Common - Universal Mind Control

Common’s “UNIVERSAL MIND CONTROL” Album Review

By Michael A. Hannah (a.k.a Young Son)

It definitely seems like 2008 has been the year where artists’ are going out on a limb, giving something a little left field…and then some. On November 24th, Kanye West gave us “808’s & Heartbreak”, trading witty rap lyrics with arrogant deliveries for auto tuned vocals depicting pain and heartbreak. Joining this trend of abstract projects is his G.O.O.D Music Label mate, Common. “Universal Mind Control serves to be Common’s most experimental album since his critically acclaimed 2002 release “Electric Circus”.

The album begins with the record that started and sparked all the interest in this new style of Common when it originally dropped this summer in promotion for the CD, that was then titled “Invincible Summer”. Amongst many comparisons and with a co-sign from a recent Zune commercial, the upbeat Pharrell produced joint is easily nicknamed the 2008 version of Afrika Bambaataa’s “Planet Rock”. This actually in my opinion is not a style too far removed from Common, since he always notes the fact that he’s a b-boy at heart. “Universal Mind Control” is definitely a b-boy’s dream tune.

Punch Drunk Love is the next tune that blesses our ears on our listening journey. Kanye West serves up one of his clever, simplistic hooks in a lack luster fashion while Common drops some super cool lyrics over a futuristic soul production as he illustrates a night in the club trying to decipher if a beauty of the female persuasion was trying to come home with him that night. Overall, the tune serves to be a 4 minute wooing that hopes to end in success on Common’s part. Pharell laces the bridge with some flanger filtered autotuned vocals to give the track that last round wrap-up.

One connection that is not anything new to a Common album is a collaboration with former Goodie Mob & current Gnarls Barkley front man, Cee-Lo. The two previously connected on three occasions (One Day It'll All Make Sense's "G.O.D.", and Like Water For Chocolate's "A Song For Assata" & Electric Circus‘ “Between Me, You & Liberation"). Over what seems like something the great Gnarls Barkley would create, Cee-Lo sounds right at home on the hook. Common once again gets his woo on, talking about a beautiful woman and her assets. The cadence of the beat mixed with Common’s clever delivery with his wordplay made for a pleasant track that sort of carried a “Go Baby” by Lupe Fiasco type swagger. The tune certainly made my day.

On the fourth track of the album, we move to a song called “Sex 4 Suga”. Once again the topic was a woman. The production contained some 80s style low guitar riffs that reminded me of those used in Kanye West’s “Paranoid” from his newest project. Lyrically, I felt it wasn’t the greatest Common track…even for this album. What he lacked in that, he made up for in style and energy. I think plenty people will dig this joint, because it very catchy. Overall, it’s an awesome party track…mainly for those grown and eclectic heads.

We next move to Announcement, my favorite record on the album. The hook was ultimately catchy that had that step back and forth style swagger that you can just get down with. The 92 style flow was on the track by Common & Pharell was highly addictive. This was great homage to Biggie’s Dreams. There isn’t much more to say. This should definitely be a classic track in Common’s catalogue.

We then move to the sample introduced “Gladiator”. The track switches right at the beginning where Common jumps right into some aggressive flows. The production slaps hard with crowded instrumentation and sporadic trumpets. It all comes back to the mellow mood on the hook and then jumps right back in. This certainly sounds like original Common with a fight song type track for those trying to get the masses hype. There is no lack of wordplay and this just might have become the anthem for angry emcees who love that classic flow who receive that criticisms for being essentialist and stand-out artists that don’t follow the crowd. Definitely a solid track for new and old Common fans alike.

In what I call classic Common again, we move to a track called “Changes”. Common returned to some soulful production that could have fit right in on “Be”. The melodic melodies and the crooning of Muhsinah (The Foreign Exchange’s “Daykeeper”) & Omoye Assata Lynn, it served up something that should subdue those hardcore Common fans who were serving of mixed opinions about this eclectic project. The lyricism and vibe definitely reminded me of Be’s “The World Is Yours”. We can just call this “The World IS Yours LITE”. I say this because I feel it didn’t have that “umph” at the end that makes you want to immediately play it back over and over like “WOW”…but it served it’s purpose.

On Inhale, the Neptunes bring some old school flavor with a new school bounce. This track once again sounds closer to original Common and his previous soulful albums. By this time, you start to figure out that maybe this last half of the album was when Common figured out he wasn’t doing “Invincible Summer” anymore and he has more time. Summertime ended, Autumn began drifting in and a little of that original Common started to creep out throw the new-age B-boy club banger Common. What you get if a solid, laid back track with a great flow pace and lyric recital by Common since over a percussion heavy Neptunes track. My only argument was that the length of the track could have been longer and went into an extended music playoff.

What A World comes in sounding like a combination of Justin Timberlake and David Bowie. American pop music band Chester French served up a hook that was really funky over some retro 70s style psychedelic soul/pop rock production.. That definitely seemed like the direction of the track. Common spits some specially delivered lyrics with a vintage swagger. The track could have easily fit in with any 70s blaxploitation or regular film soundtrack. It’s definitely a great riding track in my opinion.

"Everywhere" is the last track we embark on. The only way I can describe it is like a futuristic, hip hop version of a Diana Ross & The Supremes song from the 60s. It had the feel off the top, not too mention that Martina Topley-Bird sounded just like a throwback Ms. Ross. I felt the track was a great outro for the album. It had that classic feel to it already and kept an eclectic production that once again sounded like it would have fit in perfect on a Gnarls Barkley album. My only argument was that this track also ended too quick and didn’t really going into something greatly special.

Overall, after listening to the album, I can agree that I do not feel satisfied. I agree that I don’t feel like I felt after listening to “Resurrection” or “One Day It’ll All Make Sense” or “Be” or “Finding Forever”. I can’t truthfully stand up and really say I passionately felt the album. What it turned out to be for me was half of an album of club bangers and female tracks and the last half with tracks that possibly didn’t make the cut on BE or FINDING FOREVER or Gnarls Barkley’s “The Odd Couple”. At the end of the day, I felt that this could have been a Common mixtape instead of an album and that it wasn’t pieced together very smoothly and didn’t feel complete. Would I call it the worst Common album of all time? Maybe….but not because it’s super bad. That’s only if I had to pick one out of all his albums. Overall, I think the singles will gain him some new fans, but as a fan of Common’s original music, I really hope he returns to the classic Common we know and serves us up a project that sounds like a complete work of art. Maybe their experimentation will grow on myself and others…because in my opinion, it wasn’t as left field as people were saying it was going to be or what people are STILL saying now in reviews after hearing it. It just didn’t sound like a complete album of classic MUSIC that Common usually serves up. But overall, you can’t knock the artistic freedom.

My name’s Michael A. Hannah (a.k.a Young Son) and that’s my two cents and them some. Peace Easy.

Finally time to hear some Nep's again. Will love Common no matter what.
Oh, Z, are we gonna get a Devin the Dude review?

I'm just want everybody to know that I am one of those people that Nathan mentioned in his review. I have never gotten into Common, and I told myself that when he released this album that I would start to discover what the Chicago rapper had in store for my new found love of hip-hop. Now when I first started to get into rap, I had heard of Common. He had been on a few guest features here and there, and maybe I heard him on the radio every once in a while, but for some reason I left him off my list when I first got into this genre. But now Universal Mind Control is here, and I have to say that this is a pretty good album in my opinion. I'm going over this album as if this is a new Common, as if this is a new star comming out of chicago. The next Lupe Fiasco. But the thing is, I know from what I hear that he is much better than this, so I can't give this album anything above a 3.5. What I don't like about this album is that a Lyrical master is sounding like he rapping just to get something off his chest, and that isn't what you want to do. His lyrical prone doesn't belong with the simplistic production of this album. But overall, for this being my first Common album, I'm not going to accociate this with the rest of his work. One album of his I'm not going to start with is "Electric Circus".

This is definitely not one of Common's best albums, but its still a banger! Common always delivers, and I like the production from the Neptunes. Overall, Common will always be one of my favorite artists, but I like his more concious rappin better.

i was feelin this album as background music while i was studying. Then, I decided to pay attention, and was disappointed. You know how you can be really famous and portray a really sophisticated image, but be a real dork in the comforts of your own home? I think this is Common, dork, on full display. Some of the lyrics are kinda questionable. I wondered if he recorded the rhymes like, months ago... For instance, he raps with the Passion of Christ, yes we've heard that before, and "are you not entertained?" These feel really dated, like he shoulda said them a while back, and it's too early to rap about them again. The worst offender though, is him being a warrior like Kimbo Slice. Dude Common, he got b!tched! Did you not see the clip on youtube?? They might not seem like they are that important, but everytime i listened to those songs, i always had to pause and wonder why he chose those phrases... kept me from enjoying the tracks more. Must agree with Nathan, he couldn't have taken this too seriously, otherwise we should all be worried. As for the production, i've never been too much a fan of the Neptunes, but it's all typical material by them, especially Sugar 4 Sex. While that song totally blows, some of the other tracks like Make My Day I normally wouldn't like, but my head still bobbed to em. Everywhere is probably the biggest surprise, it really does capture my attention, though it shouldn't. This album isn't bad, still has some good tracks like Inhale, which is my favorite. But I think Common should save the dorkiness for his own house, and don't let it out. Do what you enjoy doing I guess. And if you aren't sure how to deal with haters saying you can't really rap or something, call up Chamillionaire. I think that would be a SWEET duo.

I'm kind of biased towards this one because I saw Common in concert with N*E*R*D two months ago and he killed this album live. Personally, I'm really feeling his new music. Sure, the album has some weak tracks (Note: Sugar 4 Sex is CRAZY live. The album version really disappointed me) but most albums do. Anyways, Common has well-cemented his status as one of the best alive so as long as he continues to make music, I'm happy to have him around.

Who would honestly read all of michaelhannah's review, my eyes hurt looking at it.

Myztery....I guess not you then. LOL

What the @*#$! is Sex for Sugar????

First off Common is one of my favorite Mc's of all time. I have been following his career closely since Like Water for Chocolate. I have seen him make some some great albums, so I know what I expect from him, and in this album he showed me a side of him I must applaud. He wants to reach a new audience with this album and he succeeded in doing so. However he may have alienated his old fans with this one. There are a few songs on this album that I really dig. My favorites are Break My Heart (live version) which is 100 times better than the original in my opinion, the title track U.M.C which is a classic in my opinion that will be played along with any of his many great hits."Punch Drunk Love", a song that I didn't like at first and now love "Inhale" is one that I liked right off the bat, and last but not least is "Everywhere". A song that really took me by storm. This to me is his second strangest song in his entire catalog behind "Jimi was a Rockstar" (which to me honestly sounds like he and Erykah Badu were trying to conger up Jimi Hendrix spirit through song). The 80's pop baseline mixed with Martina Topley-Bird's vocal makes for a pop hit that NEEDS to be released as a single soon. This album had some serious misses for me unfortunatly. "Changes" and"Make my day"were songs I didn't like. The other two Gladiator and Announcement were songs that I am on the fence about. Over all this is a playable album. However from a Mc like Common it's safe to say that this was at best NOT his best work. I look forward to "The Believer". I trust that Common will regroup, speed dial Kanye and give us another Classic joint.

I didn't expect this to be any groundbreaking album. This is just Common tryin to have fun and do something different from albums like "Be" and "Finding Forever." I enjoyed it for what it was. Although ill have to hear the remix, I enjoyed "Punch Drunk Love." It reminds me of a slower, more distorted, technoish version of Jay-Z's "I Know," which is my all-time favorite song. I also liked "Changes," "Inhale," and "Everywhere." He should do more songs with that Everywhere" vibe. I hope he doesn't do another "Sex 4 Suga" tho. He sounded really out of place there, putting together rhymes that would sound way better coming from LL Cool J or someone else. Overall its a cool listen.

I'm really feelin' this at first i thought it was gonna be a big disappointment but hey i'm definitely feelin' this album, i mean "Universal Mind Control" was a great way to start off the album and from there i just can't help but start breakdancing lol, here's some tracks that i'm definitely feelin'

Inhale
Make My Day
Change
Punch Drunk Love
Universal Mind Control
Announcement

Common is one of the greatest artists to ever breathe their soul out to the world. A true legend. So when I hear people complain about the album, KNOWING he was going to try something knew, I can't help but think they don't really know music, let alone Common. He's stayed with basically the same route this whole game, and wants to try something new so we shoot him down? It's like people are dying to prove we can be assholes if we really want to. 2008 has actually been the hardest year for artists to express themselves in new ways. It's like Obama & change only exists on the podium or something.

Common has some slick stuff here, like "Punch Drunk Love", which with all the people listening to it, might be Common's first top 20 (not specifically Rap or Hip Hop/R&B) in a while (or so I believe?). "Gladiator" puts everyone's favourite rapper in place, and that place is 6 feet under the ground, where "Everywhere" is a smooth out-of-this-world sorta jam, and then "Sex 4 Sugar" is a complete failure. "What A World" screams Gnarls Barkley, and I guess from there the natural path is to go on to "Make My Day" (which just has way too much happening) a much better track, but not exactly a classic. Just, a few songs doesn't ruin the album. "Announcement", "Inhale" and "Changes" pulls a 360 on everyone who expected just straight party songs and has Common giving that lyrical mind munchies that people loved about him. His almost always happy attitude, his keen insight, his "for the people" code of ethnics, etc, is why we love Common. I guess I'll forever be hip hop's "BELIEVER"! Coming 09? I hope! And just because I'm currently flipping back to "Be", doesn't mean I'll never come back to bang "Universal Mind Control".

I've had way longer stuff for all these albums I'm going up on, but bottling up for so long I've forgotten some of it.

So, my Top 6, in the order; "Inhale", "Gladiator", "Announcement", "Punch Drunk Love (The Eye)", "Everywhere", and "Universal Mind Control".

Note: Hell yea I'd read his review, Myztery. :P

Yo Myztery it aint a mystery any more that u a fool..

this is my fav. review by ever-so-correct Nathan yet.
My Top picks:
1. UmC
2. Punch Drunk Love
3. Announcement
4. Make My Day
5. Inhale

Common's album is similar to Kanye's in a sense that they did songs not like their usual ones. I like how Common experimented and took risks in this one rather than sounding how Common usually does. I think I prefer his over Kanye's even though I'm a huge Kanye fan. Inhale & Punch Drunk Love are my top two, besides the singles UMC&Announcement;.

I have never been to much of a common fan, but i've always respected his lyrics. I've been waiting for him to do an album focused on club beats. Others have been quick to say, he didn't lyrically shine on this album, maybe he didn't i have not really analyzed it yet. However i really enjoyed the beats, and commons rymes over sicks beats = sick songs. The only full song I heard is universal mind control..and i enjoyed it. Also stop slamming down common for trying a different route. How much can he rap about social and philosophical issues, and how much albums can he do on those same funk based beats. If he did the same thing like "Forever", then you woulda said it sounds the same. 2008 has been a year of change for artists, like kanye, akon, and now common.

I remember when BIG said Common was his favorite rapper
That's when I started listen

It's def not Be or Finding Forever, but it's needed in hip hop today. The music needs risk

How many tracks did the Neptunes produce on this?

If hip hop had more types of rappers like common telln the truth about shit and is on a real level of real people we killabeez straight main. Now a day @*#$! ass rappers just rap about haven sex and cars and all their money they made from rappin. It was better back in tha day when they told the story of robbin dudes and how they made they c.r.e.a.m.

Its the bomb baby!!

Sorry, but this album was dookie

Common IS TO GOOD

SMH Common...I never though he would drop somethin like this. Really not feelin this album.