Author Topic: MAD NEWS ABOUT COMMON NEW ALBUM  (Read 226 times)

Myrealname

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MAD NEWS ABOUT COMMON NEW ALBUM
« on: December 04, 2002, 11:43:11 PM »
"Family Stand, Electric Circus finds him stretching the limits of hip-hop by reflecting his newfound appreciation of rock artists such as Pink Floyd, Jimi Hendrix, Joni Mitchell, Traffic, Van Morrison and John Lennon. Take, for instance, the aptly titled cut "New Wave," which features vocalist Laetitia Sadier from Stereolab. Undulating between hard and soft textures, it's a deliciously inventive track that helps Common succeed at fulfilling the ambitious mission he set out to achieve with Electric Circus-"to create something beyond what we thought hip-hop could be so that we can understand that hip-hop can be whatever we create."

Amid the album's most musically adventurous songs, "Jimi Was a Rock Star" stands out above all. It's a psychedelic and magnificently strange duet with Erykah Badu in homage of its namesake wherein Common sings (for the first time, ever!) rather than raps. "That song is an experience and an experiment for me," he says. "Sometimes, I can't even believe it's on my album because it's strange for me to hear myself singing-with somebody who can really sing!"

The tone and lyrics on Electric Circus are equally informed by Common's broadened state of mind. Produced by the Neptunes and featuring Mary J. Blige, "Come Close" is a tender love song that was inspired by Erykah Badu. Also produced by the Neptunes, "I Got A Right To" is a rugged proclamation of self-determination and individuality in which Common declares, "I ain't switch over, I just made my own lane." "Star 69" is an erotic ode to phone sex that was produced by the Soulquarians and features none other than Prince on keys. And buttressed by Cee-Lo's sanctified, soulful vocal stylings, "Between Me, You and Liberation" is a sobering song about people finding freedom in different things, including self-love, death and homosexuality.

ěI'm at a new place in my life so I felt a certain amount of freedom, peace and enjoyment while I was making this album," Common explains. "When we first started recording, Ahmir asked me, 'You wanna go out of space or underwater?' I said, 'Both!' I ain't tryin' to do what people expect, I ain't shuttin' shit down 'cause it's white and I ain't gon' disrespect nobody 'cause they homosexual. I can't even work like that no more. I just wanna go where I wanna go. I've traveled around the world, experienced love, hurt and joy, and I've been introduced to so much new music, so it was fun for me to interpret and express all that on my album. More than anything else, Electric Circus is an expression of my freedom, and it's probably more [reflective of] who I am than any of my previous albums."
 

Trauma-san

Re:MAD NEWS ABOUT COMMON NEW ALBUM
« Reply #1 on: December 05, 2002, 12:11:08 AM »
This album is gonna be so damn good.  Cee Lo and Prince? Hell yeah, I was waiting on that, hahaha.  That song "I Got a Right To" is friekin' AWESOME too, the hook is CRAZY.  This is gonna be great.  
 

teecee

Re:MAD NEWS ABOUT COMMON NEW ALBUM
« Reply #2 on: December 05, 2002, 08:14:20 AM »
I am scared as hell of this album as Common sounds TERRIBLE on Come Close and plain ignorant on I Got a RIght Ta.......hi sflow is nice on the latter, but does Common really gotta talk about shootin guns?  Whatever, this album will be an experiment and could either turn out dope or WACK......
 

Lord Funk

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Re:MAD NEWS ABOUT COMMON NEW ALBUM
« Reply #3 on: December 05, 2002, 01:59:01 PM »
Damn, I've been totally out of the loop when it comes to Common for a minute now. I broke out "Can I Borrow A Dollar" a couple of days back and though it was pretty average.

But then I had a shitty day at work today and in my lunch break decided to bag a new CD. What popped into my head? "Resurrection". I had a taped cassette copy when I was fifteen that I lost, but loved so many joints... So I picked it up on CD today and...wow. Takes me back and brings on a lot of old school memories, kinda like "Midnight Marauders". I know what I'll be listening to in the weeks to come.

So what's this new shit? Pretty eclectic from the sounds of it. To be honest I slept on the last two CDs. To those in the know - do I wait for the new shit or cop "One Day" or "Like Water"? Or, maybe, if I'm feeling particularly carefree, all three of the fuckers?....
"I fornicate with porn stars, sluts and strippers.
 Well - only on the Internet but what's the difference?"

 - Mad Child from Swollen Members, 'Adrenaline'
 

West Coast Veteran

Re:MAD NEWS ABOUT COMMON NEW ALBUM
« Reply #4 on: December 05, 2002, 02:05:22 PM »
I'm feelin' "Come Close". It reminds me of the superb classic "Bonita Applebum" although not as good. This album looks like it's going to be great. When is the release date?
 

=[Euthanasia]=

Re:MAD NEWS ABOUT COMMON NEW ALBUM
« Reply #5 on: December 06, 2002, 03:22:04 AM »
Over at play.com it says this is due for release 09/12/02, so next week. I'm looking forward to hearing it anyway, "Come Close" is a great song imo and "I Got A Right Ta" has really grown on me, although he does sound weird rhyming about certain things on there!




I think that if you take one of the 'O's' out of 'Good' it's 'God', if you add a 'D' to 'Evil' it's the 'Devil'. I think some cool motherfucker sat down a long time ago and said 'let's figure out a way to control motherfuckers'.
 

Trauma-san

Re:MAD NEWS ABOUT COMMON NEW ALBUM
« Reply #6 on: December 09, 2002, 12:41:34 PM »
I definately think he sounds different on this album... don't be lookin for some mind blowing flows like he used to do, I think most of this is just gonna be GOOD MUSIC like "Come Close" the rhymes are hella simplistic, but man it's such a beautiful song.  I've felt everything him or Erykah Badu (Lol) have done in like 5 years now.