John Legend & The Roots - Wake Up!

‘Wake Up!’ a collaboration between John Legend and underground hip hop band, The Roots, is a unique, refreshing and poignant album. Best known for their jazzy, neo-soul/rnb sounds, here the eclectic rhythms of the band’s instrumentals are perfectly partnered with Legend’s soulful vocals and some timely (and timeless) subject matter. 

Inspired by the almost-revolutionary zeal of the Obama Presidential campaign in 2008, Legend, who was heavily involved in the crusade, hooked up with The Roots to commemorate that moment of change. The result is a studio recording of just covers – soul music from the radical era of the 1960s and 70s, when inequality and mass social change co-existed. The artists’ twenty-first century interpretations of some of the most obscure songs of that period is so seamless and contemporary that it requires real concentration to actually realise that these are covers.

‘Wake Up!’ the title track, with two different versions bookending the record, is an uplifting anthem which calls for greater accountability from those in positions of social responsibility; doctors, teachers, builders to ‘change together’. Tracks such as ‘Wholy Holy’ by Marvin Gaye, ‘Little Ghetto Boy’ by Donna Hathaway, and ‘Hang on in There’ by Mike James Kirkland cast light on the collective ills that still exist, carry messages about social awareness, engagement, and consequently incite the kind of social action that was relevant then, and continues to be today. The album reaches its climax with ‘I Can’t Write Left Handed’, originally performed by Bill Withers, an eleven-minute saga about a single Vietnam War soldier, which has telling parallels to today’s war-torn situations. The lyrics tell the story from the perspective of a young man who got shot. Legend’s jarring vocals are underscored by some simple piano chords, drum beats and a gospel backing, which reach their crescendo in a three-minute culmination of guitar riffs, cymbals and the sax. And finally, ‘Shine’ is the only original track, written and performed by Legend, and is a beautiful ballad proclaiming the potential of every individual to ‘shine’, if given the appropriate human opportunities to which we’re all entitled.

Within the increasing apathy of today’s popular culture, this album shines as a timely reminder of the interconnectedness of human beings and the responsibilities we have to each other and our world. From its socially-conscious themes to its grass-roots undertones, the album offers a sense of hope and encouragement for the progressively desolate and disparate state of humanity. That, and it just sounds really good! [Image from www.rap-up.com]

Rihanna - Loud

Thanks to Rihanna’s new offering, I now know what a substance-less album sounds like. Titled ‘Loud’, THAT is all the album has going for it – volume. Listen to it at the right decibel and the noise will distract you from the lack of substance, meaning, and any real reason for existence other than as a filler for a dj’s set list. You know, that section where they need anything inane and brainless, but with a good enough beat, to keep the half-drunken twenty-somethings jiving non-rhythmically until closing time.

Where do I start with this mess? While the beats can be generously considered catchy and appealing, after five albums Rihanna’s singing, which at one time could have been considered fresh and exotic, now grates the tortured eardrums like the pained yelps of a cat under a fat man. Such quasi-singing would be excusable if the lyrics were anything but anodyne, unsophisticated and superficial. I wonder what the thinking process was to get to rhyming ‘realise’ with ‘eyes’. Or to declare, like so many who have come before Rihanna, that her money is on her mind. Good songs should read like poetry – with its nuances, subtlety, hidden messages and layered meanings. ‘Why are you standing there with your clothes on?/ Go on baby strip down and take them off’ leaves nothing to the imagination and seriously undermines the intelligence of semi-literate music listeners. (Admittedly, such basic lyrics do cater to a certain type of unrefined audience.) The only good lyrics in the entire album were Eminem’s, in a cameo appearance of Part II of ‘Love the Way You Lie’. Of course, he wrote that part.

On top of that, the actual contents of the songs do nothing more than shamelessly perpetuate the much love-to-hate misconception of hip hop and rnb as little more than hedonistic, overly-sexualised music. There’s nothing wrong with singing about sex and depravity; hey, they’re what make the world go round. But at least put some effort and creative energy into it, instead of resorting to the lowest common denominator with a song titled ‘S&M’ and lyrics like ‘Sticks and stones may break my bones, but chains and whips excite me.’

That said, the album could be interpreted as some kind of emancipation. Two records ago, with ‘Good Girl Gone Bad’, and the skilled and seasoned producing hand of Jay Z, this was appropriate, innovative and executed with sass and style. Now, two albums and a whole lot of courted controversy later, the concept is dated and laughable. What else does she need emancipating from? The result, then, is something that sounds like Rihanna has simply taken the woes of her disastrous personal life out on this album, which is a mess, much like her divisive public profile.

Big words, and punchy sartorial jibes aside, this album simply sucks! After two bad records, whatever appeal or talent Rihanna once had is now officially gone; replaced by the superficial facade of fiery-haired, sultry vixen. But keep in mind that, much like her music, that red weave is also fake. [Image from http://www.muumuse.com/]

Kanye West - My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

Kanye West’s much anticipated and now celebrated new album actually lives up to the hype. ‘My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy’ is an extremely well-written and well-produced body of work. Each song has its own individual ‘oomph’ and uniqueness, with distinctly original beats, clever and beautifully-composed lyrics and most importantly, each song tells a powerful story about Kanye’s life, career, controversies, dreams, nightmares, fantasies, and views on the world. Whereas other artists’ albums contain a handful of good songs and a whole bunch of fillers, making it easy to pick out the good ones, Kanye’s entire record is exceptional, making it almost impossible to ‘choose’ a favourite. This is due in part to the very meticulous production, care, and obvious, and no doubt obsessive, detail that is apparent in each individual song. This album really is a purely creative product of Kanye’s rich and ‘beautiful, dark, twisted fantasy’ world.

Of course the artist’s trademark, and notorious, narcissism pervades the entire record. After a one-year hiatus, the lead track from the album ‘Power’ explains that “I just needed time alone, with my own thoughts/Got treasures in my mind but couldn’t open up my own vault”, and then confidently and aggressively announces that “I was the obamanation of Obama’s nation.”

The record’s zenith is ‘Runaway’, a nine-minute peice which begins with a few simple notes on the piano. Here, Kanye delves into his complex and contradictory relationships and attitudes towards women, and then raises a toast to the ‘douchebags, scumbags, assholes, and jerkoffs’, all labels which he has been given at one time or another. The song ends in an epic guitar riff and then abruptly cuts to ‘Hell of a Life’ which begins with, ‘I think I just fell in love with a porn star.’

Indeed, nothing in this record is subtle or half-hearted. From its controversial original cover (pictured here), to the belligerently poetic honesty of the lyrics, to the tribal undertones of the drums, and finally to the intensely vibrant short film which accompanies the album. All these elements combine to declare to the world that Kanye West is back and better than ever. The film, which Kanye directed, features ex-Victoria’s Secret model Selita E. Banks as an otherworldly phoenix who must die in order to rise and return to her planet, a shallow metaphor for the artist’s fleetingly-stalled career. Nevertheless, and despite Kanye’s terrible acting (he should stick to his day job), it is a visual masterpiece. The most memorable scene contains a group of black-tutued ballerinas performing a beautifully-choreographed dance to the climactic riff of the ‘Runaway’ song against the backdrop of vibrantly green wooden doors. Artistically directed by Italian artist Vanessa Beecroft, the whole film, with its beautiful natural scenery, is shot in ultra colour to accentuate every hue to an artificial and epically-photoshopped palette, thus creating that ‘dark, twisted fantasy’ aura.

Having given an extremely positive review, I am now going to take the unpopular stance and declare that this album is not as good as ‘Heartbreak and 808s’, Kanye West’s previous album. To me, this album lacked the emotional intensity of the last, which was so fraught with pain, passion, angst and outright grittiness. However, both records are, without a doubt, great in their own right, with this latest one further cementing Kanye West’s position as one of the great musicians of this era. [Image from http://kanyewest.com/]

Kid Cudi - Man on the Moon 2: the Legend of Mr Rager

Kid Cudi’s new album ‘Man on the Moon II: The Legend of Mr. Rager’ is the follow up to his debut. Actually, it’s the second instalment of the ‘Man on the Moon’ trilogy. And perhaps like many ill-fated sequels/follow-ups/middle-children, this one just doesn’t live up to the quality of the original. By no means a ‘bad’ record, I was nevertheless left disappointed with this, particularly after the first album was so great.

While the album starts strongly, with the first track marking a clear continuation from the previous, the entire record unfolds like a weak, diluted version of the beats, lyrics, narrative and uniqueness of its superior predecessor.

Once again, this album is divided into Acts, and the story progresses throughout the tracks as on a stage. This time, Kid Cudi divulges the realities of his new life, in all its fame, overindulgence and deep loneliness. Acts II and III are labelled ‘Stronger Trip’ and ‘Party On’, respectively, and both delve the self-destructive path our (anti-)hero undergoes in the attempt to destroy (or find?) himself (or his soul) amongst the tantalizing trappings of fame and fortune. By Act IV Mr Rager of the album’s title, a psychotic alter-ego, has emerged amongst all this excess in search of greater adventures, thrills, and of course, danger. The drama finally culminates in the destruction of...something. The album art depicts Kid Cudi, bloodied and gutted, staring lifelessly from the floor where a knife rests beside his blood-soaked hands. Yet, the final track, one of the better songs on the album, is titled ‘Trapped in My Mind’ and is an internal monologue as the artist contemplates whether or not he’s crazy, and if that’s actually a bad thing. And of course, there is the final instalment of the trilogy to come, suggesting that it is not the hero who has been beaten. So maybe it’s Mr Rager who has died by the end, and Kid Cudi wrestling with the annihilation of his other personality, and now left with nothing but the thoughts in his own mind.

This story should have been a great premise from which to produce another outstanding album, surpassing the previous. But alas that’s not what happened. While there are, without a doubt, some great tracks on this record, mediocrity was the overwhelming impression I got. This is of course, in comparison to the first album. Because this album is still pretty good in comparison to the real mediocre stuff out there. But to accomplish real excellence is to surpass your own excellence, and that’s not what Kid Cudi has achieved here. Let’s hope he can redeem himself in the third album and produce something amazing. I still have hope! [Image from http://www.culturebully.com/]

Drake - Thank Me Later

The much anticipated debut album of Canadian-born rapper Drake has fallen short of the aspirational allusions conjured by the Obama ‘Hope’ appropriation of his album cover. The young rapper almost sets himself up for an Icarus-style disappointment before we can even open the CD case, with a bold cover which alludes to Drake as the rap world’s Obama. Perhaps if he was presenting himself with a little more modesty, I wouldn’t have to be so scathing. But alas he hasn’t, and so I will be.

The album is uneven at best and completely self-indulgent at worst. While it begins well enough, with a stylistic and conceptually sophisticated duet with Alicia Keys, such moments of musical brilliance are short-lived and sporadic. Instead the record is flooded by a deluge of crass over-sexualisations of ‘fancy’ girls, extremely premature self-congratulatory proclamations, and the contradictory existential moments of melancholy at the cash-fuelled emptiness that is his successful rap career.

Of course, not all of it is bad. Some of the tracks are good, and it is apparent that they have been produced by some of the best in the business. But after about the fifth song, that whiney, monotone ‘lyricism’ that is Drake’s rapping really starts to grate at the ear drums.

So while this is a wholly adequate debut album, its pretence of being so much more is what prompts criticism and dramatic eye-rolling from those like myself who believe that, even if an artist is 100% sure of the brilliance of their talents, a little bit of humility and modesty would not go astray when one is trying to prove the legitimacy of such abilities to the rest of the world. Because if an artist is going to imply that they’re brilliant, and the evidence proves the contrary, then it’s fair game for consumers like me to swoop in and point the finger at such blatant and premature self-glorifications. [Image from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:ThankMeLater.jpg]

Eminem - Recovery

Eminem’s new album ‘Recovery’ has brought him out of the abyss of washed-up obscurity. After years of problems, which included two mediocre and quite shallow albums, Eminem has come back with a record that is reminiscent of the success and quality of the ‘Marshall Mathers LP’.

The album is rife with the introspection, self-reflexivity and verbal acrobatics that is characteristic of Eminem’s style. Here the artist is harshly honest, to the point of self-deprecation (at one point he refers to himself as ‘the shit stain on the underwear of life’ – I couldn’t help but lol), as he reflects on the demons and absolute lows of his life in recent years, and the more positive transformation he hopes to make with the release of the album, and a new outlook on life. But don’t expect such optimism to be accompanied by happy beats and cheery lyrics. For even in expressing his hopes for the future, Eminem maintains that edgy, ‘I don’t give a shit’ attitude that we’ve come to know so well.

The second track, ‘Talkin’ 2 Myself’, is one of the best and most powerful, and sets the tone for the entire record. Like much of the album, the track is deeply confessional as it reveals Eminem’s demons and his deepest darkest thoughts as he was wallowed up in the hole of self pity. It is part internal dialogue, and part address to the public on where Eminem has been and where he intends to go. The song not only recounts the drug-fuelled struggles the artist has had over the years, but also critiques his actions. At one point Eminem admits to having considered writing a song dissing Lil’ Wayne and Kanye West out of pure jealousy, but didn’t because “I’da had my ass handed to me, and I knew it.” But Eminem emerges from the dark abyss, recalling how he finally snapped out of it and said to himself, “instead of feelin’ sorry for yourself do somethin’ ‘bout it / admit you got a problem, your brain is clouded you pouted / long enough, it isn’t them it’s you you fuckin’ baby / quit worryin’ about what they do and do Shady.” The song fittingly ends with the proclamation “to everybody else...I’m back!”

This is truly one of the great comeback albums. Not only does it contain the very necessary commercial appeal, through collaborations with some very big names, but it also has the much more important ingredients of real creativity and honest song writing that makes an artistically successful record. Some songs are uncomfortably confessional, others are outrageously hilarious in their social commentaries and inversion of the English language, and finally one is a touching tribute to the rapper’s slain friend and band mate Proof. Whatever your thoughts on Eminem and his controversial public image, one cannot deny, particularly after listening to this album, that he is one of those rare artists who can transform internal thoughts into poetic lyrics, and finally into an awesome rap.

[Check out another really good review on the album, http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/music/eminem-recovery-20100625-z98t.html - I think it says it better.]

Nas & Damien 'Jr Gong' Marley - Distant Relatives

‘Distant Relatives’ is a full collaborative effort between Nas and Damien ‘Jr Gong’ Marley which, as the artists explain, “explore and celebrate the correlations and deep-rooted connections between reggae and hip hop, tracing both sounds back to the African motherland that is both the cradle of humanity and the wellspring of mankindʼs music.” (check out their myspace) Such a monumental task has been achieved in this record which comprises a seamless amalgamation of hip hop and reggae beats, along with some very well-written and provocative lyrics.

The album packs a lot into an average-lengthed recording. Exploring a myriad of issues – from diaspora and displacement, to family and friends, and finally to religion and even the origin of humanity – the songs are highly political, deeply reflective, historically contentious, acutely aware of social forces, and didactic enough for an attuned listener to sit up and pay attention. All this without being overly-serious and completely accusatory.

This is an extremely well-composed piece of storytelling. The songs are great compositions in their own right, combining well-written poetic verse, with some extremely funky and varied beats, which range from tribal to up lifting. But together, the tracks tell a poignant and conflicting story of the African people; their history, culture, oppression, and finally their (impending) freedom. For example, the final track, ‘Africa must wake up’, charts the long history of the continent from its glorious past to its displaced present, making some confronting claims throughout. Nas asks, “Who are we today? / The slums/ Deceases / AIDS...Our Diaspora/ Is the final chapter / The ancestral lineage / Built pyramids / America’s first immigrant / The King’s son and daughters / From Nile waters / The first architect / The first philosophers / Astronomers / The first prophets and the doctors was us.”

There is much to say, and much to discover in this extremely unique and multifaceted ode to reggae, hip hop and the African motherland. Needless to say, this is what good music should do – incite passion, provoke revolutionary thought, and instill an awareness of society and, not only its ills but also, its redemptive capacity. [image from http://www.realhiphopsince79.com/]

Rihanna - Rated R

Rihanna’s latest album ‘Rated R’ is good in the sense that the songs are catchy, radio-worthy and overall appealing to the general population. Regular readers of this blog will probably know where I’m going with this.

The album is skilfully compiled, with a wide variety of well-composed beats and songs, ranging from pop, slow jams, hard-core hip hop and rnb, and even an ‘experimental’ rock song. However, the songs’ contents lack any real artistic merit and maturity, oscillating superficially between anger, remorse and self-pity. This is probably due to the fact that this album was Rihanna’s first professional attempt at song writing, and it shows.

In an interview with ‘W’ magazine, Rihanna says of the album, “It was really personal; it was from me in the most authentic way. It’s like a movie.” If this album was like a movie, then it was a very high-budget, low-substance type of movie; the kind where you put all the young Hollywood big names in a superficial storyline to get the teeny-boppers into the cinemas. The accompanying album photos, of Rihanna in various forms of violent erotica, cements efforts to appeal to a general populace who have been conditioned to find such ‘controversial’ images alluring.

The only song which sounded like it had any real, genuine, untainted emotion was ‘The Last Song’, the final track of the album. This song was perhaps the saving grace of the record. The chorus asks, “What if you wasted love and all of our time disappeared? And this sad song ends up being the last song you’ll ever hear?” It really did capture the emotional despair and regret of a love gone wrong.

Overall though, it is apparent that, other than being a weak expression of Rihanna’s psyche, the album’s main goal is really about selling records and captialising on her very public and personal break up with Chris Brown. Because in terms of harnessing such a traumatic experience into something artistic, ie. an artistic response, this album fails. It’s too polished, prescribed, and typical of ‘personal’ albums that still want to sound ‘pretty’ in order to sell. Compare this with Kanye West’s ‘808s’, where the artist was not afraid to channel his anger, frustration and overwhelming sense of loss into something confronting, uncomfortable and down-right ugly. That was a real, authentic, poetic response. Rihanna’s was simply amateur storytelling. [Image from http://rashaentertainment.com/]

Usher - Raymond vs. Raymond

Usher’s new album ‘Raymond vs. Raymond’ is fine. Yep, just fine. If this album was released, say, ten years ago, it may have been described in more complimentary terms, but now, it’s just fine. At this point, I do have to acknowledge that it debuted at number 1 in the U.S. charts, but of course, I’m usually a little more judgemental than your average consumer.

Basically, this album sounds a lot like his last four. It reeks of the over-sexualised narcissism that has come to characterise Usher’s public persona and his music. This may have been different and new in ‘My Way’, his first record in 1997, but after four albums it’s tiring, trite, contrived and of course fully predictable.

The album is formulaic and uninspiring, as Usher continues to sing about the same subjects he did 13 years ago, with lyrics such as “I’m not a player, I’m a pro” and “I’m guilty ‘cause girls always wanna show me love.” Puh-leese Usher, we all know you know you’re hot, you’ve told us continually. How about telling us something new? Not only that, but such eye-rolling lyrics are sung in the same manner and style, and to basically the same beats as those of the past – there’s no evidence of artistic maturity or development, it’s simply static. There’s nothing wrong with singing about sex – it’s ever-present in our overly-saturated pop culture, but since it is so ubiquitous, an artist of Usher’s supposed calibre should be attempting to explore it with more originality.

Granted, if one were to stick this album on in a club full of half drunken 20-somethings, no one would leave the dance floor. Of course, they would also just continue in the same generic head bopping and body grinding as they would do with any other song. It’s just fine.

The one exception to this is ‘OMG’, Usher’s collaboration with Will.I.Am, which is the debut single from the album and is currently all over the radio. It is a great song, with the kind of freshness and funk that has come to be expected of Will.I.Am. The beat is Black Eyed Peas-esque, but unique enough to stand on its own as a great beat accompanied by some pretty good lyrics.

Usher is a great singer; his vocals are awesome, which is probably what has sustained him for so long. But his lyrics and song style in general have been exhausted. It was time to try something new two years ago. Maybe he’ll finally work up the courage and creativity to go outside his own status quo for the next album. [Image from http://agentsmithfiles.wordpress.com/category/usher/]

The Auto-Tune Debate - Is it Cheating? by Pappa G, Krucial Komposers

Here's another perspective on the auto-tune debate from a more informed source than myself. http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendId=491728499&blogId=533771242

Brian McFadden - Just Say So

Brian McFadden’s new song, ‘Just Say So’ is a great example of so many things that are wrong with pop music today. This is where the distinction between real musical artists and mindless vehicles of mass distribution is made.

First of all, the crappy and annoying dance/pop beat and the uninspired lyrics are modelled on nothing more than the myriad of cookie-cutter pop songs made to appeal to the masses without any attempt at something different or fresh. Not to mention the terrible ‘singing’. Every time I hear this song, before screaming and quickly switching off the radio, I get visual flashes of a really tacky Euro-pop or Asian-pop song where the singer, all dressed in white, lip-syncs and sways non-rhythmically against a backdrop of strobes and disco lights. The image is disconcerting to say the least.

What’s worse, though, is that McFadden’s song makes auto-tune look like the lazy man’s singing. His overuse of the newest innovation in music demonstrates that just because it’s new and available, not every ‘singer’ can or should use auto-tune. It still takes skill to properly distort one’s voice in this abstract manner and come away with something that doesn’t sound like a whining dog. Here, McFadden has somehow managed to use auto-tune to go back in time. This song is nothing more than a badly made 90s-type boy band song. McFadden used to be in a boy band, which obviously didn’t work out, so why he would be trying to relive this ill-fated path in what should be a solo direction, I have no idea.

The song is also a good example of the difference between skill and talent. Just because one can sing, doesn’t mean they’re an artist. Art isn’t just about having the skill, it’s more about having the originality and audacity to harness that skill to create something different, new, challenging, exciting; not to REcreate something that someone else has done before, and done better. McFadden has just badly copied the innovations in auto-tune and given its critics another reason to hate it. Just in case anybody is unclear, this is what you should NOT do with auto-tune. [Image from http://www.posh24.com/]

Kid Cudi - Man on the Moon: the End of Day

Kid Cudi’s debut album, ‘Man on the Moon: the End of Day’ jumps straight into the deep, introverted, self-reflexiveness that makes this more than just another RnB record. The chorus of the first track begins with the line, “I’ve got some issues that nobody can see, and all of these emotions are pouring out of me...this is the soundtrack to my life.” This life apparently includes the co-existence of ‘Scotty’ the person and his alter ego Kid Cudi the artist. Both personalities are present in this album which combines a diverse range of hip hop and Rnb beats with the kind of clever lyricism that is akin to poetry and doesn’t resort to the lowest common denominator that has become typical, and let’s face it – tiresome, of this genre of music.

For instance, even though he raps about the ubiquitous topic of sex, the lyrics are neither basic nor two-dimensionally derogatory; instead, sex is explored and discussed in a stylistically sophisticated, yet un-esoteric, manner. This approach is accompanied by some very clever double-entendres, and well-placed pop cultural allusions. One of my favourites of this is, “I’ve got 99 problems, and they all bitches...” ‘Make Her Say’, a good example, is a collaboration with Kanye West and Common, with Lady Gaga’s ‘Poker Face’ in the background, which explores the pursuit of women in this more subtle and humorous way. The song, believe it or not, actually has layers.

Kid Cudi also comments on the clichéd/stereotypical rap culture, neither denouncing nor glorifying it, but rather acknowledging that he is both inside and outside this controversial environment. He also acknowledges its very real effects on both his creative and personal psyches – as he is trying to “find peace somewhere.”

Of course, all the subject matter of this record is not deeply autobiographical. In fact, some of my favourite songs are a partnering of great, unique-sounding beats with some more light-hearted topics. One is ‘Day N Night’, a song about a “lonely stoner” rapped to a really funky beat. Another good one is ‘Hyerr’, an unconventional slow-jam about a familiar first love –weed.

Considering this is his debut, Kid Cudi’s album has the stylistic sophistication and depth of meaning that is expected from someone more mature and experienced. This record reflects the potential for this genre of music to be so much more than what many of its ‘artists’ are lowering it to, and what many of its critics have come to expect –the overly-sexualised, highly violent and basically unintelligent crap that appeals to the lowest common denominator in not only subject matter, but audience alike. Kid Cudi’s album not only has great beats and doesn’t ‘dumb down’ its contents, it also realises a more intelligent audience who can appreciate the multi-layered character that hip hop/RnB music can be. [Image from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kid_Cudi]

Kanye West - Heartbreak and 808s

One of my favourite albums of all time is Kanye West’s ‘Heartbreak and 808s’. If ever contemporary art could be translated into music, this is what it would sound like. Every time I hear this album, I think of it as an amazing, passionate, emotional, intense art work – the type that makes you stop in your tracks, takes your breath away and sends shivers down your spine.

Let’s forget for a moment the public persona of Kanye West as arrogant, narcissistic douche bag who stole the thunder from sweet little Taylor Swift’s moment at the MTV Awards – the whole world is pretty much in agreement that that was a pretty jerk-off thing to do. The man may have some social behaviour issues, but he is a real artist – a rare gem in the myriad of pseudo-pop artists, so-called ‘gangsta rappers’ and plain old spoilt rich kids trying to prove their ‘talent’ with a load of daddy’s money, some studio time, and a whole lot of auto-tune.

West’s music is the real deal, and ‘808s’ is the culmination of almost a decade’s worth of lyrical compositions and musical experimentations in Hip Hop and R’n’B. There is no appropriate label for the sounds which derive from West’s latest album, arguably his biggest triumph to date. Not only is the music groundbreaking, created mainly with a Roland 808 Rhythm Composer – one part of the album’s title – but the other part of the title, the ‘heartbreak’ is practically transmitted through the speakers to the listener. This is where the real artistry of West’s album is manifested – in the marriage between new, innovative sounds and intense, jarring lyrics. As a response to personal traumas and tragedies in his life, West throws the tumultuous emotions of such turmoils – arguably his soul – into this body of work which screams of anger, resentment, acceptance, and the almost impossible, but always necessary need to move on.

My absolute favourite song on the album is ‘Tell Everybody That You Know’. This is the ultimate break-up track; no sappy “I miss you” or “I will always love you”, not even a courtesy “I’ll be thinking of you”. With lines such as “You do you and I’m just gonna be fine/Okay I got you out my mind”, and “I might see you in my nightmare”, and finally “It’s all because of you/Girl we through/You think your shit don’t stick but you are Missus Pee-eww”, this song is absolutely raw in its anger, and utter detestation from the scorned lover himself. Every time I hear this song, I can literally feel West’s contempt, loathing and downright hatred for the subject of the song – his delivery of the lyrics even sound ugly at the climactic moment.

This is the angriest of break-up albums, and yet it is the only time I have considered a contemporary piece of music as a real-bonafide, belongs-in-a-gallery piece of art. Forget about the public persona and tabloids, and just listen to the record, no bias.