I hate to ruin the parade in this thread, but can someone explain to me how this is different to every other rap album? Sounds pretty normal to me.

 

I know this will come off as a lazy reply, but basically read this review (which everyone should read anyway because it's very well written and badass okay). I'm no good with words and describing music - but basically, from a technical standpoint, every song has a million things going on in it at the same time, elements coming and going for different parts of the song. Not just the sampled piano/synth line/drum beat/vocal bits like people would expect, but choruses, orchestral flourishes, distorted basslines, and the comically large number of guest appearances, all of whom make stellar performances. And that's not even going into all the themes, the ridiculous number of genius verses, blahdiblah. I'm really no connoisseur of rap music, but as a music lover it's a [bleep]ing fantastic album.

I hate to ruin the parade in this thread, but can someone explain to me how this is different to every other rap album? Sounds pretty normal to me.

Listen to Power and just pay attention to how layered it is. How it rises and falls, fades in and out. One second it's a guitar wailing in the background, then a synth, then a cello, then bass, etc. That's something you won't find in most other rap albums. Even a lot of my favorite underground artists can't touch Kanye's production on this album.

I haven't listened to the whole album, but while it may be surprisingly layered for hip-hop it doesn't seem like much to stare at... Especially those 21st Century Schizoid Man samples.

I listened to this for the first time today, it's damn good.

I hate to ruin the parade in this thread, but can someone explain to me how this is different to every other rap album? Sounds pretty normal to me.

Because every single track is good, and he's changing hip-hop. This isn't your typical hip-hop album that's definately for sure.

I hate to ruin the parade in this thread, but can someone explain to me how this is different to every other rap album? Sounds pretty normal to me.

 

How can you say that? It's not your ears or something, I hope? It's the first genre-transcending masterpiece since what? OK Computer? It's a landmark record bringing together a lot of different people. He basically inventend (if not: perfected) a sub-genre: symphonic hip-hop (you know, like Yes, but then with hip-hop). That's something special these days.

I just don't like it. I'll leave it at that, I'm not going to argue.

That's something else.

The only song I do like (a little bit) is Power. I don't know if that's because it has King Crimson samples though.

Probably not, because if you were a King Crimson purist, you'd probably be offended that a scumbag like Kanye West sampled your greatest heroes. ;)

I'm not a purist by any means, it is just sampled well.

Sounded very similar to all of "Kanye's" other work, so nothing special. I'll listen to it again, though, definitley.

jeez you guys really do love this album.

I'm not a purist by any means, it is just sampled well.

You think so? I heard the verse end sample coming from the headphones of the person beside me in a Greyhound bus, I was like "sweet maybe he'll pass me an earphone" but I was disappointed when I heard Kanye. Equal disappointment the few times I've listened to Powe. First, because you don't get the payoff from the end of that verse, and second, because the "Poets starving, children bleed" line doesn't mix too well with the rest, being heavily distorted and all while the rest is relatively smooth (except for the distorted bass. But distorted bass has a lot less "shh" sounds).

Yes. It breaks off suddenly but it still sounds OK for me.

Listened to it again and I maintain it's nothing special. For one, it's terribly overproduced [i don't like the sound of it] and the way that Kanye throws his words around = just the way he raps, the tone of his voice - I don't like it.

Listened to it again and I maintain it's nothing special. For one, it's terribly overproduced [i don't like the sound of it] and the way that Kanye throws his words around = just the way he raps, the tone of his voice - I don't like it.

i just realized i dont like much of kanye's music at all tbh

 

dunno why

 

at least im consistent

i love his music :|

 

 

consistency is void if anything in life.