1st review after preview in london
I gave you a brief teaser last night but yesterday 1Xtra hosted an exclusive 'Audience With Kanye West' at the BBC's famous Radio Music Theatre where he took an special select audience through his album Graduation. You can hear the whole thing (including many WORLD PREMIERS) with Trevor Nelson from 4pm. Before you hear that though, lemme break down some of the tracks on the album for you.
Before I go into this, let me state for the record that 'Graduation' very possibly could be my album of the year. Common & Klashnekoff's albums are the only 2 other albums I've listened to this year that could compete - but 'Yay just edges it out. 50 Cent has vowed to retire if Kanye outsells his album 'Curtis' which is being released on the same day. Don't get it twisted, "I Got Money" (50's current street single) and the freshly leaked "Follow My Lead" are very good singles but listening to the quality of Kanye's album (which is far more cohesive than anything 50 has done since Get Rich Or Die Trying) I think he should contact the retirement village and reserve his place.
Mobile phones/cameras/recording equipment etc... were banned from the venue to make sure there were no leaks (although Yeezy still had his on and even took a call from his A&R Plain Pat who was mastering the album during the playback) and I forgot my pen and pad so I can't break down every track (my memory isn't that good) but I can remember most of them. Kanye came on stage with his Louis Vitton bag, pulled out his mac laptop, plugged it in and pressed play so...
The first thing he played was a track he'd just finished for Lil Wayne - just to test the sound system and trust me, it was FIRE!! The Carter 3 is gonna be a hot album. Utilising some hardcore jazz break, it was the classic Pete Rock/DJ Premier kind of Hip Hop sound with a 2007 Kanye twist - something many producers have been trying to achieve for years.
He then started to go through the album:
Good Morning - strong start to the album, really aspirational and powerful.
I Wonder - Reminiscent to 'Never Let Me Down' in mood, one for the ladies. Kanye testing out a new kind of flow here - not too sure on one listen, need to hear it again.
Stronger - The version that will appear on the album is much bigger and (pardon the pun) stronger than the version out now because Kanye has strengthened the drums. My main critiscism of the track was that the drums were weak and took away from the track because they weren't punchy enough, well, after hearing 'The Way I Are' compared to 'Stronger' in a club, 'Yay apparently hollered at Timbaland and the pair worked on the drums. Nice!
Champion - this one could be a future #1. Big sample, big hook, big beat. Feels a bit like 'Touch The Sky' in mood, but the beat is much stronger. kanYe says this was Timbaland's favourite track.
Flashing Lights - another one of the tracks he's done in the past 3 weeks. This one is another banger. I can hear it bumping in a club. It's got a sort of slowed down house beat with arpeggiating synths and a 4x4 kinda beat pattern - like how Dre did for Eminem's "Encore" & 50's "Outta Control". Definitely a future single.
Homecoming (Feat. Chris Martin) - On the strength of this, I can safely say that Kanye has got the best Chris Martin from Coldplay performance on a Hip Hop record. Big stadium sounding record - I can picture this one being performed in front of an arena crowd and going down really well. That's one of the things 'Yay said he was aiming for on the record - to make "...stadium status" records that will translate well in front of a huge crowd and be around for over 20 years and still be relevant. Bono from U2 apparently said that kanYe's the only one from his community who has the potential to do that. We'll have to wait and see but with tracks like this, he's going on the right path.
Barry Bonds (Feat Lil Wayne) - If you're someone who hates on Kanye because he doesn't make that "real" Hip Hop, prepare to eat your words. A track so big Kanye had to play it twice and he didn't do that to any other track on the album. Featuring Lil Wayne, this is something that will not be a commercial hit but will be one of any true Hip Hop head's biggest tracks from the album. So boasty and full of swagger, it's "Brooklyn's Finest" but with a dude from the Chi and a dude from Norleans. Big. Kanye asked the audience which record he should leak and we said this one so he promised he would leak it before the end of the week - shouts to Spine!
Good Life (Feat. T-Pain) - Kanye claims this is the most obvious straight to radio record he's done yet but I don't see much difference in feel to this and 'Gold Digger'. Sampling Michael Jackson's PYT and featuring Teddy Penderassdown, if this isn't a future #1, I'll be VERY surprised. That said, it's a banging track - one that will work on the radio and in the club. Big hook, accessable lyrics and it's near impossible to sample something from 'Thriller' and not make a banger. He said the video is in the process of being completed and will be directed by the same dude who did Justice's amazing D.A.N.C.E video. That one will be very interesting - especially after it was Justice who won the MTV video award over Kanye last year...
Can’t Tell Me Nothing - Nothing more to add to this track - you know it! It's the anthem for anyone wanting to quit their sh*tty 9-5 job that features the lead singer from Australia's Sneaky Sound System. I actually prefer the remix with Jeezy but the original is the one that features on the album. BTW - have you seen the crazy second video?
Drunk And Hot Girls (Feat. Mos Def) - weakest link on the album sees a 3/4 beat and Kanye and Mos Def sing rapping about messing with drunk and hot girls. Think I need a couple of listens to be able to get it.
Everything I Am (Scratches by DJ Premier) - Another big "real" Hip Hop feeling track. Banging beat, Primo sounding better than ever (you forget what level of actual DJ skills the other Chris Martin has)
Big Brother - Kanye says this one will be the album closer contrary to all the online tracklistings and if it is, there is no stronger way to close the album. Kanye said that he feels that this track is his strongest ever lyrically, career defining record and I have to agree. He asked those of us who have heard it to not spoil it for others by revealing what the concept of the record is but lets just say he's done something no other rapper has ever done on this record. When I get the album, this will probably be the first track I play.
So overall, it's a VERY strong album full of moments for everyone - from the hardcore underground backpacker Hip Hop fan to the pop music fan who only knows Kanye from Gold Digger. 9 out of 10 from me.
Make sure you check Trevor Nelson's show :
http://www.bbc.co.uk/1xtra/trevornelson/
this weekend to hear the whole thing - let me know what you think once you've heard it.
Quelle:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/mistajam/2007/08/kanyewest_graduation_1.shtml
