Kanye West - My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

[corianderstem]

I listened to the new album again the other day, and liked it a lot more this time. There were only 2 or 3 tracks I took off my iPod.

 

[bono_212]

You didn't like it before?

Uhhh, I've been quote vocal about my dislike of that song. I still don't think it's the greatest thing ever written.

 

[the tourist]

Uhhh, I've been quote vocal about my dislike of that song. I still don't think it's the greatest thing ever written.

But that's like... the synth song... for him at least.

 

[bono_212]

But that's like... the synth song... for him at least.

I don't know why

 

[LemonMelon]

I don't know why it would be either. The string part (which is performed live) is the standout portion of the track. Maybe it is a synth, but I saw him on VH1 storytellers and it sounded and looked quite real to me.

 

[the tourist]

If you say so. The synth in that song is what got me to listen to a second Kanye West track (thanks to LMP's desert island a couple rounds ago).

 

[mobvok]

Have to agree. That other post was a little odd coming on the heels of an album that contains some pretty great writing.

One more thing: Runaway (the film) is not to this album what Linear was to NLOTH. It's many times better. Linear was just...I don't even know.

Ho-lee crap. I'm probably late to the party on this one lol but I just checked out parts of Linear on YouTube, and....

YouTube - Linear: U2 - Being born

If the rest of it's as exciting as a minute long take of a guy silently eating lunch..... Runaway is definitely in a different league than Linear.

 

[onebloodonelife]

If we really listened to Jay-Z's lyrics, I think we'd realize why we have a large income gap in this country.

There's an interesting article in the Observer about Jay-Z as a businessman and a business, man: He Shall Overcome: Jay-Z Is $450 M Beyond the Marcy Projects. Where Does He Go From Here? | The New York Observer

 

[gvox]

If the rest of it's as exciting as a minute long take of a guy silently eating lunch..... Runaway is definitely in a different league than Linear.

Actually, you probably watched the clip with the most tension in it. It`s a highlight.

But do by all means check out the entire thing, it`ll blow your...well maybe not your mind..

 

[lazarus]

Ho-lee crap. I'm probably late to the party on this one lol but I just checked out parts of Linear on YouTube, and....

YouTube - Linear: U2 - Being born

If the rest of it's as exciting as a minute long take of a guy silently eating lunch..... Runaway is definitely in a different league than Linear.

The difference is that one is meant to be some long-form music video, and the other is simply a visual accompaniment/background for an album. Linear wasn't intended to be some separate entity that you watch because it's cool. I'm pretty sure there were quotes from the band about it serving as some kind of moving "wallpaper", with the focus never off the music itself.

I don't know why this keeps coming up again and again. For what Linear is, I find it very captivating.

 

[powerhour24]

Agreed laz, they described it as like motion-picture liner notes for NLOTH which is pretty neat IMO.

 

[HCL]

Well, so far his better album...

Btw, I wonder if I'm alone ranking his albums this way:

My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
808s & Heartbreak
Graduation
Late Registration
The College Dropout

Yes, I think he's getting better with each album.

 

[LemonMelon]

Agreed laz, they described it as like motion-picture liner notes for NLOTH which is pretty neat IMO.

Indeed. And this is why the two films aren't comparable: Kanye has greater pretensions for every shit he takes than U2 did with Linear.

 

[powerhour24]

Plus, no matter how seemingly uninteresting a subject Corbijn is photographing, he almost always turns it into something compelling.

 

[lazarus]

Having seen Corbijn's The American, it almost seems like a bit of a warm-up for that film. Similar tone and imagery.

 

[powerhour24]

The American was glorious, , too bad the bait-and-switch marketing campaign likely tarnished the film's reputation forever.

 

[cobl04]

He doesn't produce for anybody that could write this anymore. Common fell off ages ago, Cudi is just as self-absorbed as Kanye but without a sense of humor, and Jay doesn't even try. Glad to have someone in the mainstream that's actually hungry. Even The Roots are getting kinda lazy, no thanks to Fallon.

What about Mos Def

 

[cobl04]

i can't fucking stand Dark Fantasy (the song).

this album really frustrates me, because i would love it if most of the tracks were shortened. the fact they outstay their welcome (imo) means the album becomes an unenjoyable slog to get through.

 

[LemonMelon]

I would agree, if any of the songs actually remained the same for more than two minutes of whatever their length is without the odd breaks and curious twists that Kanye throws in there. It's like saying Animals is a slog to get through just because the track lengths are huge. Probably the closest thing there is to prog-rap right now. Dark Fantasy's bit about the sky filling with herons is almost ridiculous enough to suit the genre, too.

Friggin Cobbler.

 

[u2popmofo]

I finally listened all the wall through the album.

 

[PhilsFan]

And?

 

[lazarus]

The presence of the RZA on Dark Fantasy is really what gets this album off to a great start. I just love his production style, and it's a shame he wasn't used more, even if what's on there is mostly top-notch.

 

[u2popmofo]

I like it. I don't know if I like it more than some of his other albums, and I definitely don't think it's a perfect album or the best album of the year, but I still like it.

 

[lazarus]

It's not my favorite of the year, but as far as mainstream stuff goes and for hip hop in general? It's kind of a towering achievement in terms of its ambition and honesty.

I'll definitely be rooting for it at the Grammys, as the Arcade Fire have no chance in hell of winning.

 

[LemonMelon]

He has a grammy nomination this year?

Regardless, next year it'll be nominated for everything from AotY to best engineered record to best spoken word track (for Chris Rock) and win absolutely nothing. Then he'll flip the fuck out and the cycle will begin again. It's comforting, you know?

 

[lazarus]

Ahh right. Missed the deadline. Next year he might be going against some combination of The 'cock, R.E.E.M., Radiohead.

 

[LemonMelon]

Radiohead

I enjoy that there's no reason to cockify their name.

 

[lazarus]

I don't think anyone suggested anything better than Radiocock or Cockhead.

 

[lazarus]

To make up for it, may I suggest Thumb Porke?

 

[GirlsAloudFan]

He'll be going up against Speak Now, which also just barely missed the deadline for the Grammys this year.

There's no way the Grammy committee passes on a chance to pit Taylor and Kanye against eachother in that category.

And if they gave her AOTY for Fearless, they may have to invent a new category for Speak Now, because it's a far better album.