Review: Common - Universal Mind Control

The loop:

Common is coming off the heels of two arguably classic albums – “Be” and “Finding Forever”, and is saying this is the type of music that has been missing from his portfolio – music for the summer.

Going up:

Change of pace is audible and works well. Common doesn’t use a single Kanye West track here, and the sound is clearly different from the 2 albums before it. The mood is clearly positive throughout, and at points it’s a really fun album to listen to. But..

Going down:

…the content is 50% ying yang twins with less cursing and more neptunes. Some really odd beat choices, some questionable concepts and most notably, the total lack of content. This is a pop-album, and while it technically is all and well, it is not something that will satisfy Common’s fanbase. Maybe it’s to reach a new audience – I don’t know, I don’t care. Also, what, 3 songs about fucking? On a album with ten tracks? While there is nothing wrong with little bumb-n-grinding, on UMC they just don’t work – at all.

Notable:

Only ten tracks, no Kanye beats.

The verdict:

Cheap, soulless, no-meat-on-the-bones effort from Common that leaves the listener in awe, and not in a good way. No fatal flaws in execution, but it’s the peewee football to “Finding Forever’s” NFL.

6 / 10