Is Kanye West taking Web criticism to heart?

A little more than a week after debuting his new single, "Love Lockdown," on the MTV Video Music Awards, Kanye West has posted on his blog that a new version of the song has been recorded. The paparazzi-battling West wrote, "Your prayers have been answered!! There's a new version of Love Lockdown coming. We used new taiko drums and I re-sung it."

Hmmmm? Perhaps West didn't like some of the criticism the song received?

As noted earlier, a few prominent publications took West to task, questioning his more straight-forward vocal approach in the relatively spare and moody song. But whether or not you like the song (and I'm a big fan of the tune), what's most intriguing about this development is the idea of West turning his upcoming "808's and Heartbreak" into a sort of work in progress and offering the public a glimpse at the process. It's the mix-tape on a much grander scale, with an artist perhaps re-recording a song after it received a giant shrug from the public.

"Love Lockdown" version 2.0 isn't all that much different. The rhythms are a little more amped-up in the chorus, West's vocals seem to get a bit more enhanced and the song is graced with a bit more of an electronic buzz. West's readers appear to be pleased, with multiple readers praising the new version for being more "powerful."

My one criticism of the song hasn't changed, and it's that West "goes a little overboard on the vocal manipulation." But West wrote in an earlier post (now replaced, but quoted on Pitchfork), that the effect is here to stay: "Sidebar ... if you don't like autotune ... too bad cause I love it and have been using it since The College Dropout!!!"

Image: http://www.kanyeuniversecity.com/blog/

Comments

[WiZ]

I have to be honest (and Im a big fan of Kanye West), the song SUCKS!

[Tuya]

Dear Mr West
I am trying to get through to you, and i am finding it difficult to. My name is Tuya Lenga from Namibia in Africa and i have become truly inspired by your take on hiv and there is a movement growing here with your help on Stronger
please help me to contact you better.

[Casy]

I don't think it was the critics that got to him. I read that the first version of "Love Lockdown" was thrown together in just 10 days in order to debut it at the VMAs. Kanye is a visionary and a perfectionist, so hes always looking to make improvements. Remember, he did this with "Stronger" when it came out last year. Because it leaked early, he re-worked the drums for the album.

[Love no longer needs more lockdown]

I'm sure Kanye is not the first artist to reach out to his core fanbase for advice on tune-up's, especially when he's treading unfamiliar ground. This experimental phase for the rapper has him unhinged so he seeks refuge in the words of his true fans. You know, the ones that are willing to sign up on his blog just to rant and praise the man. He definitely tweaked the track for the better. The vocals have definitely been enhanced for greater effect, but he can't seem to capture the original live performance. I can't honestly blame him, most artists never do. A live performance, albeit unpredictable, most likely will never come close to their mastered counterparts.

[Madness]

Big Kanye Fan, Horrible, horrible song... I would rather listen to my cat get attacked by a lawnmower.