From the cd jewel-case album art to the non-traditional marketing process that we saw only a month out from the announce date, Yeezus is obviously not just another rap album. It's a definitive statement from one of the most interesting, creative and engaging artists of our generation. Where as My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy was the comeback album that was geared towards what the fans wanted — Yeezus is the brash and provocative entrance into the world of an apocalyptic dystopian nightmare that uses dark and industrial electronic to evoke scenes of a gloomy world. For a world that is day by day entering into an Orweillian state, Yeezus is the kind of album that fits right in during these dark times. Not all of Yeezus is dark however — there are some album moments that juxtapose the darkness. From brimming vocal features and sampling classic soul-records, not all is lost into the dark side of life on Yeezus. The album itself, like Kanye, has it's faults. Not every song on Yeezus, is worthy of repeat listens, but it's definitely not short on tracks that are going to hit you on levels that nobody else in music reaches right now. Take for instance the outstanding and intoxicating "New Slaves"; it's raw, it's visceral, it's edgy, it's tense. It's the kind of song that sucks the air out of the moment, leaving you in a state of astonishment. If there was a favorite to take away from the album, "New Slaves" would be at the top of the list. If you're expecting songs that instantly jump out at you as immediate classics on Yeezus, think again. One of the standout tracks, "I'm In It", doesn't reward you until the end when Kanye's verses come in and he drops incredible lines like: ".... Uh, they be balling in the D-League · Uh, I be speaking Swaghili". The way the beat drops out and Kanye comes to the forefront, makes that last 2 minutes on "I'm In It" one of the best parts on the album. Contrary to "I'm in it" is the last song on the album, "Bound 2", that samples Ponderosa Twins Plus One's, "Bound". For those of you who don't like all the aggressive sounds on Yeezus, "Bound 2" will definitely be your favorite from the album. If you have the patience, Yeezus will reward you, but if you're looking for a quick fix or something familar like the Kanye of old, you're not going to like Yeezus. Whatever you do make sure you shut out all pre-conceived notion of what to expect and just let the music on Yeezus take you wherever it goes.
Kanye West