In The Deck
Common – “The Dreamer / The Believer” – @@@@1/2 (Review)
Interesting how things come full circle – Common’s longtime producer No I.D. (Can-I-Borrow-I-Dollar-longtime) recently found himself producing hit tracks for Kanye West’s last two LP’s – while Common went on to tap guys like The Neptunes, Dilla, and Kanye himself for his last few LP’s. With No I.D. taking on the position of executive VP of Def Jam, he’s certainly built his own legacy outside of Common’s first three albums, and now the two reunite for The Dreamer / The Believer.
The Dreamer / The Believer is a monumental release for a couple of reasons – with the exception of Nas on “Ghetto Dreams” – it’s one of the first major label LP’s in a longtime to bring things back to the one producer / one emcee formula, rather than having the tracklist look like a checklist of hot producers and guests. This is testament to the level of quality contained herein, as the guest list simply isn’t needed. There are vocal collaborations with a variety of soulful singers – some named, some not – but it’s clear this is done solely for the music, not the marketing.
Common presents two sides of himself on The Dreamer / The Believer, that of both a rough-around-the-edges kid from Chicago, and spiritually driven wise man. Tracks like “Ghetto Dreams” with Nas and the (allegedly) Drake directed “Sweet” find him a little more rugged, suggesting “I want a bitch that look good and cook good” and “a lot you forgot who I am / the ’87 n**ga getting rah-rah in the jam.” Or later on “Raw (How You Like It)”, we find Common exercising some showoff flows, not really holding his tongue as he may have done in the past.
But while Com seems a little more braggadocio on this LP, he balances it out with his usual brand of more sagely driven tracks. The ELO-sampled “Blue Sky” and “Celebrate” are celebratory brighter-days-are-coming anthems, while tracks like “Cloth” and “Lovin’ I Lost” recount relationships. The most heartfelt moment however is on “Windows”, where he looks through the eyes of his daughter.
A vast improvement over his last LP, Universal Mind Control, Common has taken it back to basics with The Dreamer, The Believer. No I.D.’s paired down, sample driven production, combined with Common’s always honest perspective makes this yet another solid LP from the Chi-town legend. While it does not best some of his earlier (or even more recent) classics, it’s fine addition to the catalog.
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4 1/2 seems about right but compared to what’s currently out there it’s like 5 1/2 out of 5. The first time I popped it in I had to listen to it like 3 times in a row. Made me long for the days of co-hesive producer/MC albums where even if it wasn’t a single the songs were a part of the whole experience. And I love that “Blue Sky” song.
Definitely a fair review. I have said the only thing I didn’t like about this album is all the r&b hooks. If he had taken them out and substituted his own hooks or samples (ala DJ Premier style) this could easily be a classic. It is really good especially for a “commercial” release and definitely worth buying and supporting real Hip Hop!
Dayz – once again, you say what I’m thinking.
I still have a hard time looking at Common after that last album where he tried to sell out. Obviously, he failed, so now he is going back to this. Only in hip hop can shit like this fly.
I love com, I really do, but this isn’t quite where he was on finding forever. Not bad, bit @@@@’s, nothing more.
Resurrection, one day it’ll all make sense, like water for chocolate, be, and finding forever made me a huge fan. Glad to see brotha’ Com heading back on that direction!
I couldn’t feel this at all. Common keeps dumbing down his lyrics (or maybe he’s just that oblivious to reality these days?), and No ID’s sound is just a bit too slick to me.
^deaf.
Up there with the top albums of the year.
I’m a Common fan, so I’m warranted in saying this album is wack as hell.
Pizzo is in love with Common.
You guys are lame, this joint bangs.
The rating of the album doesn’t correspond with the content of the review.
Probably give this 3 and a half @’s. Not bad, but lyrically and delivery, Common bores the hell out of me.
Pizzo loves him some emo-girly hip hop