1st Listen Real-Time Notes: Kanye West, 'Ye'

INTRO
Alright, everybody knows who Kanye West is, everybody has a different opinion about him, he has a new album out today, it's titled Ye, it's 23 minutes long, his behavior has been clinically insane for the last couple years, I'm kinda scared to press play on this thing, but I'm gonna listen to this whole thing, and you're all gonna join in on my experience.
Here is the album cover.

...Ya know, I gotta admit, the deeper I get into music, the more I see album covers like this. Perhaps not so much in the rap world; not nearly as much as among garage indie bands who try to sound like Pavement or Meat Puppets... anyways. Here we go. The album. Ye.

1 I Thought About Killing You
Is this Francis and the Lights?
The title is pretty darn literal. Who is he talking about? Sounds like he's referring to himself.
It's a spoken word piece...
Whoa... an instrument.
"Sometimes I think really bad things." Thanks, XXXTentacion.
I think he's high.
Whoa, rapping. Kinda.
Instrumental is cool.
Whoa, switch-up!
This is legitimately weird. Lyrically, the background stuff.
FRITO LAY.
2 Yikes
1 minute in, this is already more accessible.
Russel Simmons, pray for me.
"You know how many girls I took to the t*tty shop?" I don't.
"We could be in North Korea." This is basically a Kanye/Trump relationship reference.
Same lyrical themes as the last 8 years.
Bipolar is a superpower... dang...
3 All Mine
NICE organs.
Weird vocal part here. Part(s).
Naomi Cambpell, Stormy Daniel...
Tristan Thompsion namedrop.
"I love your t*tties cuz they prove I can focus on 2 things at once." That's a terrible line. On multiple levels.
Ha. A come/cum joke. Nice, Ye. Nice.
Cool futuristic noise parts.
Yet this song really really sucks.
4 Wouldn't Leave
Ooh, pretty :)
Weird, but pretty.
He referenced his "slavery was a choice" comment. Didn't even justify it... It's just about him.
I think that's a crying baby in the background.
"I got a gentlemental." HA!  I kinda like that.
George Jefferson?
I need to know more celebrity names.
Wait... is he saying "white"? "White enough?"
To every guy who's ever been embarrassed... this song is dedicated to me now?
Aw, cute. Shoutout to the females who stuck with stupid guys. No, like, he actually kinda said that.
5 No Mistakes
Interesting sampling... not sure if I mean that in a good way or bad way.
Is that the 'Devil In A New Dress' beat?
What is this song about?
"The Cubs lost?" I guess he's from Chicago. They lose games sometimes...
This song is 2 minutes.
Chorus>Verse>Chorus. But what the heck is going on?
6 Ghost Town
Super old sample.
Who's singing? Is that Ty Dolla $ign?
Heavy guitar outta nowhere...
No, he was high when he made this. Like, during the process. Not beforehand, but like, 'WTF, let's just press some buttons and see what happens.'
Hey, he's doing some good singing here...
Kinda catchy. I would dare call it "emotional" if it wasn't so... bad...
What the frick that drum beat!!! That's sick.
WHAT? What is this?????? That was some outterspace sh*t.
So many different ideas, no direction :(
Sounds like Queen + White Album + Country Joe & The Fish + Gospel music + The Shaggs
7 Violent Crimes
Nice female vocal. Pleasant. Upfront production.
Very Chance The Rapper. Gospel.
Nice beat.
Some usual Kanye contradictions here.
Meet The Fockers.
He rhymed karate with Pilates.
I think it's about girls... His daughter...
He says the word "pray" a lot.
Nicki Minaj reference, but self referential.
I just realized this is not an album. Like, not really.
A girl on the voicemail at the end... what the heck?

AFTERTHOUGHTS
It's hard to call this an "album" considering it's only 23 minutes. It's hard to call this "music," because it's so non-focused. It's hard to say Kanye is just "trolling" us with this because some of the production is pretty dope. But where on earth does he go from here? This would be a pretty easy moment to erase from his catalog; music history at all, really. But this isn't something where he can just make a comeback... not any time soon. And even though we can shrug this off as some unofficial experimental mixtape, the fact that it exists still kinda creeps me out. Yeah, it's a cry for help; I'd say Kanye somewhat made it that way on purpose. I know he's trying to sound like he's off his rocker. The reason why I'm convinced he's truly on his way there... I think he himself believes it.