Kanye West: 808s & Heartbreak Vinyl 2LP+CD

As far as we can tell, this official reissue has identical specs to the 2008 release: Kaws artwork, inserts, triple gatefold, double vinyl and bonus CD. With the original pressing going for anywhere from $50-200, you either love or hate this reissue. Now all we need is the Graduation reissue. Here’s our original Lab review from 2008:

What’s so compelling about Kanye West that makes everyone clamor for anything new the man drops? Four albums deep and I’m still not quite sure – but I do know that if you told me about some other rando artist who whipped up an album in a month using mainly Auto-Tune and a TR-808, I probably wouldn’t care this much. With Kanye, it’s kinda fascinating. Personality aside, the thumping lead single “Love Lockdown” and follow-up “Heartless” are just solid joints by any standards. It’s also crazy to hear Fool’s Gold’s young gun on the come-up as newly inked G.O.O.D. recruit Kid Cudi hops on “Welcome To Heartbreak” and the breezy “Paranoid.” The album isn’t concerned with guest spots or the usual Kanye chipmunk breaks, but Jeezy turns in a quick verse on “Amazing,” and “Bad News” features a sample of Nina Simone‘s “See Line Woman.”

• black double vinyl pressing
• housed in full color triple panel gatefold sleeve
• includes CD, double sided foldout poster + printed lyric insert
• music label: Roc-A-Fella Records 2020

reviewed by Van Hammersly 12/2008