As Sydneydoll pointed out, the Killer's new album Day and Age is out this week. The two tracks I've heard, 'Human' and 'Spaceman' seem like a return to the awesome dance-pop-synth-rock of Hot Fuss. Their second album Sam's Town was attacked by the critics for not being "exactly the same but even more awesome than we expected". Instead it was a different direction, one that I thought worked quite well. I really enjoyed both albums. This time around I hope they'll find some sort of mid-point.And yes, I might be a tad excited about Kanye's 808s and Heartbreaks. Here's why.
Mr West's first album, The College Dropout, was definitely a rap album. Skits, short songs with random bits, a bunch of rapping. Yep, it was a rap album for sure. And a good one too. Sharp, punchy, and lovingly prepared, The College Dropout was Kanye as the young firebrand coming to shake the game up. 'Jesus Walks' asked why he couldn't talk about Jesus in a personal way over a killer thumping beat, 'Through the Wire' was recorded only weeks after his mouth was smashed off in a car crash, and 'We Don't Care' was playfully aimed at those selling drugs AND the college crowd.
His second album was Late Registration and already Kanye was moving towards more pop sensibilities. He got Jon Brion to co-produce, a man known for producing film scores, Rufus Wainwright and Fiona Apple, rather than rap albums. 'Gold Digger' and 'Touch the Sky' were the standout hits, although the two versions of 'Diamonds from Sierre Leone' were better songs, in my opinion. Musically Kanye was expanding his horizons, with large parts of 'Gone' and 'Roses' sounding like film scores. It was still a rap-heavy album, with lots of cameos from established rappers like Cam'Ron, Common, Consequence, Jay-Z, Nas, Paul Wall, Game and... Adam Levine. It also launched Lupe Fiasco's career. After the album came out, Kanye started adding live string performances in his concerts, and was experimenting with new sounds.
By the time Graduation came out, Kanye was full-on into pop production. He sampled Daft Punk for 'Stronger', which became a hit around the world and did more to propel him into the pop charts outside America than any of his other singles so far. Already by then it was clear he was moving more into singing than rapping, or at least a combination of both. This was a feel-good pop album with lots of rapping, rather than the other way around. 'The Good Life', 'Champion' and 'Homecoming' were upbeat dance tracks with catchy, singalong choruses and easy to follow raps. The introspective stuff like 'I Wonder' and 'Everything I am' showed him trying out new rapping styles, but his rapping generally took a back seat to the production, including the excellent 'Flashing Lights'. For Australians, Sneaky Sound System lead singer Connie Mitchell sang vocals on quite a few tracks on Graduation. This album sold stacks and helped send Kanye to a new level of popularity.
However in the leadup to his wedding to his long-time fiance, Kanye's mother Donda West decided to get some liposuction to look in shape before the wedding. Donda, a professor of English at a Chicago University, died on the operating table in the hands of a shonky surgeon. Since then, Kanye and his fiance have broken up. The performance of 'Hey Mama' at the Grammy's this year was powerful.
808s and Heartbreaks is Kanye's breakup album. He's had his heart broken with the death of his mother and the loss of a long-term relationship. He's said it's not a rap album, it's a pop album. And it's causing some controversy. Kanye's made use of AutoTune to sing most of the album, and there's barely any rapping. I'm tipping 'Robocop' and 'Paranoid' to be the catchy hits, although it wouldn't surprise me if 'Heartless' and 'Coldest Winter' made it big. 'Coldest Winter' is about his mother dying ("Memories made in the coldest winter, goodbye my friend, will I ever love again?"). Some fans are hoping he comes out with a rap album next year. Personally, I don't know. I think the reaction to this album will determine that. Kanye cares a lot about what people think. I think he's on a quest to make the perfect pop song, but that's just me.One thing is for sure - he knows how to make good music. And I'm enjoying watching him develop his skills and become the producer he's certain he can be.
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