Home > Los Angeles Music > CD Review > Kanye West, "Graduation"

Backstory: West, the noted hip-hop producer turned multi-platinum solo superstar, returns with his third album featuring a college-themed name (after "The College Dropout" and "Late Registration"). This time out, the pop/rap maestro samples from an increasingly diverse musical platter, including Daft Punk, ‘70s guitar heroes Mountain and underground German art-rockers Can.

Why you should care: The man can craft a genius pop song. "Stronger," his electro-rock single, features a feistiness rarely seen in mainstream hip-hop, outside of Jay-Z or Eminem. And it's a shame "Good Life" never hit the airwaves earlier, as its soulful, laid-back vibe—and Michael Jackson sample—make it the perfect summertime anthem. “Homecoming,” a pretty ballad featuring Coldplay’s Chris Martin, isn’t even hip-hop—but it is a catchy bit of piano pop.

Unfortunately, there are as many misfires on “Graduation” as hits, including some tuneless dirges ("Drunk & Hot Girls") and hookless boasts ("Barry Bonds").  Oh, and the lyrics? West possesses an ego unmatched in the annals of hip-hop (he’d agree, as he says on “The Glory”: "With my ego, I can stand there in a Speedo and still be looked at like a f---in' hero"), but that doesn't excuse lazy rhyming ("Charles Barkley" with "Gnarls Barkley"), tacky sexual boasts ("heard they'd do anything for a Klondike / Well I'd do anything for a blonde dyke") and an odd throwaway reference to "Snakes on a Plane." What is this, 2006?

Verdict: Speaking of college, if this were the finals: West knocks out a couple of As, a few Bs and some passing marks. As for the album's middle section—let’s hope we'll hear some improvement on the inevitable fourth KW record, "Summer School."

X-Factor: West and hip-hop star 50 Cent are releasing their new albums on the same day, with Fiddy promising to retire from hip-hop if he's outsold. Oddly, there appears to be a chance that next week's No.1 record will be…country star Kenny Chesney.

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