September 21, 2007 - Saint Mary's University of Minnesota
September 21, 2007 - Saint Mary's University of Minnesota
September 21, 2007 - Saint Mary's University of Minnesota
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14 <strong>September</strong> <strong>21</strong>, <strong>2007</strong> Arts & Entertainment www.smumn.edu/cardinal<br />
Kanye does it differently with ‘Graduation’<br />
BY ALEX CONOVER<br />
Cardinal Staff<br />
Are you sick <strong>of</strong> repetitive, gimmickfilled<br />
pop rap? Is Soulja Boy’s “Crank<br />
Dat” dance not doing it for you?<br />
Before you give up on hip-hop, give<br />
Kanye West’s “Graduation” a spin. It<br />
might just renew your faith in the<br />
genre.<br />
There are many other hip-hop artists<br />
making improvements to the scene, but<br />
no one is doing it quite like Kanye. His<br />
first two albums were almost revolutionary<br />
(“College Dropout” brought the<br />
sped-up soul sample, “Late<br />
Registration” brought the multi-layered<br />
orchestral beat). “Graduation” is no<br />
different.<br />
Most <strong>of</strong> the tracks on the album follow<br />
a similar formula: laid-back synthesizers<br />
laced with hard-hitting hiphop<br />
beats. Although many songs sound<br />
similar in style, each one is distinctive.<br />
“Flashing Lights” has a light, catchy<br />
riff, while “Barry Bonds” (Don’t get<br />
the name? Listen to the hook) sounds<br />
like the low octave <strong>of</strong> a church organ.<br />
Although his producing style continues<br />
to progress, Kanye didn’t forget the<br />
sampling that made him famous.<br />
“Graduation” is filled with cleverly-cut<br />
snippets <strong>of</strong> artists like Elton John,<br />
Steely Dan, and Michael Jackson, but<br />
the real pride <strong>of</strong> the album is<br />
“Stronger.” In his first single, Kanye<br />
shows his producing versatility by<br />
drawing elements from the techno song<br />
“Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger” by<br />
Daft Punk. Bringing in Timbaland to<br />
program the drums, the two producing<br />
superstars combined styles to bring us<br />
a smash hit and the most impressive<br />
effort <strong>of</strong> the album.<br />
With such impressive beats, it’s easy<br />
to overlook Kanye’s lyrics. Just like his<br />
producing, however, Kanye’s rapping<br />
is clearly different from his last album.<br />
Especially in tracks such as “Can’t Tell<br />
Me Nothing,” he uses different emphasis<br />
styles to get his point across. One<br />
thing that is very different from his<br />
past albums is the general lack <strong>of</strong> skits<br />
or guest artists; there are only two verses<br />
on “Graduation” that are not done<br />
by Kanye, one <strong>of</strong> them being a very<br />
photo by Lindsay Dickson<br />
unimpressive cameo from Lil’ Wayne.<br />
Whether you are a diehard hip-hop<br />
fan or a casual listener, you will find<br />
something to like in Kanye’s latest<br />
release. By their third album, many<br />
artists succumb to laziness or lack <strong>of</strong><br />
creativity; “Graduation” defies both,<br />
proving to fans that Mr. West still has<br />
the ability to make hits and keep us listening.<br />
The Good:<br />
-Kanye’s lyrical abilities continue to<br />
improve.<br />
-Heavy in synthesizers, the beats give a<br />
mellow, laid-back feel. There are also<br />
plenty <strong>of</strong> samples in his classic style.<br />
-Unlike other albums, “Graduation”<br />
has no skits and is a solid 51 minutes<br />
<strong>of</strong> music.<br />
The Not-So-Good:<br />
-Besides Stronger, nothing jumps out at<br />
first. The album takes a few listens to<br />
adjust to.<br />
-One <strong>of</strong> the best parts <strong>of</strong> past albums<br />
were exceptional guest verses from<br />
artists like Jay-Z, Twista, and Lupe<br />
Fiasco. “Graduation” contains only<br />
two, including a weak effort from Lil’<br />
Wayne.<br />
Best Tracks:<br />
Stronger, Can’t Tell Me Nothing, Good<br />
Life, Homecoming<br />
Final Rating: 8 out <strong>of</strong> 10<br />
Student praises Jon McLaughlin album<br />
BY RACHEL ELBERT<br />
Cardinal Staff<br />
photo from the internet<br />
McLaughlin is on the rise<br />
and will be on stage in Nov.<br />
On the brink <strong>of</strong> stardom,<br />
Jon McLaughlin released his<br />
album “Indiana” in early <strong>2007</strong>.<br />
The album title pays a special<br />
tribute to his hometown <strong>of</strong><br />
Anderson, Indiana.<br />
Growing up as a pianist,<br />
songwriter, and singer,<br />
McLaughlin was influenced<br />
by Ben Folds, Billy Joel, and<br />
Elton John. The influence <strong>of</strong><br />
these people and his passion<br />
are evident in his music.<br />
The album equally mixes<br />
upbeat tunes with<br />
mellow/relaxing tunes, providing<br />
a great listening variety<br />
on the album.<br />
The album starts <strong>of</strong>f with the<br />
song “Industry,” which has a<br />
jazzy tune hidden under the<br />
pop feel.<br />
McLaughlin’s music has<br />
recently been appearing in<br />
movies, such as Disney’s<br />
“Enchanted” and “Bridge to<br />
Terabithia.” Last month, he<br />
made an appearance on the<br />
Today Show, performing his current<br />
number-one hit, “Beautiful<br />
Disaster.” Currently on a nationwide<br />
tour, he will be appearing<br />
in the Midwest on Sept. 29 and<br />
30 in Illinois and Iowa, respectively.<br />
He will also be performing<br />
in the Twin Cities on Nov. 2 at<br />
the State Theatre.<br />
For more information on tour<br />
dates: www.myspace.com/jon<br />
mclaughlin.