The unquestionable highlight of MTV's Video Music Awards was the debut of the first single from Kanye West's next album, an entry into the autotune sweepstakes entitled "Love Lockdown". Yes hip hop heads, there is absolutely no rapping, and yes it does make T-Pain sound like Tupac-but that isn't the point. From the beginning Kanye's strength was not his rapping, it was making records, pure and simple. This track, which contains absolutely none of his endearingly clumsy verses is not Kayne "going pop". Rather, he's just making different kinds of records.
Does that mean it's good? Not necessarily. While his vocals show a very different perspective from even Graduation, the production seems strangely detached from the proceedings. There's the disembodied kick drum, the feverish marching snare, and the same strident piano we heard on "Homecoming", but nothing brings the track together, not even Kanye himself. He carries the tune better than what might be expected, but he's no Cee-Lo or Andre 3000. And this isn't the kind of genre dissolving single one might hope for.
The album 808's and Hearbreak is currently slated for a December 16th release.
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