We all saw it coming. As soon as Kanye debuted his epic "Love Lockdown" in early September, we all knew he was working on something special. His back-to-basics sound with limited instrumentation and haunting voice were taking music to a place beyond what most rappers can fathom. Beyond how he's changed the genre, Kanye completely redefined his sound, his tone and his majesty in the music industry.

You may already know the story of Kanye's terrible year. First, he lost his mother tragically on the operating table. On top of that, his girlfriend and fiancee Alexis Phifer ended their relationship of six years. Yeah, and you thought you had a rough year. It makes sense that the album was named "808s & Heartbreak" - he's kind of dealing with some stuff.

The album is also one of his best. If you didn't read Versus writer Charlie Kesslering's review, Kanye brought the lyrical fire and, as previously mentioned, the music is right on. The tone focuses on Kanye's broken heart and the haunting melodies, and the robotic sounds of the album really drive home how Kanye is feeling. Although one may view this album as "therapy in a studio booth," I think everyone can find something they'll love on the album.

His singles "Love Lockdown" and "Heartless" introduced us to the sound of the album and are excellent songs in their own right. Both high energy and epic, you can't help but sing along with Kanye's words. Other highlights include the lyrical prowess of "Amazing," the beats and energy of "Paranoid," the quiet desperation and sadness of "Streetlights" and the pain and ferocity of "See You In My Nightmare."

There's a crucial point to discern Kanye's album from the ever-popular "emo" genre - instead of focusing on "me and my feelings," Kanye's talking directly to "you" (and by that, he's mostly excoriating and yelling at Ms. Phifer). He's pissed, and he's letting her and you know. Buy this album. It's the best collection of music released this year.