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| by kenn on 8/25/2005 01:04:00 PM |
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Kanye Album by: Mikey
Source: Mikey
"Thanks Mikey. When ever you have anyopinions send in maybe I'll post'em, thanks again."
The album brings it. It’s a solid album and will sell many copies just from the
buzz generated from his first album alone. The lyrics are all solid on every
track. He truly doesn’t waste any of his lines on the album.
However, it is no where close to the calibre of his first one. There are no
truly genius songs on the album like Jesus Walks on College Dropout. It also
seems as though he overdid the retro feelin on the song. The album would’ve
been helped if he changed the beats up a little bit. I guess the major
difference is the absence of Miri Ben Ari who helped him out on the first one.
This album is no where close to the history making tracks like Through the
Wire, We Don’t Care, and Jesus Walks.
Also, many of the songs are dragged on way pass there desired ending points, and
theres not much diversity on the album.
You’ll definitely like the album but if you’re looking for a legendary track
like Jesus Walks you won’t find it on this one.
Songs that I think stand out would be Touch the Sky, Heard Em Say, Bring Me
Down, Diamonds and Hey Mama.
Wake Up Mr. West
The album picks up where the last one left off. We gots Bernie doing his thing
trying to kill Kanyes flame…luv his intros
Transitions into the next track really nicely
Heard ‘Em Say (ft. Adam Levine of Maroon 5)
At first I really didn’t like this track but it grew on me quickly. Im really
feelin the instrumentals on this. The soulful beats that Kanye is known for is
exemplified on this one. The piano is a killer on this one and Levines
saxophone like voice compliment this jazz like track to perfection. I wish
Kanye woulda rhymed a lil softer on this track to make it mix a lil more but
the lyrics are solid and like a medicine for this track.
7.5/10
The album starts off and picking up from the last one and taking up a few
levels.
Touch the Sky (ft. Lupe Fiasco)
Wow! What more can I say? By far my favourite track on the whole album. The
horns, the beats, the intensity, I love this track. This is truly one of the
most inspiration tracks I’ve ever heard. Love to hear about Kanyes rise from
adversity and he gives us all a lil something to put on our stereos when haters
tell us we’ll never reach our dreams. The whole track is just lovely put
together. Like the additional of Lupe, don’t know who he is but his verse is
solid.
10/10
Gold Digger (ft. Jaime Foxx)
I hated this track the first time I heard. I didn’t like the video and I hated
Foxx imitating the late great Ray Charles. However, this track like many of the
songs on the album gets better the more you listen to it. The strength of this
song is the message. If you just listen to the lyrics and the lesson Mr West is
tryin to teach you, you’ll appreciate the track a lil more.
Another thing I didn’t like about the track is how Foxx keeps reiterating ‘she
gives me money/when I’m in need’ but isn’t it she that is trying to take his
money. This line makes more sense when you hear the last verse which tells of
how the male leaves the woman but still is a questionable line on the song.
6.5/10
Skit 1
Kanye with he’s traditional skits. I like his sense of humour added to a lil
commentary about society and the price of gas.
Drive Slow (ft. Paul Wall, GLC)
The sax is hot on this album. The nice mellow, slow track gives a nice vibe and
def describes the title of the track, to take life slower and not to rush into
everything, to perfection. At first I hated the addition of Paul Wall just
because he looks like a goof ball that tries too hard. But his lyrics are
solid. My favourite line by far is his ‘open up my mouth and sunlight
illuminates the dark’ This is a nice track that mirrors his spaceship track on
the last album so if you liked that one you’ll def feel this one.
7/10
My Way Home (ft. Common)
This track doesn’t have an ounce of Kanyes voice. Showcases Commons lyrical
ability on this short track. Very depressing, not really feelin it.
5/10
Crack Music (ft. Game)
Really thought this was gonna be a crazy track. Boy was I wrong, Game only says
one line in the hook, doesn’t even do a verse. The refrain is repeated way too
many times and the track is dragged on at the end.
4/10
Roses
I like this track because its real. He reminisces on experiences that we all go
through where we got a dying relative and can’t do nothing for them. The moving
instrumentals with the nice soulful chorus really flatter this track. Second
verse is a lil weak in some areas with the ‘auntie team’ line. All in all,
solid classic Kanye track.
7.5/10
Bring Me Down (ft Brandy)
This track is a really motivating track. Another standout on the album. Brandy’s
voice really brings this song up and helps convey the feeling of the over coming
the haters.
The first verse is a lyrical masterpiece by Mr. West. If theres a weakness to
this song is that it only has that one verse.
8.5/10
Addiction
I like this track, like with the rest of the album, a lot of the songs you can
tell whether or not you’ll like it in the first ten seconds. Has the classic
soul feelin.
7.5/10
Diamonds From Sierra Leone (ft. Jay Z)
Kanye does a new verse on this version, it actually speaks of the situation in
Sierra Leone. The verse is pretty crazy and Jays verse on this track is classic
Hov, adds a lil shot at Fat Joe. The only criticism of this track is that the
transitions is a lil rough and he shouldn’t have used any lyrics from the video
version except for the chorus.
8.5/10
We Major (ft. Nas & Really Doe)
I can’t stand this track so Im not gonna go indepth. Hopefully it’ll grow on me
later.
1/10
Hey Mama
Kanye brings the flame on this one. He’s talking bout his mama so you know you
gonna love this one. Nice soulful track to pay tribute to his mama. Play this
one on mothers day. The electric guitar adds a nice touch to this one.
9/10
Celebration
I like this song cuz it’s a celebration. It’s not an amazing track but you’ll
like it. Good song to relax to after a hard day.
7.5/10
Gone (ft. Consequence, Cam’ron)
This is one of those songs that im not really feelin right now but you know
you’ll like it down the road. The beat doesn’t suit Cam’s style and it sounds a
lil bit corny.
Diamonds (video version)
Yall heard it, hot beat, hot verses.
8.5/10
Late (hidden track)
They probably gonna do something where if you buy the album you can download
this one for free. This one is currently describing my life so I love it. It’s
like he wrote this song about me. The beat and everything is average it appeals
to me cause it is me.
8/10
Free
Apple iPod Program
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