Lou Reed, whose single “Walk On The Wild Side” served as the recognizable bass sample featured on A Tribe Called Quest’s “Can I Kick It,” has written a review of Kanye West’s Yeezus.
The write-up, available on TheTalkHouse.com, praises Kanye’s artistry for the most part, but calls out some predictable moments. “The guy has a real wide palette to play with,” writes Reed. “That’s all over Yeezus. There are moments of supreme beauty and greatness on this record, and then some of it is the same old shit. But the guy really, really, really is talented. He’s really trying to raise the bar. No one’s near doing what he’s doing, it’s not even on the same planet.”
Reed assessed the sonic makeup of the project, believing that describing the project as “minimal” isn’t entirely accurate. “People say this album is minimal. And yeah, it’s minimal. But the parts are maximal. Take ‘Blood on the Leaves.’ There’s a lot going on there: horns, piano, bass, drums, electronic effects, all rhythmically matched — towards the end of the track, there’s now twice as much sonic material. But Kanye stays unmoved while this mountain of sound grows around him. Such an enormous amount of work went into making this album. Each track is like making a movie.”
“Actually, the whole album is like a movie, or a novel — each track segues into the next. This is not individual tracks sitting on their own island, all alone.”
Claiming that the album is something of a “dare” to fans to dislike his music, Reed observed that even the lyricism on the album, a point of criticism for some, hits home—even if Ye is treading familiar territory. “Many lyrics seem like the same old b.s. Maybe because he made up so much of it at the last minute,” he wrote. “But it’s the energy behind it, the aggression. Usually the Kanye lyrics I like are funny, and he’s very funny here. Although he thinks that getting head from nuns and eating Asian pussy with sweet and sour sauce is funny, and it might be, to a 14-year-old — but it has nothing to do with me. Then there’s the obligatory endless blowjobs and menages-a-trois.”
“But it’s just ridiculous that people are getting upset about ‘Put my fist in her like a civil rights sign?’ C’mon, he’s just having fun. That’s no more serious than if he said he’s going to drop a bomb on the Vatican. How can you take that seriously?”
Reed had high praise for one track in particular. “The juxtaposition of vocal tones on ‘Blood on the Leaves’ is incredible — that pitched-up sample of Nina Simone singing ‘Strange Fruit’ doing a call-and-response with Kanye’s very relaxed Autotuned voice. That is fascinating, aurally, nothing short of spectacular. And holy shit, it’s so gorgeous rhythmically, where sometimes the vocal parts are matched and sometimes they clash. He’s so sad in this song. He’s surrounded by everyone except the one he wants — he had this love ripped away from him, before he even knew it. ‘I know there ain’t nothing wrong with me… something strange is happening.’ Well, surprise, surprise — welcome to the real world, Kanye.”
Ultimately, Reed concludes that Kanye’s latest project is another example of West making connections where others have failed to. “[S]ometimes it’s like a synth orchestra. I’ve never heard anything like it — I’ve heard people try to do it but no way, it just comes out tacky. Kanye is there. It’s like his video for ‘Runaway,’ with the ballet dancers — it was like, look out, this guy is making connections. You could bring one into the other — ballet into Hip Hop — they’re not actually contradictory, and he knew that, he could see it immediately. He obviously can hear that all styles are the same, somewhere deep in their heart, there’s a connection. It’s all the same shit, it’s all music — that’s what makes him great. If you like sound, listen to what he’s giving you. Majestic and inspiring.”
Lou Reed was also known as the frontman for The Velvet Underground, which was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1996. He contributed to Gorillaz’ third album Plastic Beach. Other artists to have sampled The Velvet Underground include RZA, Del the Funky Homosapien, and Jean Grae.
RELATED: Kanye West – Yeezus [Album Review]
Awesome. Great read.
i’m sure dude doesn’t know what rap or hip-hop is? who cares what he thinks.
Who cares what a legit musician has to say. Right.
LOL I knew there would be some clueless idiot like you that would dismiss this guy’s opinion by using that EXACT reasoning. Too funny and predictable people are on websites like this. He’s in the rock and roll hall of fame and that’s the best reason you could come up with to dismiss him. Hopefully you’re just a clueless teenager but if not then I pity you. Thanks for the laugh jackass.
Just because yo ass is on summer break from Middle School, don’t mean you can troll around wit yo stupid ass
GIVE ME A CHANCE
Youtube is all about finding new artist, & though I been rapping for a while im still consider a new artist. I just want my music heard thats all, im not looking for no record deal, getting famous ‘r anything like that.! so please just spare a few sec. to check me out, & if you like what you heard please SUBSCRIBE so ill know you actually listen & support
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PzBh55tD_eg
makes more sense than most reviews.
Real artists/musicians appreciate this album – unlike you annoying hip hop heads who are stuck in the same loop and hate progression. Kanye wasn’t afraid to take a big risk and it paid off, in my opinion.
cosign bruh
do u like hip hop ?
on sight bitch
great review. love lou reed.
i still don’t like yeezus.
that is all.
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Great, now I’m supposed to love this album just because some 73 year old rock n roll nigga cosigned it.
no you’re supposed to hate this album cuz ur a sheep.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=avas-u4od6w
http://i1.ytimg.com/vi/2EtfZocT0Fo/mqdefault.jpg
http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/ee233/GH0S73D/Halloween_Movie.jpg
this album went over alot of average traditional hiphop heads…its really infortunate..
i think its crap
real heads don’t even need kanye
well good for you!
lou reed – brown bag allstars
that album sucks yo
album is garbage
People seem to be ashamed to even care about lyrics nowdays, that’s why people like this album, it has none.
slaughterhouse made a better album than this
and thats not saying much
ILL GIVE A GOOD REVIEW= THIS SHIT AINT NO HIP HOP – THIS SHIT WACK AS FUCK NEXT
your review is garbage
NEXT
http://i424.photobucket.com/albums/pp328/eric81175/leatherface.gif
jay-z album gona be whack to
yeah, well.. maybe cuz jay-z is wack anyways.
but what does that have to do with Kanye West or his album?
SON, ARE YOU FUCKING STUPID?
watch the art of 16 bars
this album has no essence
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2T8E09aAOIc
Take that Haters like I said: “The ppl who hate is because the album is ahead of it’s time and ahead of all of you, you ppl like too much of the same old same old thats why y’all think J.cole’s album is better, so there you have another Rock ‘n’Roll legend saying the album is great and the haters are behind.
IAMCOMINGFORYOURBABIES
not a fan of Kanye in so far as being an MC (cos he has ghostwriters)but he has produced some classic beats for others and himself. i respect Lou Reed as an artist and for his contribution to music, he has imo 2 classic albums, and being a real head i will BUY the physical copy asap as i am all for moving forward and i love sound – everything from classical to hip hop to metal to “electronica” etc etc Great review, and based on that I will buy the album…
Album is dope
everyone uses ghostwriters from time to time. Just the nature of the business
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SVuiM3dmw3Y
YEEZUS IS A MASTERPIECE…POINT BLANK. You so called Hip-Hop heads who’s still stuck on a Nelly comeback, need to get your taste buds in order
do you really think a “Hip-Hop Head” would be checking for Nelly??? Really???
son of a bitch came out the mother fucker throw em in the mother fucker
rebel without a cause-
complain about anything to make himself look like a victim. ohh pity me pity me. im a rich millionaire who wifes trap bags and strippers and they hurt me now feel sorry for me. clown
hey, did he just found that rap is the same shit repeat on every album!!
http://images.fanpop.com/images/image_uploads/Freddy-Vs–Jason-horror-movies-77464_1024_768.jpg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=753_mUwbOJ4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O9ZcZpk7SdA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZUGpOjswDk
http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii17/heartsonasleeve/Michael-Myers-michael-myers-2622534.jpg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5EGp3ZOKj3U