Premature Evaluation – reviewing movies and music before they come out. And without the movie or the CD.When Kanye West's The College Dropout hit shelves back in 2002, it was filled with deep, introspective lyrics laced into soulful beats, and it was one of the best albums I've listened to this decade.
But since his strong solo debut, West has been going down a steady slope. Late Registration had its moments with the catchy "Gold Digger" and the rich "Diamonds from Sierra Leone," but as a whole didn't live up to its predecessor. Graduation took another step down. While the tracks featured full-bodied instrumentals and his rapping ability improved, his lyrics took a turn for the worse. He had something to say in his solo debut – he has nothing to talk about in this one.
West's latest effort, 808s and Heartbreaks, is supposedly a departure from rap as reports say West sings the entire album. And from listening to the first single off the album, "Love Lockdown," it is certainly a departure. Not just from rapping, but from West's trademark heavier beats. It's simple and danceable, but not as fun as his some of his previous efforts. "Heartless," the second single, features what sounds like repetitive Peruvian flutes over soft drum beats and synthesized vocals.
If these two songs are indications of what the rest of the album sounds like, it would be another step down as West endeavors into a more generic mainstream path – catchy, but ultimately not memorable.
Buzz level: Two out of four bees.
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