Kanye West Gives Us His Broadway Moment

In theater we describe musicals as being scenarios where the stakes get so high that characters can't express themselves through words anymore; they feel so strongly about the given situation that they have to sing. That same idea is what drives Kanye West's new album, the remarkably divisive 808's & Heartbreak . Released less than a year after the death of West's mother and breaking up with his fiancee, 808's presents a drastically different side of the self-proclaimed voice of this generation. While purist rap fans will scoff at West's turn toward unfiltered emotion and honesty, those willing to let Kanye pour his soul out on his terms (and really, after the hits he's given us, don't we owe him that much?) will find an arresting, albeit flawed listen.

808's and Heartbreak features none of the ego and spectacle that's made Kanye West a household name. The album opens with West letting his barriers down to show that he's really hurting on "Say You Will". Between the warbling "hey, hey, hey, hey"s and the admissions that he misses the mystery girl, it's hard to suggest the hurt is anything but genuine. On the first single "Love Lockdown" 'Ye switches gears and becomes the one dealing out the hurt, declaring "Where I want to go / I don't need you". "Paranoid" and "Heartless" are the two songs closest in style to the West of old, with bouncy choruses and a touch of self-confidence, while "Amazing" lets Kanye's ego out for a little sun, while letting Kanye get to work his pipes (and Auto-Tune). The heart-wrenching closer "Coldest Winter" brings the record full circle, offering an emotionally charged tribute to Kanye's mother. Across the board 808's and Heartbreak is an honest record, immortalizing West's feelings in a style far different than anything we've heard from the man before now.

Kanye's feelings and passion are palpable throughout every track, and for the most part that carries this record a long way. Moments where other artists would sound cringe-inducingly bad are forgiven here because it's accepted that Kanye must be really commited to a song if he's willing to sing rather than rap it. That said, West is still a rapper first and foremost, and he's not ready to make the jump completely on this record, which hurts the product in some spots. "Amazing" sounds like it belongs, but its message doesn't fit the theme of the rest of the album, and his collaboration with Lil' Wayne "See You In My Nightmares" feels forced into this album, not really belonging in any sense. I applaud Kanye for taking a sharp turn out of his comfort zone and being fully committed to that turn for the most part, but this is by no means a perfect album.

808's and Heartbreak will likely be remembered as Kanye letting off steam in the wake of an unimaginably difficult year. it's very much a product of what Kanye was feeling in this present moment, and I don't foresee West continuing this path on the next album. Having said that, Kanye West has taken a jump with his music that few artists in any genre dare make, and for that it's only fair to give Kanye massive amounts of credit for his effort.

Final Score: 6.5/10

Kanye West - Heartless [iTunes]
Kanye West - Street Lights [iTunes]

==TJ==