]

I haven't played the album for a while, LV, but that was the impression I always came away with. I remember several others (on RM, if memory serves) commenting to the same effect, and also remember Robert Christgau making a similar remark in his year-end article thingy for Barnes and Noble. If nothing else, I do remember it seeming a lot darker and meaner on "Yeezus," where on previous records it had been offset by more wit, humor, vulnerability, brighter melodic samples, etc. -- so maybe it's just a matter of an uncut dose of the same stuff giving a harsher buzz. Either way, it hasn't had me rushing back to play the album.

You were right the first time, buddy.

[LoathedVermin72]

I'll say this much for 808s: "Paranoid" is a killer track.

[Orpheus]

LV, if you like Yeezus you should really check out Death Grips. I feel like he really bit their style for some of the songs on that album, and they've been doing that overall type of sound for years. Now that I'm thinking about it I could see you absolutely fucking loving Death Grips' whole discography. Check them out sometime.

I wasn't really that into Yeezus but I thought New Slaves and Blood on the Leaves were pretty great songs. I fall on the totally opposite side of the morality/sexuality coin than KD though. I have no problem with that stuff.

[Jorge]

They really it's transformative

[LoathedVermin72]

His performance on the SNL special was mindfuckingly good.

[LoathedVermin72]

Kanye songs that have made me cry (so far):

Power
Everything I Am
Hold My Liquor
Blood on the Leaves
Flashing Lights
Runaway

[Strat]

I enjoyed all of his performances on SNL last night. The music and the jokes. Good stuff.

[E.H. Ruddock]

Kanye songs that have made me cry (so far):

Power
Everything I Am
Hold My Liquor
Blood on the Leaves
Flashing Lights
Runaway

Get a hold of yourself dude

[LoathedVermin72]

Kanye songs that have made me cry (so far):

Power
Everything I Am
Hold My Liquor
Blood on the Leaves
Flashing Lights
Runaway

Get a hold of yourself dude

I'm crying right now

[E.H. Ruddock]

Kanye songs that have made me cry (so far):

Power
Everything I Am
Hold My Liquor
Blood on the Leaves
Flashing Lights
Runaway

Get a hold of yourself dude

I'm crying right now

Also, that performance on the SNL special last night read less "brilliant" and more "I'm trying to show people I can be creative and artistic after I said I had no respect for a guy that plays 12 instruments and I only play the piano"

[LoathedVermin72]

Kanye songs that have made me cry (so far):

Power
Everything I Am
Hold My Liquor
Blood on the Leaves
Flashing Lights
Runaway

Get a hold of yourself dude

I'm crying right now

Also, that performance on the SNL special last night read less "brilliant" and more "I'm trying to show people I can be creative and artistic after I said I had no respect for a guy that plays 12 instruments and I only play the piano"

[BurtReynolds]

Kanye songs that have made me cry (so far):

Power
Everything I Am
Hold My Liquor
Blood on the Leaves
Flashing Lights
Runaway

Get a hold of yourself dude

I'm crying right now

Also, that performance on the SNL special last night read less "brilliant" and more "I'm trying to show people I can be creative and artistic after I said I had no respect for a guy that plays 12 instruments and I only play the piano"

[epilogue]

Kanye songs that have made me cry (so far):

Power
Everything I Am
Hold My Liquor
Blood on the Leaves
Flashing Lights
Runaway

Get a hold of yourself dude

I'm crying right now

Also, that performance on the SNL special last night read less "brilliant" and more "I'm trying to show people I can be creative and artistic after I said I had no respect for a guy that plays 12 instruments and I only play the piano"

[LoathedVermin72]

I'm just gonna throw this out there: Beck never has, and never will, make an album as good as Graduation, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, or Yeezus.

[E.H. Ruddock]

I'm just gonna throw this out there: Beck never has, and never will, make an album as good as Graduation, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, or Yeezus.

The thing is, he wasn't even comparing Beck to his music, he was comparing it to Beyonce's. C'mon, dude, she doesn't even write most of her own stuff.

[E.H. Ruddock]

I'm just gonna throw that out there.

[LoathedVermin72]

I'm just gonna throw this out there: Beck never has, and never will, make an album as good as Graduation, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, or Yeezus.

The thing is, he wasn't even comparing Beck to his music, he was comparing it to Beyonce's. C'mon, dude, she doesn't even write most of her own stuff.

Sure, but I was primarily referencing what you said about Beck's musicianship versus Kanye's and the whole issue of whether he the right to call out "respecting artistry" and whatnot.

Never listened to Beyonce, though, so I can't say anything about that comparison.