Kanye West – The Life of Pablo (GOOD Music, 2016)
The Life of Pablo is a straight-up mess. “Mess” in this case however should not be read as something negative. The Life of Pablo is a mess in the same way an abstract painting is until you spend some time reflecting on what’s behind the brush strokes. Ranging from talking about God to bragging about his penis size, Kanye manages to provoke, to bring hope, and to channel people’s wild sides. To compliment these themes, Kanye uses numerous voices including Young Thug, Kid Cudi and The Weeknd. Voices and lyrics are further enhanced by backdrops that include rap and EDM production, brass players and gospel choirs. An artist’s album would generally feature the artist as a prominent colour directly in the foreground of its painting. With The Life of Pablo, Kanye is not just a prominent colour on the canvas; he is the painter behind the work of art.
Trial Track: “Highlights”
9/10
