Common - The Dreamer/The Believer (16/02/2012)
After a career in music spanning almost 20 years, Common releases his ninth album ‘The Dreamer/The Believer’. While his more recent albums haven’t reached their full potential and left us hanging, The Dreamer/The Believer takes us back to Common’sglory days, with his new vision on what hip-hop truly means.
With some of his earlier works (typically ‘Universal Mind Control’, ‘Finding Forever’ and ‘Be’) becoming muddled by the overabundance of featured artists, over-produced beats and an overall disappointing production, The Dreamer/The Believer takes us back to the raw edge and original sound with which Commoncreated his name. This album stands to recreate his vision of hip-hop and rap, forgoing his past mistakes and building, from one strength to the next.
Working with long-term friend and producer, No I.D., has given Common the organic sound and hard-hitting beats he began his career with, returning us to the soul-inspired vision he has done so well. Combined with the limited number of, albeit great, featured artists, Maya Angelou, Nas, John Legend and Lonnie ‘Pops’ Lynn, Common has maintained the strength of his own voice and story throughout the tracks, while releasing an original but well-placed sound.
Despite releasing a total of six singles from this album (Ghetto Dreams, Blue Sky, Sweet, Celebrate and Raw (How You Like It), Common has managed to create a succinct story of his life from humble beginnings through to the height of his career.
The first single, Ghetto Dreams features Nas and highlights the symmetry of arguably two of the biggest names in rap. One of the heaviest tracks of the album, the single brings in the dark side of Common’s story telling of life in the ghetto while played over a clear and abrasive beat.
The third single, Sweet, continues in a similar hard-edged sound with the same heavy beats. The lyrics create the strength of Common’s character, spitting the words “the game need directions I’m here to map it” and leaves us in no doubt of where he sees himself.
The title tracks The Dreamer featuring Maya Angelou and The Believer featuring John Legend, although never released as singles, are certainly two of the stand out tracks. Creating the heart of the album, the aim to dream big and achieve bigger, and with the well-blended voices of Maya and John, these tracks leave a long lasting story and a resonating beat behind them. Together they build an album that opens on a note of strength and closes on one just as strong.
Through his own musical renaissance, Common has presented us with a recollection of his life, told through somewhat humble eyes. Through the mix of Common spitting the stories of his childhood, and preaching words of strength and perseverance over the bitting edge of No I.D.’s beats, The Dreamer/The Believer leaves us in no doubt that Common is back in very fine form.
Bethany Williams
With some of his earlier works (typically ‘Universal Mind Control’, ‘Finding Forever’ and ‘Be’) becoming muddled by the overabundance of featured artists, over-produced beats and an overall disappointing production, The Dreamer/The Believer takes us back to the raw edge and original sound with which Commoncreated his name. This album stands to recreate his vision of hip-hop and rap, forgoing his past mistakes and building, from one strength to the next.
Working with long-term friend and producer, No I.D., has given Common the organic sound and hard-hitting beats he began his career with, returning us to the soul-inspired vision he has done so well. Combined with the limited number of, albeit great, featured artists, Maya Angelou, Nas, John Legend and Lonnie ‘Pops’ Lynn, Common has maintained the strength of his own voice and story throughout the tracks, while releasing an original but well-placed sound.
Despite releasing a total of six singles from this album (Ghetto Dreams, Blue Sky, Sweet, Celebrate and Raw (How You Like It), Common has managed to create a succinct story of his life from humble beginnings through to the height of his career.
The first single, Ghetto Dreams features Nas and highlights the symmetry of arguably two of the biggest names in rap. One of the heaviest tracks of the album, the single brings in the dark side of Common’s story telling of life in the ghetto while played over a clear and abrasive beat.
The third single, Sweet, continues in a similar hard-edged sound with the same heavy beats. The lyrics create the strength of Common’s character, spitting the words “the game need directions I’m here to map it” and leaves us in no doubt of where he sees himself.
The title tracks The Dreamer featuring Maya Angelou and The Believer featuring John Legend, although never released as singles, are certainly two of the stand out tracks. Creating the heart of the album, the aim to dream big and achieve bigger, and with the well-blended voices of Maya and John, these tracks leave a long lasting story and a resonating beat behind them. Together they build an album that opens on a note of strength and closes on one just as strong.
Through his own musical renaissance, Common has presented us with a recollection of his life, told through somewhat humble eyes. Through the mix of Common spitting the stories of his childhood, and preaching words of strength and perseverance over the bitting edge of No I.D.’s beats, The Dreamer/The Believer leaves us in no doubt that Common is back in very fine form.
Bethany Williams