In which we snub the three massively popular singles from Graduation in favor of the cut that most deserves to be Kanye’s next hit.
Back in August, when Graduation first hit the Web, we were one-listen smitten with the “1940s Hollywood studio orchestra strings/rave Morse Code synth riff” beat of “Flashing Lights,” and almost four months later it sounds richer than ever, well after initial fave “Good Life” joined the pile of “2007′s overplayed T-Pain collaborations.” The track’s druggy, mid-tempo disco stomp is a more assured Kanye-matchmaking hook-up between hip-hop and techno than “Stonger”–a cleverly filched hook in search of a better rap/beat–and while some might argue that (lyrically or musically) the haunted survivalism of “Can’t Tell Me Nothin” deserves this spot, you can’t tell us nothing when those drama-swolen violins start swirlin’ during the too-brief outro. We could rewind those 20 seconds all day.
I’d say it’s already a hit, #57 and climing on the Hot 100 and I probably hear it more than “The Good Life” on urban radio at this point. Great great song, definitely one of my favorites of the year.
I like that this is Kanye’s latest single. It proves to those who have yet to purchase the disc how diverse it is.
But of his singles, I’m still feelin’ “Can’t tell me nothin’,” even after I got sick of it, just because of the Pete Rock & CL Smooth word sample and the line, “So if the Devil wears Prada/ Adam/Eve wear nada/ I’m in between but way more fresher.”
“Sorta like Katrina with no FEMA/ like Martin with no Gina” Might be the best verse of any song all year.
“i know i was foul bay-bay/ay-bey late-lay you’ve been all on my brain”
i listened to this record completely cold – i didn’t even read y’all’s write-up of the leak – and still came to the same conclusion the idolators did. i think i played the song 5 times in a row after the first time.
The Benzi Refix with Clipse is pretty amazing, even if it uses old Clipse verses. It has reignited in me the belief that one day they will release We Got It 4 Cheap Vol. 3 and kill everyone in rap with it.
I still tell everyone Flash Lights is the best track off that album.
My favorite line from it: “I’m just saying, Hey Mona Lisa, come home you know you can’t Rome without Caesar”
Love the song. My favourite off the album. But the remix by Junior Sanchez (JNRSNCHZ StrobeLight Honey Mix) almost beats it.