Albums to watch

Jesus Is King

Kanye West

Jesus Is King

Ninth studio album from the rapper features guest appearances from Clipse, Ty Dolla Sign, Kenny G, Fred Hammond, Ant Clemons, and Sunday Service

ADM rating[?]

4.9

Label
Getting Out Our Dreams II / Def Jam Recordings
UK Release date
25/10/2019
US Release date
25/10/2019
  1. 8.0 |   NME

    Like many great rock stars before him, Kanye West has cranked up God's jukebox. 'Jesus Is King' lacks his trademark goofball sense of humour, but that's partly compensated for with warmth and hope for the future
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  2. 8.0 |   NOW

    Jesus Is King provides an undeniably moving and distinct new chapter in the book of Kanye. Whether you choose to skip it or place it high on your mantel, its cultural significance is only bound to grow
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  3. 7.2 |   Pitchfork

    Christianity is the unwavering focus of Kanye’s gospel album, a richly produced but largely flawed record about one man’s love of the Lord (and himself)
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  4. 7.0 |   Spectrum Culture

    At least Kanye’s given us something more interesting to talk about than himself
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  5. 7.0 |   Northern Transmissions

    Like most things Kanye does, Jesus Is King is at times bold, messy, obtuse, somber and joyous. It’s kind of a perfect distillation of the artists persona
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  6. 7.0 |   Clash

    As a one-off, this album is a fascinating addition to the Kanye West canon. Will we still be interested five gospel albums down the line? And, more importantly, will Kanye?
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  7. 7.0 |   musicOMH

    Jesus Is King is certainly an improvement on Ye, and a purposeful if novel release
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  8. 7.0 |   All Music

    Presumably reborn in Christ, Jesus Is King reframes Kanye West as a work in progress and, despite the controversies, demonstrates (as humbly as his ego will allow) that he's at least trying
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  9. 6.6 |   Gig Soup

    Even if this isn’t a straight gospel album, it’s disappointing that he didn’t take the spirituality to more interesting places thematically
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  10. 6.0 |   Slant Magazine

    The album is impeccably produced but finds Kanye barely shifting his musical approach
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  11. 6.0 |   Exclaim

    Kanye's foray into gospel should have been a heavenly experience, but it's half-baked, incoherent and ultimately falls short of godly
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  12. 5.0 |   Rolling Stone

    West turns to religion as his muse. It leads to moments of undeniable beauty, but little to hold onto
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  13. 4.0 |   The Independent

    Jesus is King feels more like a collection of well-produced skits than a full studio album, and fans will no doubt be wondering whether all the hype and stress that preceded its unveiling was worth it
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  14. 4.0 |   The Guardian

    Undercooked tracks on this gospel album don’t delve deep enough into West’s spiritual enlightenment
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  15. 4.0 |   American Songwriter

    With this LP, he comes off concerned with fitting into an ideological mold, leaving no room for honest feelings and guided prose
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  16. 4.0 |   The Irish Times

    A giant, exhausting shout-out to the Lord
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  17. 4.0 |   The Line Of Best Fit

    JESUS IS KING isn’t even as hilariously shit or infuriatingly offensive as Ye – it's one great tune and a bunch of other ideas, and it isn’t entertaining in the slightest.
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  18. 4.0 |   The FT

    The music is not entirely untouched by inspiration, but the songs are scant as the clouds above Judah
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  19. 2.7 |   Paste Magazine

    For the first time in his career, Kanye has released something entirely boring and forgettable
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  20. 2.0 |   Evening Standard

    A concept album without much of a concept
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  21. 2.0 |   The 405

    Jesus is King is only a gospel album in name and gilded presentation. Kanye is still very much Kanye, and, more than ever, he's getting in his own way
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  22. 0.0 |   Consequence Of Sound

    Twenty-seven minutes of cliches, half-finished thoughts, and vaguely religious gesturing
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  23. 0.0 |   Tiny Mix Tapes

    Jesus Is King made me miss so much about Kanye, but it also made me miss my faith, its greatest letdown that it wasn’t compelling enough for me to rekindle it
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