“The Life of Pablo” By Kanye West

For the next couple hundred words, I’m going to set aside the incendiary and alarming behavior that West has exhibited over the last couple weeks, because stripped of this, “The Life of Pablo” is a fascinating example of art in flux.

West has repeatedly referred to himself as this generation’s Walt Disney, which would make “The Life of Pablo” Kanye’s “Fantasia.” Just as Disney’s original plan for the concert film was to have it constantly changing with sequences added and removed and new collaborators joining the fray, TLOP remains unfinished.

For better or worse, previously-released songs appear here in radically different forms. “Wolves,” which once featured Vic Mensa and Sia, now seems weaker with those participants’ verses swapped for a Frank Ocean outro. On the flip side, last fall’s “Fade” has transformed from its underwheling low-key original incarnation and into a blistering house track.

West himself has said that “Wolves” and several other tracks from the album are still being tinkered with, which is not surprising given the fact the album’s track list itself has publicly changed numerous times in the days leading up to its release.

The album that hit Tidal wasn’t even sequenced the same as the one that played at the its launch less than 72 hours prior.

What’s happening here is a relatively unprecedented look into a major artist’s creative process. Tidal has referred to this as a “partial” version, with a final version set for release any day now — but it could be truly thrilling if that day doesn’t come at all.

What if the album is never actually finished?

Perhaps the previously released, highly touted Paul McCartney collaborations “All Day,” “Only One” and “FourFiveSeconds” make an appearance. Perhaps the back half of “30 Hours” transforms from a set of ad-libs into a third verse.

The album as it stands is a masterpiece, but it could become transcendent by never standing still.

SOUNDS LIKE:
An R rated version of Inside Out

PERFECT FOR:
Feeling simultaneously vulnerable and invincible

Music Desk, Josh Buck

I’m an almost annoyingly outspoken feminist who loves writing about gender and race in mainstream art. I once had to be almost physically removed from Disneyland because my friends said it’s not cool to be the very last person in the park. I can’t wait to graduate in the spring so I can point my car West with no money and no plan, and spend months seeing the country, writing and meeting people.