Record Review

Album: 808's & Heartbreak

Artist: Kanye West

Record Label: Roc-a-fella/DefJam

Rating: 3.5/5

Kanye West recently followed up his first three critically acclaimed hip-hop albums by venturing into a new world of music. Kanye has often proclaimed himself to be an international pop star and not just a rapper. This new album reflects that vision and direction. West recently dealt with the loss of his mother and a rough break up with his fiancee. 808's & Heartbreak, named for the drum machine used to make the beats, is a glimpse into the mind of a superstar who is reeling from these emotional times in his life.

The main difference between this album and other Kanye albums is the obvious lack of "rapping." West sings on every track using the autotune software popularized by T-Pain. While this software does give West's voice an eery tone that fits the subject matter, I get tired of it by the end of the album.

Another difference is that in the past, Kanye's albums have been quite diverse, featuring a wide variety of sounds and moods. 808's & Heartbreak is brooding and dark throughout. Fortunately, this works to West's advantage because it allows the listener to connect emotionally with West's experiences. This is quite possibly one of the most personal albums I've listened to in a while. The soundscapes of each song are supported by the simplistic 808 drums.

Overall, 808's & Heartbreak is an exciting trip into the mind of a broken-hearted superstar. West tries things that haven't been tried in pop music before and breaks through boundaries that separate genres of music. Despite all this, I still miss the old Kanye. I miss the more soulful tracks and quit-witted rhymes. Hopefully, this album has given Kanye to get all the pop out of his system and when he drops the rumored follow-up to Graduation in June we will get a real hip-hop classic.

My favorite songs are Street Lights:

and Amazing: