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Originally Posted by Dr. Eugene Felikson
I prefer Late Registration to MBDTF, but it's enjoyable. Not something I'd bump regularly. I don't really follow the dude too closely.
Heartbreaks is easily my favorite though.
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I used to think Late Registration was almost crappy. I don't remember why. I mean, I still think that MBDTF, Yeezus, and Graduation are his best albums, but I used to put 808s next, then LR, then Dropout.
But everything's changed since I finally bought hard copies of Dropout and LR. I still think Dropout is the least amazing, but I no longer see his early non-experimental work as "crappy." It's kinda basic in terms of flow, but the production is rigoddamndiculous on ALL his albums.
Currently, this is how I rank the Kanye solo records:
1. My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (5/5)
2. Yeezus (5/5)
3. Graduation (5/5)
4. Late Registration (5/5 previously 4/5)
5. 808's & Heartbreak (5/5)
6. The College Dropout (4/5)
...
Now, as far as the whole Kanye discography goes, I'm gonna have to blow some minds:
1. My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
2. Yeezus
3. (Tie) Graduation / Kanye West presents GOOD Music: Cruel Summer
5. Kanye West & Jay-Z - Watch the Throne
6. Late Registration
7. 808s & Heartbreak
8. The College Dropout
I know most would probably call it sacrelige to include Cruel Summer in a list with the rest of the albums, especially so near the top, but I'll be goddamned if that isn't one of the most exceptional "filler" releases I've ever laid ears on.
When you compare it to similar comps like Young Money, Self-Made, etc. it becomes clear how much work and precision and care went into that album. It's not a showcase of artists, it's a group effort full-fledged ALBUM, with a concept and an epic kind of storyline and everything. Plus those guest spots are KILL. Ghostface? R Kelly? Fucking hot damn!
It's like... Kanye is beyond making generic "hip-hop" albums with all their over the top chest thumping and all their radio singles. Clearly he's not interested jn sharing the spotlight with a whole lot of other ninjas on his solo albums. So Cruel Summer feels like Kanye's version if what a Kanye West album would sound like if Kanye West was anything like any of the other rappers on the planet. Does that make sense? Like, if Kanye was Rick Ro$$, who makes great albums but isn't bothered by the fact that he only makes up 70% of the vocal tracks on any given record (tops). Most rappers are like that, or have been, historically. Even Ghostface... That brilliant mothetfuckers only made up about 1/3 of 12 Reasons to Die.
Kanye doesn't play like that. But Cruel Summer could easily be a "Kanye West" album by industry standards. Also, his choice in collaborators is simply brilliant. It's not just some new label sampler; it's a proper fucking album. And Kanye let's loose on it, allowing himself to get a little silly and a little obstinate, like he did on his old singles with ChildRebelSoldier and other early GOOD releases.
It should be considered as brilliant as WTR, but what do you expect when pitchfork gives it a review that is a whole 2.14537 arbitrary points lower? Obviously the album was doomed.
(I really think P4K needs to be taken down somehow, btw. Open to suggestions)