Give it up for Electric Circus...:

[img:$uid]http://www.soultravelmultimedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Best-Hip-Hop-Album-Cover-711.jpg[/img:$uid]

...one of the dopest hip hop albums of all time. There's only one misstep:

that goofy attempt for crossover appeal with Mary J, in "Too Close." And maybe

"Jimi Was A Rock Star" is corny: I really hate when artists who are composing

a song about Hendrix feel the need to include psychedelic sonicscape bullshit

and gratuitous guitar work in order for the song to be "Hendrix-esque." But

even our man Nelson got in the act and did a little 1982 Linn bit for us Prince-

heads on one of the tracks (below) as well around the 4:55 mark.

Too bad black people don't like progressive music otherwise, I wouldn't be one of

14 Black dudes who likes Common's fifth album and it'd be a modern day classic.

Enjoy, mutherfuckers.

~Chuck

Love this album.

smoothcriminal12 said:

Love this album.

Only 12 of us left!

duccichucka said:

smoothcriminal12 said:

Love this album.

Only 12 of us left!

love it too...

My fave from him.

My favorite Common album. I've ran into alot people who give me the side eye whenever I tell 'em that. Especially given that me and Com share the same hometown, peoples' jaws literally drop when I tell them yet. Forget the folks who don't think that this is a modern day classic. Folks always say that this was one of his low points.

If you don't like Electric Circus, then I have a hard time understanding why you would fall on your knees and praising Like Water For Chocolate. If you listen closely to Like Water For Chocolate, there is that strong jazz, heady soul and afrobeat influence that Dilla and the Soulquarians crew implemented on that record. On Electric Circus, there is still that jazz and soul presence featured, but the only difference is that Com experimented more with rock. To my estimation, I just find Com's Soulquarians period to be his most expressive, experimental, and fearless because he was digging into so much with the production and going for a variety of topics. Electric Circus represents his definitive transition as not only a rapper, but artist.

[Edited 7/11/12 15:04pm]

Love this album

silverchild said:

My favorite Common album. I've ran into alot people who give me the side eye whenever I tell 'em that. Especially given that me and Com share the same hometown, peoples' jaws literally drop when I tell them yet. Forget the folks who don't think that this is a modern day classic. Folks always say that this was one of his low points.

If you don't like Electric Circus, then I have a hard time understanding why you would fall on your knees and praising Like Water For Chocolate. If you listen closely to Like Water For Chocolate, there is that strong jazz, heady soul and afrobeat influence that Dilla and the Soulquarians crew implemented on that record. On Electric Circus, there is still that jazz and soul presence featured, but the only difference is that Com experimented more with rock. To my estimation, I just find Com's Soulquarians period to be his most expressive, experimental, and fearless because he was digging into so much with the production and going for a variety of topics. Electric Circus represents his definitive transition as not only a rapper, but artist.

[Edited 7/11/12 15:04pm]

TBH, I kinda understand the reaction. While I agree that LWFC laid out the foundation that was to come in EC, it was still more accessible.

EC was Common's version of throwing everything at the wall just to see what it will look like, its more abstract and layered than the former. I'm only speaking for myself, but its not always easy to accept a certain statement when its full of ideas, and lord knows this album was full of them.

Granted, it was part of the fun too, because each listen I found out more details that slipped my radar in my previous listens. I came to find out that all of my fave albums share this common denominator.

Harlepolis said:

silverchild said:

My favorite Common album. I've ran into alot people who give me the side eye whenever I tell 'em that. Especially given that me and Com share the same hometown, peoples' jaws literally drop when I tell them yet. Forget the folks who don't think that this is a modern day classic. Folks always say that this was one of his low points.

If you don't like Electric Circus, then I have a hard time understanding why you would fall on your knees and praising Like Water For Chocolate. If you listen closely to Like Water For Chocolate, there is that strong jazz, heady soul and afrobeat influence that Dilla and the Soulquarians crew implemented on that record. On Electric Circus, there is still that jazz and soul presence featured, but the only difference is that Com experimented more with rock. To my estimation, I just find Com's Soulquarians period to be his most expressive, experimental, and fearless because he was digging into so much with the production and going for a variety of topics. Electric Circus represents his definitive transition as not only a rapper, but artist.

[Edited 7/11/12 15:04pm]

TBH, I kinda understand the reaction. While I agree that LWFC laid out the foundation that was to come in EC, it was still more accessible.

EC was Common's version of throwing everything at the wall just to see what it will look like, its more abstract and layered than the former. I'm only speaking for myself, but its not always easy to accept a certain statement when its full of ideas, and lord knows this album was full of them.

Granted, it was part of the fun too, because each listen I found out more details that slipped my radar in my previous listens. I came to find out that all of my fave albums share this common denominator.

I definitely agree with that as well. People consider Electric Circus as his Journey Through The Secret Life of Plants or The Hissing of Summer Lawns of sorts, and it's not that easy to dispute that argument, as there are some major left field moments that not too many folks in the hip-hop genre would ever attempt to touch. Listen to "Jimi Was A Rock Star" or "Between You, Me And Liberation." Common broke alot of ground with this ambitious project and I don't think he has gotten his props for it yet. What's so funny is that Q-Tip's Kamaal The Abstract was suppose to come out the same year this, Me'Shell NdegeOcello's Cookie: The Anthropological Mixtape and The Roots' Phrenology dropped. But eventually it was shut down by L.A. Reid and the powers that be at Arista. Just goes to show that this was a moment in the alternative hip-hop/soul movement that was unfairly negelected.

Then a year after the scrunity of those records, you know what came next....

My favorite Common album to this day. Not as consistent as "Like Water For Chocolate" or "Be," but certainly his most adventurous and daring. I even liked "Come Close To Me" (although the remix with Q-Tip, Pharrell and Erykah Badu is better than the original.

"Between You, Me And Liberation" is simply a stunning piece of music.

But yeah--no way in hell an album that off-center was going to become a hit.

Harlepolis said:

silverchild said:

My favorite Common album. I've ran into alot people who give me the side eye whenever I tell 'em that. Especially given that me and Com share the same hometown, peoples' jaws literally drop when I tell them yet. Forget the folks who don't think that this is a modern day classic. Folks always say that this was one of his low points.

If you don't like Electric Circus, then I have a hard time understanding why you would fall on your knees and praising Like Water For Chocolate. If you listen closely to Like Water For Chocolate, there is that strong jazz, heady soul and afrobeat influence that Dilla and the Soulquarians crew implemented on that record. On Electric Circus, there is still that jazz and soul presence featured, but the only difference is that Com experimented more with rock. To my estimation, I just find Com's Soulquarians period to be his most expressive, experimental, and fearless because he was digging into so much with the production and going for a variety of topics. Electric Circus represents his definitive transition as not only a rapper, but artist.

[Edited 7/11/12 15:04pm]

TBH, I kinda understand the reaction. While I agree that LWFC laid out the foundation that was to come in EC, it was still more accessible.

EC was Common's version of throwing everything at the wall just to see what it will look like, its more abstract and layered than the former. I'm only speaking for myself, but its not always easy to accept a certain statement when its full of ideas, and lord knows this album was full of them.

Granted, it was part of the fun too, because each listen I found out more details that slipped my radar in my previous listens. I came to find out that all of my fave albums share this common denominator.

I think to say that Common was "throwing everythhing at the wall..." doesn't give

him enough credit for conceptualizing a progressive hip hop album that was a

natural extension/progression from Like Water for Chocolate as an artistic statement.

Yeah, it's strange but strange does not necessarily imply or mean "it sucks."

Artistic statement....something that emcees today do not understand. Common

was exploring in Electric Circus. And again, there are some duds on the album,

but there used to be a time when recording artists were expected to make statements

that were authentic, y'know? I'm glad he made Electric Circus and when I look

back on the past 10, 15 years, I don't know of another album that was so intrepid.

The Love Below was a farce; Andre was trying too hard. He was being pretentious,

in that he doesn't naturally have the chops to pull off a out a one-man-band album

produced, written, composed, etc...I prefer Speakerboxxx because Big Boi

knew enough or was able to take stock of his talent and stayed in pocket. Even

Cee-Lo's albums, when he decided to become "a freak" don't strike me as

particularly authentic: he's selling something. Common was exploring and not

too entirely concerned with selling...

Electric Circus came out and we (my room mates at the time - we were Black

hippies) went absolutely fucking nuts: it was like "At last, a hip hop album that wasn't

about beats, bitches, blunts, beats, broads, beefin', and more beats!" I guess

because Common is somewhat beholden to the business of record making never

returned to this format and that is to our discredit, and that is my point of this

thread: We.Do.Not.Support.Progessive.And.Authentically.Artistic.Music

~Chuck

ps: doing 'shrooms while listening to Electric Circus'll place you square into

a Fellini flick. Don't do it.

My favorite behind Like Water For Chocolate

Star 69 was the shit. I also dug Between Me You & Liberation

and the opening banger Soul Power.

J Dilla is a big part of the reason why this album is so dope too.

Tittypants said:

J Dilla is a big part of the reason why this album is so dope too.

Whatever that dude touched was gold. He must've been from

Mars or something. There was a moment when Detroit was

on point...J Dilla, Dwele, Slum Village, Amp Fiddler, Isiah Thomas,

Bill Laimbeer, Dennis Rodman, John Salley, Richard Hamilton,

Tayshaun Prince, Barry Sanders, Steve Yzerman, Sergei Fedorov...

Oops, I got sidetracked there.

~Chuck.

duccichucka said:

Tittypants said:

J Dilla is a big part of the reason why this album is so dope too.

Whatever that dude touched was gold. He must've been from

Mars or something. There was a moment when Detroit was

on point...J Dilla, Dwele, Slum Village, Amp Fiddler, Isiah Thomas,

Bill Laimbeer, Dennis Rodman, John Salley, Richard Hamilton,

Tayshaun Prince, Barry Sanders, Steve Yzerman, Sergei Fedorov...

Oops, I got sidetracked there.

~Chuck.

I'm from the D, so I can totally relate . Dilla was the illest hip hop producer imo.

classic...underrated...my fave Common album and one of the best hip hop albums ever recorded...so damn slept on too...people don't know what they're missing

duccichucka said:

Harlepolis said:

TBH, I kinda understand the reaction. While I agree that LWFC laid out the foundation that was to come in EC, it was still more accessible.

EC was Common's version of throwing everything at the wall just to see what it will look like, its more abstract and layered than the former. I'm only speaking for myself, but its not always easy to accept a certain statement when its full of ideas, and lord knows this album was full of them.

Granted, it was part of the fun too, because each listen I found out more details that slipped my radar in my previous listens. I came to find out that all of my fave albums share this common denominator.

I think to say that Common was "throwing everythhing at the wall..." doesn't give

him enough credit for conceptualizing a progressive hip hop album that was a

natural extension/progression from Like Water for Chocolate as an artistic statement.

Yeah, it's strange but strange does not necessarily imply or mean "it sucks."

Artistic statement....something that emcees today do not understand. Common

was exploring in Electric Circus. And again, there are some duds on the album,

but there used to be a time when recording artists were expected to make statements

that were authentic, y'know? I'm glad he made Electric Circus and when I look

back on the past 10, 15 years, I don't know of another album that was so intrepid.

The Love Below was a farce; Andre was trying too hard. He was being pretentious,

in that he doesn't naturally have the chops to pull off a out a one-man-band album

produced, written, composed, etc...I prefer Speakerboxxx because Big Boi

knew enough or was able to take stock of his talent and stayed in pocket. Even

Cee-Lo's albums, when he decided to become "a freak" don't strike me as

particularly authentic: he's selling something. Common was exploring and not

too entirely concerned with selling...

Electric Circus came out and we (my room mates at the time - we were Black

hippies) went absolutely fucking nuts: it was like "At last, a hip hop album that wasn't

about beats, bitches, blunts, beats, broads, beefin', and more beats!" I guess

because Common is somewhat beholden to the business of record making never

returned to this format and that is to our discredit, and that is my point of this

thread: We.Do.Not.Support.Progessive.And.Authentically.Artistic.Music

~Chuck

ps: doing 'shrooms while listening to Electric Circus'll place you square into

a Fellini flick. Don't do it.

Well said.

Not really a fan of rap but if I see this cheap I'll pick it up.

rialb said:

Not really a fan of rap but if I see this cheap I'll pick it up.

I always considered Common not as rap, but as hip hop music.

But yeah, get this one, dude. It's a cohesive album and not a

record with mostly singles on it.

duccichucka said:

Too bad black people don't like progressive music otherwise, I wouldn't be one of

14 Black dudes who likes Common's fifth album and it'd be a modern day classic.

There's only one misstep:

that goofy attempt for crossover appeal with Mary J, in "Too Close." And maybe

"Jimi Was A Rock Star" is corny: I really hate when artists who are composing

a song about Hendrix feel the need to include psychedelic sonicscape bullshit

and gratuitous guitar work in order for the song to be "Hendrix-esque."

A bit of hypebole but sadly not far from the truth.

You know it wouldn't be so awful if they were at least good soundscapes.
But that Hendrixian Universe was a unique creation isolated to one individual.

It's too bad about that track because I like Jef Lee Johnson as a musician.

Music for adventurous listeners

tA

Tribal Records