Common's Finding Forever

Orizio

So what do people think?

Probably need to listen to it a few more times, but my first impression is of disapointment. For the most part Kanye (doing a weak Dilla impression throughout) seems to have given his throwaway beats to Common, the exceptions being The People, The Game, and a couple of others.

Raekwon

I personally like this album, it is easily one of the better albums to come out this year and IMO much better then Be. Then again it is all down to individual tastes. Be was nominated for a couple a Grammy's and the critics loved it, I found it boring as hell but on the flip-side I liked Electric Circus but that got slated by both critics and fans.

On Finding Forever, Common is, for the most part, lyrically on point and is as soulful as ever. Kayne's production is very good but in the couple of tracks ('Start the Show' & 'The People') when he tries to emulate the late great Dilla, he adds too many elements to the mix and it sounds somewhat over produced. But to call these 'throw away beats' is harsh IMO.

Overall I liked all tracks on this album (to various degrees) apart from the atrocious Break My Heart, which has no place on this album or any other Common album.

Orizio

I might give a more in-depth review when I have a chance, but yeah its pretty good. Break My Heart is undoubtedly one of his worst tracks ever.

Orizio

Alright that review then...

Common - Finding Forever

1. Intro

Completely pointless. Might have been saved with some vocals, but why even bother?

1 (out of 10)


[B]2.[/B] Start The Show

Starts off interestingly enough with Kanye's distorted voice over some eerie vocal sample. But then Common starts rapping and Kanye tries to emulate Dilla, the result being a confused muddled beat with no personality. Common is killing it already though.

"Hot for a minute, now you just a 'remember him?'
I've been a master since P was no-limiting"

5


3. The People

A typical kind of Kanye beat, sped up vocal sample with added soul from Dwele on the hook.It compliments the vocals very nicely though, with Common doing his man of the people impersonation with some of his trademark soft racism throw in...

"Why white folk focus on dogs and yoga
people on the low end try to ball and get over"

8


4. Driving Me Wild

People can hate on Lily Allen all they want, but she usually thrives on guest apperances and hooks. This is no different, and the whole track has a dreamy vibe to it. Common is in story telling mode and excelling as ever, talking on people's vanity and its pitfalls...

"She was the type to watch Oprah and The Today Show
Be on the treadmill, uh, like OK Go
Had the body that you can’t pay for
That means she had some D’s on her, but they wasn’t fake though"

7.5


5. I Want You

While the beat Common is rhyming on is too minimalist, will.i.am's crooning on the hook and the background flourishes save the day. Lyrically its the kind of romantic track for the ladies Common has been doing for years. Apparently the next single.

6


6. Southside

Whether you lack this track probably depends on what you think of Kanye. Personally I think he brings a energy vocally and another strong hook makes this track one of the better on the album.Suffers a little by its placement though, wedged in between the soulful first half of the album and the storming track that comes after.

6.5


7. The Game

The biggest banger from a major Hip-Hop name since Jay-Z dropped 99 Problems. Need I say more?

"I never kissed that ass of the masses
I'm the black molasses,
Thick and I lasted, past these rat bastards"

10


8. U, Black Maybe

The title tells you what to expect.The beat is rather repetively continuing in the same soulful vein as the start of the album but thankfully Common is again killing it by sticking to his strengths...

"Colleges getting at him with all type of scholarships
Even if he went they knew he’d leave college quick
For the pros the one from the hood that was chose
The black rose that grew in the jungle
But humble stud still had rumble in his blood
Women all around giving him trouble love
You know the love when you up they down
Cause you wrap a ball they round
Your wind is their clown, dudes in the circle he known for years
Shared biz and cheers but chose different careers
when paper and fame came they ain’t know how to react
Them same studs shot him in the back
Now that’s black….maybe"

7


9. So Far To Go

Already released on last years The Shining.Lyrics are in the same mould as I Want You and nothing new but Dilla's beat and D'Angelo's appreance makes it interesting.Not the strongest of Dilla/Common collab's though.

6.5


10. Break My Heart

I nothing this track. Its not even 'good' enough for me to properly hate on it.

0


11. Misunderstood

To me this is the best produced track on the album, even if it doesn't exactly have the best beat. Its a lesson on how to flip a sample properly. The first 30seconds shows us just how gorgeous Nina Simone's voice was and sets the track up perfectly before the piano and flute(???) driven beat jumps in.The beat finally begins to fade out with Nina and her piano left until the beat cuts back in for the final minute.Perfectly measured. All due plaudits to Devo Springsteen, who ever the **** he is.

Common is doing the beat justice as well, although the Cunninlynguists flipped a similar kind of concept more sophistically on the incredible The Gates.

"Cast written paper where she put powder in
Life would break up now she powderin'
She was high when she fell down and then
Crowd surroundin' and heart was poundin' and
She fell into a deep sleep, the siren sounded and
Seeing bright lights in the mist of clouds and then
Talk to god feelin like his child again
said lord let me live so I can make you wild again"

9


12. Forever Begins

The perfect uplifting beat to complete the album and clearly Common is enjoying rhyming and reminiscing over it.Take the the dozen or so vocalists fecking up the hook away, take two minutes off the end and take Common's father off it and this would have made a nice third single.

"Through the while I learned to earn hard
Wach gangstas turn God into Mr. War
no matter how much I eleveate, I kiss the floor
It was in the wind when she said Dilla was gone
That's when I knew we'd live forever through song"

9


13. Place Your Cards Right

Unfortunately tagged on at the end as a bonus, this is better then quite a few tracks on the album. Bilal excels again on the hook and the jazzy up-tempo music makes for a nice head bobbing beat.

8


Conclusion:

You can't help but think this could have been a classic album with more time and just a little less of Kanye's production. As it is its an improved and more engaging version of Be, thanks mainly to Common's consistent performance throughout.

Album Rating: 7