***Kanye’s brilliance lies in pushing his insecurities out in the open with as much confidence as possible***In many ways, Kanye West’s music has become a reflection of his obsession with art and fashion; or, better yet, his evolution from upstart producer to the puzzling, polarizing and brilliant artist of his generation.
Which such lofty talent and ego comes complexities. Gone are the days where West simply toys with sped-up samples and subtle orchestral arrangements. If 2013’s sonically intricate “Yeezus” taught us anything, it’s that West is willing to dig deeper and deeper into a concept, whether it leaves us scratching our heads or not.
Production wise, “The Life of Pablo” actually dials things back a bit. It’s far more accessible than “Yeezus.” But thematically, Kanye seems more emotionally torn apart than ever. His brilliance lies in pushing those insecurities out in the open with as much confidence as possible.
The fantastic opening track “Ultra Light Beams” is about lusting after faith. “Deliver us liberty, deliver us peace, deliver us love,” Kanye says, before asking that we pray for Paris and “pray for the parents.”
Chance the Rapper steals the show with a mesmerizing guest verse, while an abundance of gospel choruses rain in throughout. But West’s inner thoughts leave the lasting impression — His dream of being content can’t be fully realized.
That idea continues on “Father Stretch My Hands, Pt. 1 & 2.” Kid Cudi and Future deliver harmonies over a hard drums and soulful samples, combining the old school and new school versions of Kanye’s sound (Yes, he’s still into Auto-Tune). “Pt. 2” is a real gem where Ye compares himself to his father, before hitting us with an onslaught of jarring sound samples.
West weaves his way from emotional vulnerability to a scathing sense of bitterness. On “Famous,” he finds the need to bring up his old pal Taylor Swift, claiming “I made that b**** famous.” Ill advised or not, you never doubt how genuine he’s being.
Meanwhile, on “FML,” West dives back into turmoil, highlighting enemies both outside and within. The track, which features haunting vocals from The Weeknd, is the complete opposite of its hilarious predecessor “Feedback,” where West answers the question: “What if Kanye released a song about Kanye.”
But, as “The Life of Pablo” proves: Kanye is at his best when he makes songs about Kanye. The album closes out with the stunningly personal combination of “Real Friends” and “Wolves,” two of the bleakest tracks of his career.
The previously released “Real Friends” is the most straightforward song on “TLOP,” a dark look at trust issues and betrayal. “Wolves” is overwhelming, a song loaded with introspective thoughts and religious imagery, accompanied by a forceful electronic beat and standout performances from Sia and Vic Mensa.
Each feature on “TLOP” seems meticulously well thought out for songs containing deep layers of production that are fine-tuned to perfection. Sonically, it’s very comparable to “Yeezus.”
Yet, “TLOP” will no doubt elicit a more passionate reaction from listeners. In many ways this is West — a man not shy about his flaws — at his most vulnerable. Clearly “The Life of Pablo” is a complicated one. But the life (and music) of Kanye has never been more compelling.
