Universal Mind Control

This review is for the
iTunes edition.


Intro- Joelle Ndiaye -
It's short, and in French...
kinda like my girlfriend,
who says this basically
translates into-"Welcome
to a new sound called
Universal Mind Control".7/10.

Universal Mind Control - Pharrell whispers they just
wanna dance a few times at the beginning of the track.
It's an interesting comment on the current state of music,
and perhaps the theme for the album.I did notice a lot of
5 Percenter references which are prevalent in a  lot of
East Coast rap.Like most of Pharrell's tracks, UMC has
a dope beat,and like most of Common's songs, a good flow.
It's been stuck in my head for weeks now.
10/10.

Punch Drunk Love ft. Kanye - This joint is an instant
head-nodder.I love the fact that Kanye is NOT singing
on this one. It's a typically boastful Kanye hook that
I like a lot. 8/10.

Make My Day ft. Cee-Lo - Sounds like he borrowed this one
from 3 Stacks, but it works for him as well Cee-Lo is as
nice as ever on the hook, and the upbeat tempo gives the
love song a casual feel. This one got stuck in my head
as well.
8/10.

Sex 4 Suga- Didn't like this one too much at the first
listen, but it has grown on me a bit. I like the beat a lot
more than at first. Not bad.7/10.

Announcement ft. Pharrell - I love the throwback
feel of this beat-good balance of synth and the drum
beat sounds like a hit from the hip-hop's heyday. I half
expected to hear Biggie go "Uhh" a few times before he
stepped to the mic, with a few Diddy "take that's" in
the background.Solid lyrics again from Common, with a
decent verse from Pharrell-I like how he calls out the
G-Shock biters...ahem...BOW WOW.
9/10

Gladiator - In my opinion, this rivals UMC for best on
the album. Nice flow from Common. This track boasts the
best lyrics of the album. Pharell does a great job of
switching things up for the chorus.Songs like this is why I
bought the album. 10/10.

Changes ft. Muhsinah - The standard retrospective/
inspiringCommon joint-hasn't gotten old yet. Muhsinah
is a god fit on the hook. Changes is a nice Obama-era
laid back, Common type track. His daughter Omoye
adds some nice spoken word to the end. 7/10.

Inhale - The beat is a mix between DJ Premier and the
Neptunes with the airy synths as well as a lil scratching
here and there. It's a very breezy beat, but Common
goes hard lyrically, giving it some weight. 7/10.

What a World - Instantly catchy beat-sounds new, yet
retro at the same time. It's a very funky sound, kinda like
a updated Ike & Tina. I can see Ike on the bass now...
Common spits the throwback 80s flow that sounds right
in line with Curtis Blow and Grandmaster Flash. 
8/10.

Everywhere ft. Martina Topley Bird - Very different
sound for Common, but still nice. On this one, he's content
to let Martina do most of the work. He pops in  to do his
thing on one verse. I like this one because Common
shows that he can flow over all types of beats. 7/10.

Break my Heart(live) - For those who haven't seen
Common in concert, it is a great experience, especially
in a venue like the House of Blues. It's a very interactive
experience, with talented live instrumentation."Testify"
from the "BE:turns into a mini theatrical production.
9/10.

Final Score - 96/120=80 That comes out to a B, even
though it feels more like a B+. UMC is not the typical lay
back and burn one album from common, but dope
nonetheless. I like the fact that Common is experimenting
with a new sound and taking risks. Risks are necessary for
artists and for hip-hop as a whole to grow and develop. It
isn't as good as Be or Finding Forever, but it's no slouch
either.



                                                                                  Do you.