Conceptual mess has been the real shortcoming Kanye West has as an artist. Something artistically rewarding was severed from the Graduation mastermind. Vultures was tricky to get through because of how West sounds jaded and not in control of his sound. He is seeking some new development, a contemporary flourish which has slipped through his hands now for half a decade. Vultures II is unfortunately more of the same. All we can do is credit his commitment to seeing the project through after so many delays and wince as the once great musical force slumps into this lethargic, pop rap style. Can we call this style? West has often been entertaining with his hedonistic approach because there was something in it for listeners too, whether it was the shock samples or the appropriate and often bold collaborations. Vultures II departs from a communal indulgence and is guided by those with, ironically, their self-gratification.
Their gains here are more important than anything Vultures II could offer listeners and the result is a messy, near-hour of flatlining tracks. West had often sought balance to which was bigger – the project or the person. Vultures and Vultures II tip the balance toward person and as such what little beauty can be heard on this recent release is lost to his questionable public presence. Do not get bogged down in little intricacies. The music speaks for itself. What little it whispers is uneventful. It is a shame considering the instrumental strength and storytelling of opener Slide. Even the questionable perspective can be overlooked. Does West find himself hated by the music industry? If so, there is good reason for the vitriol and the breakdown of this relationship can be tracked back. West is keen to fight against an opponent no longer there, and much of Vultures II feels like a slap at what he perceives as wrongdoing against him.
Despite this unfinished feel, Vultures II does enjoy a few moments of clarity, more in its opening moments than anywhere else. Does it feel like a drop in quality? A masquerade of a fully-fledged album which turns out to be nothing more than half-finished ideas and beats? Yes, it is a dive and much of this can be placed on West’s shoulders yet Time Moving Slowly marks one of the best songs he has managed to release this decade. That is not a high bar, but we clutch at what few straws we can when discussing West in this artistic malaise he is struggling to break from. What a drop-off Field Trip marks. Vultures II is barely held together and while its opening is promising, what follows these first two songs is just gluttony presented as brilliance. Fried is a lazy, sexualised malaise which affects the rest of the songs.
Cheap tricks and obvious comparisons between sex and food, primal urges which flood Vultures II and remove any chance of further reason or interest. Bold it is to make these songs hit back at those who suggest West “fell off,” actually falling off because of these songs is a masterful gambit. Trouble has been brewing for West for years and it comes to a head here. Lazy and often unremarkable lyrical work, lacking in emotional meaning or storytelling interest. This is an echo chamber album. An artist who cannot comprehend being past the peak. All the greats struggle – and their reinvention is part of developing their sound further, a challenge to push themselves further. West has an entitlement issue which prevents him from doing this.
Instead, he sings of popping pills and being on Mars like the dreadful Promotion or the FaceTime nerves of 530. It is not that West does not write up a storm still, it is just that his writing has pivoted from confident views of the world to the self-doubt of those without social skills. Still, he manages to get a dunk on Drake in there – and as loose a punch as it is, it still connects. There is the trouble with Vultures II. For all the slop leaking from it, there are a few moments which provide a glimpse of West as a still competent writer. The album becomes obsessed with the self and makes it hard to penetrate, especially given how repetitive it begins to feel. Frustrating and underwhelming in equal measure for those who expected more from West – but you can’t be surprised given his track record as of late.
