Graduation (Parental Advisory) [Digipak] [ECD] - Kanye West > Reviews > A very succesful graduation

Author's product rating:   

Originality	Definitely a cut above the rest
Lyrics	Thought-provoking
Quality and consistency of tracks	A couple of weak links
Value for Money	Excellent

Advantages:	Outstanding Charisma, great beats
Disadvantages:	No stand out songs, such as 'Gold Digger'

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

Now we all know about the hip hop war between Kanye West's album Graduation, and 50 Cent's 'Curtis'. On the 7th of September it was announced Amazon had 5 times more pre-orders for Graduation than Curtis. After listening to each album i believe the announced figures go hand in hand with the quality of each album. Graduation is simply a better hip hop album, better lyrical content, better beats, generally a solid effort, unlike 50 Cent's worst effort yet.

But let's focus on this album.
Starting off with 'Good Morning'. It sounds like the perfect intro, a slow, melodic beat with good flow from Kanye and a sample from Jay Z on the chorus. Up next, 'Champion'. Kanye oozes charisma in his flow and delivery, rapping about his childhood, growing up from modesty to riches. As cliched as it sounds, i enjoyed this track just as much as many others and lyrically wise, Kanye shows why he is possibly the best around right now. Number 3 is the smash hit 'Stronger', while the commercial sound stands out, it isnt about money, cars and girls (well, girls a little bit, but not in any boring, silly derogatary way). This track is brilliantly produced with the sample, as you will notice from daft punk's 'Harder, better, faster, stronger'. The flow is top notch and West's charismas once again shines. 'I Wonder' has Kanye rapping on a fast, up tempo beat once again with the sample of 'I Wonder' by Jack Jersey. Lyrically, Kanye carries on with the thoughtgul wordplay and grows on you, not to say it's ever poor, but listening to it several times and you will understand the content, aswell as another well produced beat. 'Good Life' (ft T-Pain) is probably the most commercial sounding track of the first half of the album, a definate listen with the top down in the summer, Kanye raps in a much more melodic tone, rapping on, well, the Good Life, even quoting a 50 Cent line from
'In Da Club'. 'Can't tell me nothing' Is another single, with West rapping on his status as a rapper and boasting at the fact that no one can tell him anything. The beat is the slowest so far, as are Wests vocals. On the next track 'Barry Bonds', featuring, in my opinion a very over rated rapper, Lil Wayne, the beat slows way down as do the vocals, in all honesty not a track i would list as any more than average. Next up is 'Drunk and hot girls'. This is very much a ladies anthem, something i feel Kanye should leave to the less capable rappers, it doesn't really fit in with the rest of the albums content and is another i don't rate too highly. Next on the list 'Flasing lights'. Another really well produced track, the theme is West rapping about the life he leads as opposed to the life he used to lead, i personally really like this track due to the brilliant beat. 'Everything i am' sounds like Kanye feeling sorry for himself, in a way that he feels empty, and as if he is alone in the rap game, rapping on other rappers and basically what he stands for, the beat is slow and is a nice track to listen to in a quiet mood. 'The Glory' goes back to a livelier tone, with West back on the 'Rags to riches' story, but again, not cliched and much more charismatic than how other artists pull it off. 'Homecoming' features Chris Martin of rock band Coldplay on the chorus. Kanye goes back to his routes and the past, using the word 'you' as his home town Chicago. Martin plays a heavy role on the chorus with his steady singing. The last track 'Big Brother' is not a fast or slow beat, but heavy, raspy and as bassy as others. The lyrical content is once again way above average. A good song to rap up the album in my opinion.

There are two bonus tracks, one an itunes exclusive and another one which is a bonus exclusive. I cannot comment on these songs as i haven't heard them, 'Bittersweet poetry' and 'Can't tell me nothing remix'.

To summarise, i will first point out that it is obvious who has worked harder on their respective albums, not only does Kanye bring better lyrical content, but produced nearly every single track, and has about the same amount of guest performers than on 'Curtis'. I do not feel this is West's strongest effort, after the classic's 'College dropout' and 'Late Registration', but they are certainly hard acts to follow. However, to have three consecutive albums of this quality in your repetoir, any hip hop artist would be proud. Kanye has a brilliant knowledge of all forms of music and his featured guests and samples show that, i certainly believe this is the best hip hop album of 2007, and by a considerable margin.