From September 2007:
In a year musically dominated by variations on the “Soulja Boy” dance craze and endless Akon cameos, Kanye West’s third album, Graduation, is an intelligent, accessible, surprisingly mainstream breath of fresh air.
As Kanye himself says in the album’s opening track, “this is my dissertation.”
If there’s anything that Kanye has learned how to do in his three-album career, it’s how to make a hit. The Daft Punk-sampling “Stronger” has been tearing up music charts and dance floors across the globe and will doubtlessly top numerous song-of-the-year lists. Showcasing two of Kanye’s strengths – effective, creative sampling and clever, stinging verses – “Stronger” is easily one of the best mainstream hip-hop songs in recent memory.
However, “Stronger” is hardly the album’s only single-worthy track.
With “The Good Life,” the album’s next scheduled single, Kanye calls in R&B singer T-Pain for assistance in a track that’s sure to please crowds come concert season. The Steely Dan-sampling “Champion,” not scheduled to be released as a single, is one of this album’s hidden gems.
Some of Graduation’s strongest moments come unexpectedly. Kanye West’s collaboration with Chris Martin, lead singer of stadium rockers Coldplay, features quality vocals from both parties and flows surprisingly well, much better than Jay-Z’s track with Martin “Beach Chair.”
The album’s best track, the much-anticipated duet with John Mayer with a cameo from Keyshia Cole, “Bittersweet Poetry,” isn’t even on physical pressings of the album. An iTunes-exclusive download, this track is a flawless merging of the artists’ distinct styles. This collaboration joins such legendary pairs as Run DMC and Aerosmith on “Walk This Way” and Queen and David Bowie on “Under Pressure.” “Bittersweet Poetry” is Kanye’s best bet yet to win a Record of the Year Grammy.
Like a true “dissertation” though, one of the album’s few weaknesses comes with its length. The Elton John-sampling intro “Good Morning” lasts a minute longer than it needs to. This, combined with several mediocre tracks and obvious filler in the middle of the album, keeps it from being a truly great record. In the album’s final tracks, Kanye West manages to salvage the album from its lackluster middle. “The Glory” is a triumph, seeing Kanye delivering the best lyrical flow on the album over an up-tempo beat. Album closer “Big Brother” is an interesting examination of Kanye’s relationship with his mentor/rival Jay-Z.
Ultimately, Graduation has flaws, but between the album’s chart-topping singles and triumphant collaborations, the good far outweighs the bad. Kanye’s “dissertation” is a success indeed and will doubtlessly be viewed as one of the best albums of 2007.