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Our look at the closing lines of reviews of the week’s biggest new music continues with a look at reactions to Common’s Universal Mind Control, which arrives in stores today:
• “On the hard-edged ‘Gladiator,’ he shows that his music is not just for the backpackers, who might find inspiration in the more upbeat ‘Changes.’ West, Cee-Lo and Pharrell Williams all put in cameos on this latest chapter from an artist who always seems to be thinking ahead.” [USA Today]
• “Universal Mind Control seems to move Common backward instead of forward, which for a lyricist of his caliber is truly disappointing.” [Entertainment Weekly]
• “On the Biggie-style ‘Announcement,’ he calls hip-hop his ‘bitch’—shocking for a guy who made hip-hop his girlfriend on ‘I Used to Love H.E.R.’ Only ‘Change’ finds him back in street-preacher mode; it’s a hopeful tribute to his Chicago homeboy, Obama.” [Rolling Stone]
• “UMC plays at a coherent message on ‘Changes,’ a salute to Barack Obama that feels like an exercise in covering bases after a half hour of slumming. Common’s inability to sound sincere about a man he spent two years championing is the most telling part of this consciously shallow caricature of hip-hop’s dregs.” [Paste]
• “But too much of Universal Mind Control falls conceptually flat. ‘Sex 4 Sugar’ hints at Barry White, but it stalls out with Common’s unclever seduction rhymes. Wasted opportunities abound, including an inconsequential final track with Tricky’s muse-chanteuse, Martina Topley-Bird. Common gained currency, but too much is squandered.” [LA Times]
It’s rather odd to see this album in a post as well as not one but TWO ads on this blog. Kinda freakin’ me out.
Oh, good old Rolling Stone. Of course the song about Obama’s the best!
@cookiedough: To be honest, I never look at which ads are on the site. I could see where it would seem dubious, however.
@Dan Gibson: Oh I didn’t suspect any foul play. I know the ads are randomly generated. I just thought it was a funny coincidence, considering the reviews you selected weren’t all that positive.
@fna: I’ll give RS the benefit of the doubt, since Common’s probably not dropping any really uncomfortable sex rhymes on the Obama track.
This is easily the worst album I reviewed all year. UMC is such an embarrassment. . .
Wow, it must be pretty bad. It’s been out, what, a week and it’s already 99 cents in the Zune bargain bin
[social.zune.net]