Damn it Brofessors i can appreciate a good Brofest but i liked it better when everyone was pissed at Kanye ;)

Yeezus was supposed to be a 2-part project though, originally. At least, that's what the word on the street was. They cut half the material with the intention of following it up with a release at the start of the following year. But Kanye West is incapable of carrying out long term plans like that. Also, Yeezus was such a unanimous critical success (something I'm not sure Ye was expecting, considering the way he talked about the record) that it ended up being a smarter move to let it have its own "era" ... I still wonder what the nixed material sounds like. But I understand all of that. He had an image for Yeezus, and I think it started as more of a "get it off my chest" kind of project.... but when an album gets reviews like that, and goes to no. 1 despite having no real concept and an overtly aggressively anti-populace promotional strategy, you give it its breathing room.

Clearly Kanye is taking letting himself make the calls this time around. I think he's kinda focus group testing the material, trying to make sure it's taken seriously.

But he needs to get #FACTS off that album. Seriously. Unless it's a bonus track or some shit... Why the hell would he fuck around with the warm reception by tacking on what so many people agree is his worst song ever?

#KeepFACTSOffPablo.

Kanye bringing us together. Sorry SFAD. Love you too, son.

Y'all watching SNL right...?

"High Lights" Was sort of underwhelming on SNL for me.

Too many folks on the stage. Too much autotune. Felt clumsy.

But them network censors must've been having a panic attack, huh? haha.

It was good. Not great. I mean y'all seen Kanye do "Power" on SNL? That was incredible.

maybe it's cuz I worked in a record store from 18-25 yrs old.... but release dates were awesome when they were strict. They were an event.

Even some years later, I remember going to pick up Carter III on my lunch break and running into other dudes looking for the copy w/ the bonus EP.

I remember even days when Smashing Pumpkin's Zeitgeist or Weezer's Red Album came out and guys being out there crowding to pick up albums... I miss that.

Now it's like "oh well, the album's not finished so I don't know... it'll be done in a few days, and I'll upload it to iTunes whenever." Sucks the fun out for me.

Yeah, I feel you.

I used to work for a marketing firm that was a hop skip and a jump from one of the best record stores around, and I went and fetched albums on my lunch break all the time.

It's a different era now. I'm living in a small town for the first time in my adult life and I am actually thankful for iTunes and online purchases because there is no record store here. Just a few major chains like Walmart and Target, and WalMart censors everything so, being a fan of hip hop and punk and obscure shit, I've quite literally NEVER purchased an album there. And target often doesn't have new albums when they're released. So I'd be looking at an e-copy no matter what.

Still, I'd love it if this thing was available for mail order on CD and LP, because I'd be all over that shit.

Apparently Chance is finishing up something on the album. Not sure what. But ye's saying the delay is his fault. Poor Chance. I'm loving Chance right now.

no don't get me wrong. I adore Spotify/etc because that's what I use on the daily.

Just miss the anticipation of serious "street dates."

Chance is a beast tho. Yeah.

Wait, people lined up for Zeitgeist?
The Red Album I can kinda believe... I guess... but... Jesus. I've never hears anyone mention that record except for online zine writers who turned it into a punchline.

That's crazy man.

Now i know how all the Jewish kids feel

No I get it. I actually still buy hard copies as often as I can, but usually I make iTunes purchases these days and put them on my iPods and phone. I use Spotify mostly as a reference. I don't actively listen on it because I really like the idea of owning the music in some capacity. I know, #artshouldbefree and all that, but it makes me feel committed and invested.

I'm never going to be into idea of streaming only.

I totally miss release dates too. It's a ritual from my childhood that means a lot to me. Example: waiting in line for Vs. in '93? That was Fucking exciting. That was epic.

Hey NR, check YouTube or something and find a stream of "Ultra Light Beams"

I think you'll like it. It's definitely got a somewhat "beatless" vibe to it (there's a beat, but... you'll see), plus the choir is anthemic. Also listen to Father Stretch My Hands pt1 and 2. Killer gospel sample on that track. Just phenomenal. Very powerful.

I missed SNL. Was watching SPECTRE with the lady.
Wish I'd watched SNL.
...

Yeah, I love SFAD too. He's an important part of the café. Also he's hilarious.

It's out on Tidal

Yeah this is the same album as the stream. I'm not impressed. Worst Ye album to date.

This album is a compilation of random demos to me. Real Friends and No More Parties are the only songs that feel complete.

You know, the name Waves actually fits this album a lot more now that I came down to think about it. Those songs are like waves. They are short and they just come and go.

Some of those "waves" are bigger than others but they don't stick with you upon hearing them.

Swiish.. swooosh.

Aw goddamn. God morhetfucking dammit man.

I'm still totally down with this shit yo. Waves is soooo hype.30 Hours kills now that's it's fully mastered!

You know, even FACTS goes hard. I still hope it ends up being a bonus track, because I just don't care about ye's shoes or Nike or whatever, but aside from the lyrics (really the only thing that needs to change is that "Yeezy Yeezy just jumped over jump man line" because ... It's just a Drizzy rip. Yeezy doesn't rip off anyone.

I'm really sad that you don't like it.
I can tell you were trying to get yourself pumped back up about it.

So my theory (which I now believe in even more than I did before- think I positively nailed that one, and probably will end up writing a piece about it so I can sue the shit out of anyone who comes to the right conclusion late :) ) .... I'm guessing it didn't help? Didn't give the album any cohesion or perspective?

I posted that for you my man. I've found that sometimes other people's perspectives can really alter the way we feel about music. Obviously, reading bad reviews never helps much, but hearing interesting views from people that frame the music in a new way can really be worth a lot.

Was crossing my fingers that my stupid tirade would get you a little hyped up.

I'm sorry dude :(

I don't feel that the songs are incomplete. I really don't.

But ok, confession time... When Yeezus first came out, I liked "On Sight" and "Bound 2" but everything in between -- speaking here in terms of content, because the production and samples were always dope as hell-- everything kinda made a giant question mark balloon pop up over my head.

I remember playing it for my girlfriend in the car, talking about it, sounding super excited, and genuinely being excited, but I was trying to talk myself in to liking it. I've never admitted that before, but there it is. It felt like SUCH a Fucking mess compared to its predecessor, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, the greatest hip hop album ever made and the greater album of this century. It even felt weak compared to WTT and Cruel Summer.

But as time passed (and it only really took a few days, maybe a week tops) the record started to take form around my life. I started to understand what it meant to me personally, and if I'm being honest that has always been a bit of a long process with Kanye albums for me. I didn't fully accept Late Refistration until at least a couple years ago. And The College Dropout took even longer.

The only album that grabbed me by the balls the first time around was Graduation.

Someone writes about this in that NPR piece I posted... You guys should really read that... I think it's one of the first writers. She says that as is the case with all Kanye albums, it's going to take her some time to figure out exactly what it means to her, so what she was writing was just her immediate impressions.

I truly hope that you come to like this album louder. I really do. I know how much you love Kanye, and if I didn't like this, I'd be really fucking depressed.

Tidal? Pfft.

Sev, the Zeitgeist thing - it WAS the first SP album in a long time. Y'know? Cuz Billy did his solo LP and Zwan for a while. So I think it was the start of some 90's nostalgia.

IDGAF. I bought it that day. I heard another guy blasting it at a gas station. It's probably their worst album, but I still like a lot of it. Shrug.

Ok, so for me.... These songs all qualify as absolute top tier Kanye:

Ultra Light Beams (5/5)
FML (4/5)
30 Hours (5/5)
Real Friends (5/5)
Waves (5/5)
Wolves (5/5)
No More Parties in LA (5/5)
Feedback (5/5)
Highlights (4/5)
Father Stretch My Hands pt. 1 & pt. 2 (5/5)
* Famous (5/5) (despite the Swift lyrics, this song makes me tear up during the chorus... Fucking Rhianna covering Nina Simona with a "Wake up, Mr. West" shoutout? Unbelievable!!)

All of these songs kill it. I love them. I LOVE them.

The rest I'm on board with. Though I'm still praying that FACTS is only here as a Tidal exclusive or some shit. Everyone get on Twitter and type: #KeepFACTSoffPablo