Thursday, July 01, 2010

Power

Song: Power
Artist: Kanye West
Album: Good Ass Job






Kanye West is returning to the game with the fourth album in his college "tetralogy" (after the one-off "808's & Heartbreak") with the new album that is unfortunately titled "Good Ass Job."  Given the media, it's hard to really know what people are thinking about Kanye as all we've really heard about the guy is outrage (Outrage!) for what he did to poor little Taylor Swift.  I frankly had no position to that entire debacle... but did feel that there was a touch of possible racism with the public's reaction to his outburst that "effected" America's latest country sweetheart.  All of that is debatable... but what isn't, is that Kanye is one of the most talented, forward-thinking people in music working today.

Case in point is "Power," the first single off the new album which "returns" him to the hip-hop he's been known for after 808's.  He got a lot of flack for that record from the hip-hop community, but I frankly think it's his best.  Emotional, futuristic, and while maybe not "hip-hop" as it's known in the pop world but there were certainly elements of his aesthetic all over the album.

"Power" is pretty blistering, and yet only Kanye could make his first toe back into the hp-hop limelight complete with a King Crimson sample.  The 60's psychedelic vibe that sweeps into the song, married with his completely distinct (and often criticised) raping, seems unremarkable at first, but this song has completely won me over... and is subtly epic in the way that "Love Lockdown" was immediately.

Enjoy.

Power

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