After the first run-through of the Jay-Z/Kanye West dream team production Watch The Throne, I am willing to bet people fall into one of two camps: “I am not sure what I just listened to but damn it was great” or “What did I just listen to?”
I definitely fall into the former camp, but it took a few more listen sessions before I could really formulate coherent thoughts (and even now they aren’t very coherent).
The core concept of the album is that Yeezy and Hova want you to know how awesome they are and just how few fucks they give. Message received, gents.
No doubt some people will be turned off by that attitude, snubbing the album for perceived cockiness and “typical Kanye West” BS. Guess what, haters? Jay-Z and Kanye West are awesome.
Make no mistake. This isn’t the passionate, introspective Kanye West that brought us “Hey Momma”, “Everything I Am” and the entire 808’s and Hearbreaks album. This is the balls-out Kanye “No one man should have all this power” “Ima let you finish but suck it, Taylor Swift” “I should be in the Bible” West that most of America loves to hate. And just like Mister West, I suspect people will either love or hate this album. It does not leave much room for middle ground here.
Don’t get me wrong, the first time through I had favorites, but this is the kind of quirky album that will take multiple listenings (all today, no doubt) to really ferment an understanding of what it is. It is not a typical Kanye or Jay-Z album, but some sort of unconventional, ambitious (and maybe a bit schizophrenic) hybrid between the two.
The beats are far and away solid productions. Even the tracks I don’t like at least had solid foundations. The album is a bumpin’, fist pumpin’, hand wavin’ affair. Owing to the experimental flavor of the album, lyrics are mostly a hit with a few misses. The closing track in particular seems to fall unfortunately flat.
The album is good, probably great, but far from perfect. It is easily the worst-produced thing Kanye West has done in the sense that the production value is merely average, while I expected grander things. Tracks just sort of drift into sloppy endings far too often, which is a sad departure from My Dark Twisted Fantasy’s epic bridges.
Watch The Throne scores somewhere around an 85/100. It pales in comparison to the two most recent albums put out by Yeezy and Hova but I’ll be damned if I don’t listen to this at least 15 times in the next week. It’s a good distraction, a nice compliment to My Dark Twisted Fantasy and (I suppose) Blueprint 3. It takes chances, strays from each artist’s respective formula, and you have to respect it for that. Despite its strengths, it ultimately has the staying power of The College Dropout (a phenomenal, often-forgotten album) and the strength of the Black Album (phenomenal but blown out of proportion).
Track Breakdown
No Church In The Wild – 6/10
Hopefully this goes down as one of the best opening tracks in the history of musical arrangements. The second that beat kicks in you know you are in for a treat. Frank Ocean’s crooning is a smooth compliment to Hova’s edginess. It sets the pace for the rest of the album: not what you expected, but you are about to go on one hell of a sweet ride.
Lift Off – 9/10
The biggest affront in modern music is the lack of Jay-Z/Beyonce projects. Lift Off just reaffirms the need for a co-op album between the two. This track is the closest we’ll get and damn, it’s good. I wish I could go to the moon with Kanye and Beyonce in Jay-Z’s spaceship. I bet we’d have a lot of fun getting into lunar shenanigans. The sooner this track gets on the radio the better. (Is there enough room on the airwaves for tw female vocal-driven space-themed songs backed by Kanye West?)
Ninjas In Paris – 8/10
I’ve been told that white people have to call this track Ninjas In Paris because asterisks are what old people use. I dare you listen to this track and not find your self doing something ranging from absent-mindedly head bobbing to hand wavin’ in your pathetic little cubicle. The lackluster ending really bugs me though. Asute listeners will notice that the second half of the track (2:45 on) has a very ‘My Dark Twisted Fantasy’ vibe to it. Bonus points if you can identify the Good Friday track that was recycled here.
Otis – 7/10
The mix is different, a bit more subdued, than the earlier release and while it makes for a better opening, the second half of the track really feels to lack the “fuck you I’m rich” punch that made the previous incarnation at least somewhat controversial.
Gotta Have It – 8/10
Currently my favorite track off the album. It is most like what I imagined this album would be; the back-and-forth verses, the hometown shout-outs, the sick-but-soulful beat. Hand waving is mandatory. Points are taken off for Kanye’s shoutout to LeBron James. Where is the D Rose love?
New Day – 4/10
It’s an alright track but strikes me as filler. The way-too-reverb-y background noise gets on my nerves (weird, because I love 808′s and Heartbreak). The lyrics are smooth and insightful but this nasty-in-a-bad-way beat ruins it.
That’s My Bitch – 6/10
This is a fun little ditty. I’m still not really sure if it’s a GOOD track. The synthy lead is weird but it works. I have a feeling this song is going to become the anthem of partying white girls everywhere.
Welcome To The Jungle – 7/10
After the last two track the album needs a swag track to grab my interest and this nearly does it. As a stand-alone track I think this is a great song (I want to drive around listening to it real loud and people look at me and I give them a pouty gangster face and they flash me a thumbs up) although once again, a bizarre and out of place outro really ruins the mood.
Who Gon Stop Me – 6/10
Dear Kanye, In order to avoid stupid and unnecessary controversies, please don’t rap about the Holocaust. Also, don’t say people look at you like Hitler.
Murder to Excellence – 9/10
Probably the most Kanye track on the whole album. It dabbles in politics, crime in the Chi and Kanye-isms. These have always been my favorite Kanye tracks and this one is no different.
Made In America – 7/10
I get the feeling that the slowed vibe might turn people off from this track, but I adore it. The lyrical content strikes me as taking a page from MDTF- Kanye is doing what he does because it is what we wants to do, not to please audiences or critics. It also has the most complete outro on the entire album. Way too much grunting on this track though.
Why I Love You – 2/10
The rhymes on this track fall flat, a real disappointment in light of the swagging Cassius sample. It picks up at the end with the back-and-forth but it isn’t enough to salvage a disappointing end to a great album. I also like to think the line “fuck you squares” is a reference to a famous geek rock band from Chicago.
The Bottom Line
Do you like Kanye West? Jay-Z? Hip hop? Buy this album. It’s a no-brainer. All the cool kids are going to be talking about it for weeks to come and you don’t want to be left out.
“I wish I could go to the moon with Kanye and Beyonce in Jay-Z’s spaceship. I bet we’d have a lot of fun getting into lunar shenanigans.”
Co-sign.
Murder to Excellence is my fav, but as a white girl, I certainly plan to party to “That’s My Bitch” all the time. Eargasm to the smooth crooning man at 1:45. Why I Love You is doing Cassius an injustice.