My iPod #19: Kanye West - All of the Lights

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'My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy', the fifth album by Kanye West. The one which received positive reviews from every music magazine and website you could imagine. The one with the controversial artwork. The one which had a film released along with it. The one that gave rise to memes such as 'Yeezy taught me', 'No one man should have all that flour' and 'Let's have a toast to the douchebags'. What made it so good?

Well, it was his first album after 808s & Heartbreak, for a start.

But real talk, it was the return of a Kanye (the rapper) that the world had never witnessed before. Remember what he did to Taylor Swift at the 2009 VMAs? Yeah, well no one liked him after that. Beyoncé was shocked, Pink was outraged, even the President had a few words to say about him.

So what did Kanye do? He only went into some sort of exile to Hawaii and recorded his, arguably, best work of ALL TIME. ALL TIME.

'All of the Lights' is preceded by its short interlude, a cello/violin and a piano play the melody of the intro. Then the main song starts, "ALL OF THE LIGHTS", triumphant horns set up the scene, a crescendo of strings build up the mood, Rihanna sings the post-chorus, "Turn up the lights in here baby etc etc." Then the beat kicks in, and it's just awesome from then on.

The song kicks arse. It's a highlight for me from the album. It's just the rapid drums and bass, the horns, Kanye's rhymes and delivery. It's such an adrenaline rush, I don't think anyone could sit calmly in a chair and bob their heads. No! You're headbanging, you do a forward roll and you flail about when there's no one else in the room with the lights flickering on and off. That's what you do!

Another thing that's great about the song is also the number of guests he gets on it. No, this song doesn't just feature Rihanna. You've got Kid Cudi in the first bridge, "Getting myyyyyyyyyyyyy eh, you should go and get your oowwwwwwwwwwwwn," Fergie-Ferg from the Black Eyed Peas in the second bridge, Alicia Keys AND Elton John at the end, and even La Roux. La Roux! How? Why? When?

The song just gives off a sense of glory. "Lights, Cop lights, flash lights, spot lights, strobe lights, street lights, ALL OF THE LIGHTS ALL OF THE LIGHTS, fast life, drug life, thug life, Roc life, every night, ALL OF THE LIGHTS."

If you don't have 'MBDTF', I suggest you get it. It is probably one of the best hip hop albums released in the last five years.

Who even likes Taylor Swift now anyway?

Until next time.

Jamie.