I recently particpated in an online discussion ranking Common's albums.
For me, it was easy...
1. Resurrection
2. BE
3. Like Water For Chocolate
4. One Day It'll All Make Sense
5. Can I Borrow A Dollar?
6. Electric Circus
Numero uno was easy.
The debate came for second runner up because others seemed to want to rank LWFC over BE.
Non-cipher god.
A few things have to be understood.
Like Water...was strong w/o a doubt. Strong tracks were all over the disc - "Dooinit", the single "The Light" utilized a wonderful sample and Com's ode to females to get the public reception he deserved. The strongest track on the album, "6th Sense" got the video play it deserved. But tracks like "A Film Called (Pimp)" and "Theolonius"...enh...weaksauce.
just seemed to not fit in with the flow of the rest of the album and were easily skippable. Real talk, even Pops didn't come thru and drop the usual thought provoking, "food for thought that sticks to your ribs" type material he usually brings to the table.
On BE, The Artist Formerly Known As Sense brings it full-circle and drops the album career-long followers knew he could make. Beats + lyrics are always expected. But on this album, Com adds in a few things that had been lacking in previous works...
- A cohesive, sequenced play order
- Growth with direction
Nothing too snazzy. Just consistency. All of the tracks are strong stand-along songs but even stronger when listened to as a whole. Even my least favorite track, "Testify" became greater when I viewed the extended video version (which is so against my nature) and heard the OG sample. "Faithful", "BE Intro," "Chi-City," "They Say"...they all mesh for a enhanced listening experience into the mind of the artist.
What Like Water...lacked, BE has. As someone who's been with and followed Common's career since he was in The Source's "Unsigned Hype" column and rocked Rap City with the "Soul By The Pound" remix, I can see the changes, all positive...and where LWFC reeked of early "Baduism", BE is Com on his own two feet, as an artist and a man.
In the end, my opinion is just that, an opinion. I'm just a fan and no more of an expert than anyone else. Plus, opinions are like assholes yunno. So I'll let you judge for self.
Like Water For Chocolate
BE
Salute!
Gotty™
• For the umpteenth time, if you have a request, contribute something first. Otherwise, personally, I'll be ignoring you unless it's something I have handy or want to share. Your contributions are what keep this spot going.
• Click some ads!.
• Support the artists & buy the album if you like the music.
• Respect due to the cats who laced us with a contributions over the past few days.
• Got music you want to share? Email us at smoking.section@gmail.com and include the artist, album, filesharing link & password (if applicable). Your contributions are what keeps this joint moving.
• Come see us @ Myspace and be sure to join the group. We try to circulate update info & some extras thru there.
Our Requests
• Mob Style - Game Of Death or any other album
• Animal Pharm - Pharmaceuticals
• Charli Baltimore - The Dark Half mixtape
Stray Shots
Keep checking in because we'll be continually updating this section.
Amel Larrieux - Infinite Possibilities & Bravebird
J-Zone - Instrumental Vol. 4 PW is boxed peas
Hi-Tek - Hi-Teknology PW is boxed peas
Lupe Fiasco - Lupe The Great (Greatest Hits)
Skratch Bastid, John Smith & Pip Skid - Taking Care of Business
Pedestrian - Volume One: Unindian Songs
Meen Green - Smoking Section
Longevity - Warrior Music
Offwhyte (3 Albums) --- Squints, The Fifth Sun, & Bow To The Sceptor
Outerspace - Blood & Ashes
The Alumni - The Second Coming
P.E.A.C.E., Rasco, Tre And Kirby Dominant -Whats Life-7 Inch
Fermented Reptile - Let's Just Call You "Quits"
Awol One and Slug Present Nightcaps
Pumpkinhead - The Time Chronicles
Louis Logic - Blame It On The Hooch.2 (2006)
DA from NC came thru and laced us with some Little Brother love...respect due.
Little Brother - Chittlin Circuit 1.5
Little Brother - Minstrel Show
Little Brother - Single Files
Jean Grae/9th Wonder - Jeanius
Justus League - WJLR Radio vol. 1
Joe Scudda - Door To My Life
Splash - The Ripple Effect
Big Pooh - Sleepers
Phonte - Tiggalo EP
Cesar Commanche - Squirrel and the Ace
Legacy - Legsclusives EP
Justus League presents NC State of Mind
Little Brother Love Download Text file
