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Electric Circus

5th Letter

5th Letter

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Electric Circus is the 5th album by Common released on December 10th 2002. This album is considered his worst album to date. Today I’ll give it a listen and see if it’s as bad as people say it is.

Track 1. Ferris Wheel, this track features vocals from Vinia Mojica and Marie Daulne. It was produced by ?uestlove and James Poyser, It’s mainly chanting and repeating the same words in some other language. Common should’ve spit over this beat though.

Track 2. Soul Power, is produced by ?uestlove and James Poyser. Nice track. Dope beat, Com was spitting on here 7/10

Track 3. Aquarius, this song features Bilal this was produced by ?uestlove, James Poyser and Pino Palladino. The production is solid on here, I don’t like the chorus though. 6.5/10

Track 4. Electric Wire Hustle Flower, song features Sonny Sandoval and is produced by ?uestlove and James Poyser. Now we get to the first wack song on here. Wack songs are easier to listen to when the mc is spitting. 5/10

Track 5. The Hustle, produced by Karriem Riggins and features Omar and Dart Chillz. Solid production on this one and Common is spitting. The other rapper on here was alright. Another track with a trash chorus. 6.5/10

Track 6. Come Close, featuring Mary J Blige, produced by The Neptunes. One of my favorite Common songs and by far the best song on here. This was the first single from this album 9.5/10
 
Track 7. New Wave, featuring Laetitia Sadier and is produced by ?uestlove James Poyser and J Dilla. Energetic flow and dope rhymes. Trash beat and trash chorus. 4.5/10


Track 8. Star *69 (PS With Love) features Bilal, produced by ?uestlove, James Poyser and J Dilla. This song is about him waiting to make love to his girl. This beat has potential but it seems incomplete to me, trash chorus. Disappointing because I see the vision but it falls short. 5.5/10


Track 9. I Got a Right Ta, featuring Pharrell, produced by The Neptunes. This was the 2nd single and I don’t remember this getting any play. Did this even have a video? Anyways. This might be one of the worst Neptunes beats I’ve ever heard. In the same year they made Grindin. 4.5/10


Track 10. Between Me, You and Liberation featuring Cee Lo and is produced by ?uestlove, James Poyser, J Dilla and Pino Palladino. Finally a decent song. Song is about a woman he’s dealing with who grew up with a rough upbringing including being molested as a child. His dying aunt and his friend who was hiding his sexuality 7/10


Track 11. I Am Music featuring Jill Scott produced by ?uestlove, James Poyser, J Dilla, Dino Palladino. This has a cabaret/musical vibe to it. Common is talking his shit on here. Solid track but this isn’t something I’d go out of my way to listen to again. 6/10


Track 12. Jimi Was a Rock Star, featuring Erykah Badu, produced by ?uestlove, James Poyser, J Dilla and Dino Palladino. Additional vocals from Dino Palladino. The song is 8 minutes and change with mostly just Badu and Dino singing over a blaxploitation sounding beat. Then it changes to a rock beat towards the end with no verses from Common. 5.5/10


Track 13. Heaven Somewhere, featuring Omar, Cee Lo Green, Bilal, Mary J Blige, Jill Scott, Erykah Badu and Lonnie “Pops” Lynn, the father of Common, Produced by ?uestlove, James Poyser, and Dino Palladino. This track is 10 minutes plus long Common spoke in the beginning about someone calling him. The rest of the song are the featured artists taking turns singing, Pops spoke at the end. This is the 2nd best song on here. 7.5/10
 
5th Letter said:
Today I’ll give it a listen and see if it’s as bad as people say it is.
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I feels like the foundation of a great album is here but there wasn’t nearly enough quality control/execution put in for it to work. Common not spitting on every song is inexcusable as well. I still stand on my belief that this is better than Universal Mind Control.
 
grYmes said:
I feels like the foundation of a great album is here but there wasn’t nearly enough quality control/execution put in for it to work. Common not spitting on every song is inexcusable as well. I still stand on my belief that this is better than Universal Mind Control.
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Maybe I should review that one next.
 
I loved this album. This was when I started getting into other genres, and this album's sound was a gateway to that discovery for me. I go back to it for nostalgia, and the production is stellar on a sonic level. I see where he lost ppl tho. I mean, what other direction can you go after Dilla gives you his and your best production ever?
 
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