Kanye West, one of the most prolific, influential and also controversial artists of the 21st century, has released his 12th studio Album, “BULLY”. “BULLY” consists of 18 tracks with a runtime of 42:35.
“BULLY” begins with “KING”, an album opener that samples a preacher’s speech, specifically looping the preacher’s emphasis on the word “king”, then transitioning into an instrumental featuring a repeating alarm-type sound, a heavy bass line and some heavy drums. Kanye reflects on his fame and its effects as he seeks to reclaim the title of “king”. Still, the lyrics don’t blow you away, and both Kanye’s flow and lyrics lack the curiosity, playfulness and creativity that launched him into stardom during the 2000s.
“THIS IS A MUST” is characterized by a dark, almost trap-like beat and three relatively short verses. The production is lacking in this track, and the uninspiring lyrics take away from an already lackluster start to the album.
“FATHER” begins light-hearted compared to the first two tracks. With a harmonic soul verse thanking the Lord and an organ playing in the background, the instrumental begins by sounding incredibly spiritual, as it then transitions in the same dark and ominous tone that has filled the last two songs. Kanye raps more about his return to fame and headlines as he strives to embrace his new self. This production style is far from enjoyable for me, but I think the lyrics are alright for what they’re worth. They’re short, direct and understandable.
“ALL THE LOVE” is by far the most unique song on the album thus far, and my favorite. The instrumental is filled with a fun, bouncy drum kit and playful, futuristic keyboards and pads. The instrumental is masked by Kanye singing in a very dramatic, autotuned voice, which works really well with it.
“PUNCH DRUNK” is a type of song where Kanye can do his best. A classic chipmunk soul beat where the sample does most of the work with drums filling the background, Kanye can let his short yet honest lyrics gracefully reach the listener. This track is simple yet effective and a step in the right direction for Kanye during the 2020s in general.
“WHATEVER WORKS” follows the same formula as “PUNCH DRUNK”; it has a mellow, chipmunk soul instrumental, with Kanye delivering short, effective bars that overall combine to make an easy and enjoyable listening experience.
“MAMA’S FAVORITE” sounds like a more pensive and sad version of “ALL THE LOVE”. Kanye slowly raps in an autotune voice over a beat with very little drums and deep, cloudlike pads dropping melancholy chords throughout the song. Kanye drops introspective lyrics about himself, his origins and his mother. I really like the switch-up this song brings, and I think it works really well.
“SISTERS AND BROTHERS” features a dark, layered instrumental as Kanye confronts his many lost friendships and relationships, as well as how he deals with his role as an “antihero” in the media and the world around him.
“BULLY” features a drumless instrumental filled with heavy guitar plucks, sound effects and pads in the background. Kanye confronts, in my view, both the music industry and popular media for criticizing his actions and beliefs in recent times. The drumless instrumental really works here; it creates an interesting, eerie environment as Kanye directly calls out his critics.
“HIGHS AND LOWS” features an instrumental with strong, mystical chords and beautiful vocals as Kanye sings about the highs and lows of his romantic relationship. The song is very short, only 1:50 in length, resulting in a very small amount of lyrics, but the instrumental is strikingly interesting and elegant, and Kanye’s autotuned voice meshes with it really well.
“I CAN’T WAIT” feels like a blend between the classic, simple chipmunk soul of “PUNCH DRUNK” and the dark emotion of “MAMA’S FAVORITE.” The instrumental is probably one of my favorites of the entire album, and the lyrics, which continue themes such as being misunderstood and criticized, flow really well on the song.
“WHITE LINES” feels very slowed down, yet still features a textured, dreamy instrumental like many of the songs on this album. There is little percussion, only a few tambourine sounds. Kanye sings about honesty in his relationships, sampling many elements from the Carpenters’ classic song, “They Long to be [Close to You].” Overall, the elements blend together to create a touching, quality track that expands on the album’s themes of seeking self-identity effectively.
“PREACHER MAN” features another instrumental that relies on elements other than percussion. Vocal samples, as well as soft and dark strings, serve as the background for Kanye, using honest lyrics to rap about self-confidence and personal strength amongst the challenges frequently visited throughout the album. The track features interesting lyrics that feel very Kanye. The track as a whole is a fun listening experience.
“BEAUTY AND THE BEAST” is another heavily textured, slow, dreamy instrumental. The track is, unfortunately, somewhat uninspiring, and it feels lost as it tries to find its place on the album. The songwriting and production are both uninteresting and repetitive when compared to the songs before it.
“DAMN” is yet another percusion-less, gloomy instrumental. Kanye reflects on his personal self in lyrics that feel repetitive and bland this far into the album.
“LAST BREATH”, one of the last tracks of the album, is by far the most unique. Featuring Peso Pluma, the dark, latin inspired production is a much-needed switch-up. However, while the flow and production are both fun, they don’t fit in with the rest of the album at all. A song this deep into an album that has been characterized by a twinkly, emotional sorrow, it’s both really hard to enjoy and hard to understand.
“THIS ONE HERE” concludes the album with an instrumental filled with vocals and organ chords, but this song sounds relatively bright compared to the rest of the album, signaling its role as the closing track. The lyrics focus on themes that have characterized the album, such as acceptance, self-identity and honesty. While the lyrics are relatively bland, the production and performance by Kanye end the album on a somewhat positive note.
“BULLY” was almost exactly what I expected it to be. Kanye seems to have lost the breathtaking songwriting and creative lyricism that his earlier projects were filled to the brim with. As he explores a new production style that strays away from conventional hip-hop, his albums, including “BULLY”, lack a strong core and identity that anchors them together. This leads to many of the songs being forgettable and boring. Some elements of the album’s production were enjoyable, at least, as I found myself taking joy in the dreamy yet melancholy production style that doesn’t rely on melodies or drums. However, the songwriting is painfully boring, repetitive, and dull, and relies on the quality of the production to produce a quality track. I believe that some of the songs on the album are quality tracks, but overall, the lack of an anchoring core and dull lyrics, I give “BULLY” a rating of 6.1/10.
