Common's been a critical darling from the get-go. He's renowned for his intellligent lyrics, his ever-burgeoning sociological and philosophical themes, his willingness to experiment with form, his positive statements about hip-hop and the African-American lifestyle, and his taste. I think it's his taste that puts me off. For most of his career, Common has created tasteful rap--coffee shop hip-hop. I've had a hard time warming up to his music (even his wildly experimental 2002 album The Electric Circus claustrophobic, the Neptunes' rock-heavy production muddling the entire affair), and I think that's because he doesn't have a strong knack for melody, and he/his producers haven't crafted many compelling hooks. Common's music has always tried to push the boundaries of rap, but Common seems so concerned about integrity, that most of his music lacks life; there's rarely any sense of freedom or fun or excitement. It all seems boxed in.
In the single "Go!," Common's new producer Kanye West brings a strong sense of pop to the proceedings. The record (and most of the album from whence it came, Be) is confident and assured and laid back, but West doesn't overburden it with too many layers (as the late J. Dilla often did); he provides a lush romantic background using only an electric keyboard (sample from "Old Smokey" by early '70s London r&b/singer-songwriter Linda Lewis) and an uptempo drum beat (and maybe shades of a tambourine, too). West and John Mayer (!) provide background vocals, with West himself propelling the chorus himself with his rhythmic "Go, go, go, go" chanting. Common provides the verses, fantasizing about women he's had (or wish he's had) in clubs, complementing the '70s softcore vibe by dropping lines about sexual positions and astrological compatability. It's refreshing, this record. It's also so seventy-one, and that's alright with me.
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