Review #17: My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, Kanye West
#17: My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, Kanye West
Our first album in the new millennium! In fact, this was only released 11 years ago. Part of me regrets not being more of a Kanye fan when this came out. This was all over the radio when I was in high school, but no, I was too busy listening to London Calling for the hundredth time.
I’d heard most of the songs on the front half of this album, but I’ve never listened to this all the way through. Like many people, I hold Kanye in high regard as an artist, and fairly low regard as, you know, a human being. RS reminded me that this album came a year after his VMA/Taylor Swift debacle, and that Kanye once referred to this as his “apology” album.
Anyway. Happy Inauguration Day! Who’s voting for Kanye in 2024?
FAVORITE SONGS:
“Dark Fantasy” — Of course Nicki Minaj does the incredible intro to this.
“Gorgeous” — This song rocks! The guitar part is apparently from a song called “You Showed Me” by Enoch Light and the Glittering Guitars. Also LOL — I never heard the lyric about how he’s going to Choke a South Park writer with a fish stick before. I shrieked when I heard that.
“POWER” — Every song on this album makes me want to work out.
“All of the Lights (Interlude)” — I love skits and interludes and all that theatrical crap on albums. Yeah, Kanye, rev me up for Rihanna!
“All of the Lights” — Okay, I always knew that Rihanna sang on this song, but I had no idea it had all these other wild features! John Legend, Fergie, Elton John and Kid Cudi all sing on this.
“Monster” — LOVE. Okay, Kanye is great on this but he just doesn’t come close to Nicki Minaj’s amazing verse on this. You can be the King but let the Queen conquer/First things first I’ll eat your brains. She literally becomes different people as her verse goes on! Did you know Kanye almost cut her verse from the song because he was afraid she would outshine him? I’m obsessed with this song and it’s sexist that the RS write-up of this album doesn’t mention her at all.
“Devil In A New Dress” — Kanye wouldn’t release this song today, I don’t think.
“Hell Of A Life” — The intro to this song is so metal.
“Blame Game” — This song is half angry John Legend ballad, half insanely vulgar Chris Rock skit. What more can you ask for?
LEAST FAVORITE SONGS:
“So Appalled” — I know this song is good, it’s just one of my least favorite.
“Lost In The World” — Bon Iver, get off my Kanye West album! This song also has the “ma-ma-say” on it from “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’”, which is admittedly kind of fun.
IS RS FULL OF IT?
Only as much as Kanye West is full of it.
