If you, like me, were expecting 808s & Heartbreak to be the worst thing since MF Doom’s Live album, you might as well stop reading right now. Alas, it’s not quite the table coaster it was initially billed as, for there are indeed a couple of gems on ‘Ye’s 4th album. Instead, we get this bold (albeit unoriginal) album that might as well be the red-headed cousin of The Love Below. That’s not saying much though, because this is still Kanye’s worst effort to date. Here’s my take on 808s & Heartbreak.
The Great:
- “Street Lights” – An emotionally raw gem that’s both upsetting and entrancing
- “Coldest Winter” – So frosty it could turn even the brightest disposition hopeless
- “Say You Will” – The longest track on the album is also the best track on the album
The Good:
- “Welcome to Heartbreak” – ‘Ye almost ruined this one with some of the corniest lines I’ve ever heard, but Kid Cudi saves the day.
- “Love Lockdown” – What’s not to love here? The thumping Taiko drums and arena-rap percussion won me over
- “Heartless”
The Meh:
- “Bad News” – The song title couldn’t have been more apropriate
- “Robocop” – The rare lively spot on an otherwise grim album could’ve used a little more beef and a little less cheese
- “Amazing” – Yeezy and Jeezy bragging about the size of their penises or something
- “See You in My Nightmare” – Not even a guest verse by the G.O.A.T. Weezy F Baby could save this snoozfest
- “Paranoid” – Starts off sounding like “Flashing Lights Pt. 2″ but ends up sounding very Kermit the Frog-esque (no disrespect to Kermit).
Verdict: At its best, 808s & Heartbreak offers a glimpse of the soul beneath Kanye’s striped sunglasses. At its worst, this is his least musically experimental and most disappointing effort yet. It’s a well-intentioned but poorly executed album.
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