808s is my favorite Kanye album and even though I can't defend it, objectively, emotionally it is incredibly resonant, I just wish people wouldn't deride my taste after I've told them.
AW SHEEIT!!!
It's my first time in the Top comments, though I guess (despite being around for a long time) i've just now really started regularly commenting.
I like to think I'm the sanity structural support to stereogum and I only come out when people need me.
<3 Y'all
I agree! I'm going to do what I usually do for pop albums (like the Usher one and Beyonce's 4) and take out the horrible tracks and re-sequence the album. Making it a more cohesive listening experience instead of just a singles dump.
I spent a whole summer cooped up in my Grandmother's sitting room listening to this - and only 6 other CD's because my case couldn't carry more - during a hurricane, so not only is this one of my favorite albums, it's tied to a crazy experience forever. Making it doubly memorable.
Yeah, Kendrick is saved by his own realization (which occurs in "Dyin' of Thirst), with others in his life there to support him (his parent's messages at the end of "Real").
The guys he gets jumped by are Sherane's brothers (I don't know if it's implied that she set him up or not?) They are the ones that ask him all the questions about "where he stay" (basically what gang affiliation he's with) that echo back in the hook of "Good Kid" which represents Kendrick thinking about what they are saying and why it's so important when it really doesn't mean anything. Then his homies go to take revenge which causes the death of Dave's brother (The first verse on sing about me is from Dave's brother's viewpoint blaming Kendrick because he inspired the revenge)
I missed some stuff but that's basically it.
I think your take on "Backseat Freestyle" is wrong. That's not his Dad (his Dad is the one who want's Dominoes, he has a deeper, raspier voice) that's one of his homies, and it works similarly (on multiple levels) to what you said, but viewed this way it's that he's trying to show off in front of his homies, saying things he wouldn't normally say (and doesn't for the rest of the album) just like "The Art of Peer Pressure" proceeding it dictates. Acting in accordance to what his homies would want and not the way he believes he should.
Also can we talk about how much of a MASTERPIECE "Sing About Me" is!!!!???
I didn't like it at first (and I still don't really like Horses of the Sun, which is the weakest on the album) but with repeated listens it has grown on me more.
I second both these sentiments, my favorite album this week.
Though something could be said about the similar leap GB made from Horn of Plenty to Yellow House and the one Tom has made from Love Remains to Total Loss and the joy I get from imagining him continuing to grow and perfect his sound as GB have done over their career.
Great stuff from both of them!
I guess I'm the only one who is complete over-enthusiastically enraptured by this album.
I love it but I also love music that some would consider boring :/
Anyway... I love it!
I didn't ever get around to really liking the first album but since my brother is such a fan of theirs, I downloaded the leak and decided to try it out and was immediately blown away by the diversity of the sound design (no one track has the same sounds, except for voices, guitar, and bass) and the different electronic genres each track flirts with (2step, UKGarage, Hip Hop, Indie Pop, Techno (despite how narcotic it may be), Dubstep (Burial) and combinations thereof.)
Also a really great experience listening to this in light (and to take a rest from) of the sonic maximalism of Centipede Hz. Two incredibly dissimilar yet engrossing listening experiences.
They also continue their growing stranglehold over my heart and ears. I love these guys, though it's just James now :/
My favorite up and coming music group!
HAHAHAHAHA Chill... This isn't Corban's list. This is a list created by some underpaid chump at LA Weekly in order to rack up page clicks. Corban is a cool dude leave him out of it!
I got your back Corban.
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