It’s definitely not the opening you’d expect from the ego-driven singer and record producer Kanye West, but judging from the first single, “Welcome to Heartbreak,” 808s & Heartbreak, the latest album from self-proclaimed “voice of this generation,” will not feature any workout plans or gold-diggers. In all, the album is a mixed bag of tracks and a clear departure from the rapper/producer’s sample-laden, scholarly-themed past works.
The aforementioned first single reflects West’s state of mind due to the immense loss he’s experienced in the past year. Coping with his co-manager and mother’s unexpected and tragic death resulting from complications from a cosmetic procedure, along with the breakup with his former 18-month fiancee, West’slyrics reveal his remorse and heartache.
And this theme of sadness continues throughout the album. “Heartless,” the second track on the album, suggests Kanye’s feelings of resentment about his breakup with lyrics like, “In the night, I hear ’em talk/ The coldest story ever told/ Somewhere far along this road, he lost his soul to a woman so heartless/ How could you be so heartless?” His heartache is also obvious in the last track “Coldest Winter” with the lyrics, “Memories made in the coldest winter/ Goodbye my friend, will I ever love again?”
Despite his angst, Kanye’s first track also proves this 10-time Grammy winning rapper perseveres: “And my head keeps spinning/ Can’t stop having these visions/ I gotta keep with it.”
Regardless of past traumas, the haunting nature of multiple tracks on 808s & Heartbreak is a major stylistic change for the artist. While this should certainly be lauded, West’s reinvention hasn’t come without its drawbacks. Rarely on this album does he actually rap, delivering virtually all of his lyrics by way of vocodered, T-Pain-esque warbling.
Creating a new musical identity definitely worked for artists like Madonna and Christina Aguilera, but only critics and fans can determine if Kanye’s slower, melancholy beats in 808s & Heartbreak will cause crowds to be sympathetic or decrease album sales.
3 stars out of 5
