A reader named Chris Yamashiro sent a letter into the Idolator tip jar pleading with us to “please please please sign my petition asking kanye to bring back jon brion for all music in the future.” Apparently a world without Jon Brion is not a world where Chris can bear to see Kanye walking around making music and buying sweaters and handing out free sunglasses:
To: Kanye West
Dear Kanye,FUCKING BRING BACK JON BRION.
Your beats on Graduation are a bit rudimentary compared to Late Registration and the hooks are just a bit underdeveloped.
“Stronger” is not a terrible song, though I don’t think you can really do anything with Daft Punk and get away with it.
“Good Life” is exactly what I was hoping Graduation would sound like… in full.
Instead, you throw a Can sample, a Kate Moss reference and an Entourage appearance at us, expecting that we’d forget all about how good your music was with Jon Brion involved.
I am not petitioning to tell you that the album was bad, but I think it could’ve been so much more if you didn’t have such an oversized ego and were willing to give up a little control in the production department.
Thanks for listening.
Sincerely,
The Undersigned
Dissing Daft Punk out of hand? You’re fired, Chris.
Is this what happens when you bring a Hollywood producer-arranger type in for one album to add a little unexpected flair to your beats–spending the next few years listening to grumbles and gripes because your new tracks aren’t being fleshed out by an oboe or a pump organ? Okay, so an online petition is one thing, but why do I expect a lot of this kind of griping over the next few months, especially from the more schmindie reviewers and/or bloggers who had their minds blown that the rapper dude was working with the Fiona Apple guy? I did love the Kanye/Brion team–”Gone” would have halved its power without those strings, for instance–and wouldn’t have necessarily looked askance at Late Registration redux myself. But Kanye made great music before Brion, and I have a strange feeling his heart will go on without him.
Bring Back Jon Brion Petition [PetitionOnline]
jon brion co-produced “drunk and hot girls”
so there goes the “throws a Can sample at us” argument
jon brion was all over the record until about three weeks ago. then it was goodbye jon brion, hello larry gold!
I’m all in favour of more Jon Brion on any record, really.
Kanye, shmanway. What the world needs is constitutionally-enforced Grays reunion album.
If you really wanted a Jon Brion version, couldn’t you just fire up GarageBand and add some bells and cartoon horns and shit?
I kid, I heart Brion. I preferred the rough cut of Extraordinary Machine to the Elizondo-produced retail version. But Brionizing Graduation isn’t going to make me dislike it any less.
The CAN band is one of the underrated gems of late 20th century culture. Well done, Kanye.
Pardon my hyperbole, but I’m desperate for hip-hop to revitalize, and “Superflat” / Adobe CS suite-inspired CD covers aren’t doing it.
@G3K: Exactly.
@NickEddy: I am very much willing to sign that petition. When Brion played Intonation last year and opened w/ a Grays song I think I was the only girl screaming.
However, Kanye can work with whomever he damn well pleases.
Abridged version:
“Dear successful black producer,
Please bring back successful white producer, because you’re only good when he’s pulling the strings.
Sincerely,
Asshole”