After the series of egotistical claims, terrible art work and re-mixing, the public is now allowed to listen to “the best album of our lifetime.” That’s Kanye West’s “Life of Pablo.” Although after the release it seems Mr. West went back on these self-referential titles, so never mind, this is not the best album of our life time. Thank god it’s not. This album is the equivalent of a big budget movie with all the right people but somehow it just bombs. It’s difficult to get past the album art clearly made in Microsoft paint back in 2004. The first song is by far the best and arguable the only good track on the album. I think the only reason that song is good is because of the parts performed by other artists. Kanye’s parts of the song are by far the weakest more boring aspects of the track.
"Ultralight Beam" is a truly great song, then the album takes a nose dive with the next song, “Father Stretch My Hands Pt. 1.” This song is forgettable, with basic and uninspired beats underneath Kanye’s cheesy auto-tuned singing that resembles a whiny robotic cat being starved to death in the corner. If you get past the thick layer of filtering his voice is processed through you’ll be disappointing to find the empty, graphic and poorly written lyrics that talk about bleaching assholes and fucking. Because we all needed those things composed into a song by Kanye West.
"Pt. 2" has an interesting intro, but around 10 seconds in the horrible auto tuning is back and the song goes at a painful pace that seems awkward and misplaced. The end of the song is by far the highlight with the old school modified samples.
I only made it around 2 seconds into “Famous.” Rhianna’s voice gives me painful flashbacks to top 40 radio that we all had to listen to on the bus, art class, and supermarkets. To me her voice symbolizes force fed pop music about binge drinking and sex that we are all subjected to.
“Feedback” holds more value than most of it’s fellow tracks. The pace is normal, the lyrics are alright. The manic freak out section in the middle is one of the best parts of the album. The schizo distorted siren backing puts it beyond typical rap sounds.
Onto “Low Lights.” I really don’t understand a song that has zero Kanye on it. This track makes more sense for a compilation. Surprisingly, it almost seems to fit the constant jumping around of the album’s style at this point.
“Highlights.” Awful, just awful. Objectifying and disgusting. Bad lyrics and bad auto tune. All I have to say is, “Sometimes I wish my dick had a go pro so I could watch that shit back in slow mo.” Enough said.
“Freestyle 4.” Boring, objectifying and about sex. Move on; he’s in his late 30s with kids, stop talking like this.
This next track makes me question if his entire career is just the biggest satirical standup comedy routine. “I Love Kanye” is not a lovable song. However, it is so over the top and ridiculous that it might be one of my favorites for this shitty, shitty album.
“Waves” is okay, kinda boring, kinda overdone.
“FML” makes me angry. The pauses between lyrics goes on far too long and repeats a stupid amount of times that it loses all effect of suspension.
“Real Friends” is probably the second best song off the album after Ultralight Beam. It’s just a solid, well-planned out and executed composition.
Then we go bad to the absolute absurdity which is the content of this album. No one has ever compared Kim K. to the Virgin Mary. The song is annoying, the lyrics are awful, and the meaning of the song makes you shake your head.
“Frank’s Track.” This song is okay, not great not bad. No auto tune which is impressive, and it’s remarkably short.
If the album wasn’t long enough this filler track with the answer machine rap should just be skipped. Cut “Siiiiiilver Surfffeeeeer Intermission.”
“30 Hours” is also another great track on the album. Once again, well-composed and well-planned, minus the occasional stupid lyrics like, “ All veggies no eggs, all chest no legs.”
I think the reason “No More Parties in LA” is a decent song is because Kendrick Lamar upstages Kanye.
“Facts” has an interesting intro and then Kanye comes in saying, “Yeezy Yeezy Yeezy,” and I’m annoyed so moving on.
“Facts” and “Fade” are far too similar to differentiate.
Overall, the album has too many tracks, bad lyrics, disjoined compositions, and a half-baked concept. The terrible album art and overhype is the icing on the cake when it comes to making this a pretty terrible album. At what point do the cliché rap antics become immature of a man in his late 30s with a wife and kids? This album resembles a desperate attempt at clinging to his past-peak music career by name dropping the new faces of rap and hip hop.
I miss the old Kanye.
