I'm reading that in the couple blurbs I read too. Does that mean I need an Amazon account to get the album? Will a physical record exist? Honest questions - I've never heard of Amazon Original (I'm old) I'm guessing this release will be DOPE
_______________________________________________________________________________________ Soul music is bad, bad, bad!
"You can take an African out of Africa, but you can't take Africa out of the African" Afro-Americana/Afro-Caribbana/Afro-Latino unite. We are ALL Black!
16. "The inclusion of Common is a bummer to me." In response to Reply # 0
Would much rather hear a Riggins/Glasper/insert-dope-bass-player-here trio doing instrumental shit. Something more along the lines of Glasper's Tiny Desk concert.
Fuck it, let me hit play on a few of these and I'll come back with thoughts.
22. ""Pyramids" is amazing. Still had no desire to check the album." In response to Reply # 20
I don't need any more Common in my life. Res/ODIAMS/LWFC and random loosies from over the years are cool with me. Pretty sure I've felt that way since I first heard Be.
26. "Hahaha now that you put it that way it *IS* pretty ridiculous." In response to Reply # 24
Comm deserves the respect of at LEAST a spin, every time he drops something. You're right. Especially considering how easy it is to listen to music these days, as you said. I stand corrected. Haha.
17. "Common announced August Greene’s existence..." In response to Reply # 0
at the Detroit Jazz Festival in September. It’s nice to see them with a formal release. I dig Brandy and I really like her joint on Black Radio. However, I can’t get into this like I want to....it’s quality music, tho.
Overall, I like that Karriem is getting more exposure from this. I don’t think he is as celebrated as Common and Glasper.
-- "Music is not to be possessed; it's to be shared.” - James Mtume
"Just stay loose, keep it raw, and bang ya drums out sometimes." - Madlib
33. "I'm 8 tracks in and now I agree." In response to Reply # 32 Mon Mar-05-18 12:23 PM by Brew
Now that I'm knee-deep in the album I agree with the sentiment above that this just isn't a match. If this were an instrumental album I'd be all over it. But I just feel like the tone of the lyrics doesn't fit the tone of the instrumentation really. Especially not for 2-3 verses per song.
But that said, Common's spitting here. Tons of great bars and lyrics. I just feel like the lyrics belong on livelier, standard hip-hop production.
Update: "No Apologies" is the first time I feel like the lyrics/lyrical tone and beat match. But the hook is awful. Haha.
Update 2: Guess I should've waited til I finished. "The Time" is excellent.
Last update: "Swisha Suite" is a great little jam session to close the album and kind of reinforces my point hah (I know Comm comes in at the end but, for the most part I mean). If they separated the instrumentals and let them stand alone, it'd be a great jazzy album. And Comm's rhymes would fit great over traditional hip-hop production. But together it's just kinda not working (besides the two songs mentioned above), for whatever reason.
39. "So...basically what I was saying in post #16?" In response to Reply # 33
>Now that I'm knee-deep in the album I agree with the >sentiment above that this just isn't a match. If this were an >instrumental album I'd be all over it. But I just feel like >the tone of the lyrics doesn't fit the tone of the >instrumentation really. Especially not for 2-3 verses per >song.
I knew this was a bad blend from the moment I saw the news.
>But that said, Common's spitting here. Tons of great bars and >lyrics. I just feel like the lyrics belong on livelier, >standard hip-hop production.
"Great bars and lyrics" stifle live, jazzy production IMO. It sounds kitschy and cheapens the music.
Again though - whatever the hell was going on at Glasper's Tiny Desk concert needs to be fully-realized. The improv jam is absolutely timeless. Need to see this guy live.
40. "Yes hence why I said "... I agree with the sentiment above ..."" In response to Reply # 39
>I knew this was a bad blend from the moment I saw the news.
I didn't think so just cause Comm and Riggins crushed BAA.
>"Great bars and lyrics" stifle live, jazzy production IMO. It >sounds kitschy and cheapens the music.
I don't know that I necessarily agree with that. i.e. the band who started this site.
>Again though - whatever the hell was going on at Glasper's >Tiny Desk concert needs to be fully-realized. The improv jam >is absolutely timeless. Need to see this guy live.
I'd love to see him live. Honestly I think most of these songs will translate better in person that they do on this record.
41. "Regarding the band who started this site...." In response to Reply # 40
>>"Great bars and lyrics" stifle live, jazzy production IMO. >It >>sounds kitschy and cheapens the music. > >I don't know that I necessarily agree with that. i.e. the band >who started this site.
I haven't checked out a Roots album front-to-back since Game Theory.
*ducks*
Am I really missing anything? I think I remember liking some tracks off Rising Down that my dude played for me. Was cool to hear Malik B again.
42. "Well that works out just perfect !" In response to Reply # 41
Cause I was referencing the albums *prior* to Game Theory, where they were basically dope lyrics on live, light, jazzy production. Like we were discussing. Haha.
>I haven't checked out a Roots album front-to-back since Game >Theory. > >*ducks* > >Am I really missing anything? I think I remember liking some >tracks off Rising Down that my dude played for me. Was cool to >hear Malik B again. > >That was what, though....10 years ago?
45. "I like Black Kennedy and Optimistic, but haven’t heard the rest yet" In response to Reply # 27
Lush production, Com’s bars are sharp. Looking forward to hearing the rest but Amazon Music only appears to have two tracks up: Black Kennedy and Optimistic, even though the album is supposed to drop on Amazon Music today. Weird.
Brandy bodied the vocals on Optimistic, by the way. Great cover.
52. "I for one like jazz rap..." In response to Reply # 0
It's not what I expected because I was hoping they would mix some boom bap in the formula....that said I like it for what it is.
It's got that sunday-playwhileyoucleanthehouse feel to it, so I won't be bumping this often, but when I do I won't have to skip anything and I'm cool with that.
It would be dope if Com did a group album next, share the mic a little bit. I say that because the last 3 projects feel like it's just been him and maybe someone for a hook...be nice to see him get out of that for a second.
Glasper is doing an EP you Kaynatranda and Riggins produced an album for Kandice Springs...so at least it won't be a long wait for something new.
53. "I agree re: Common mixing it up with some other MCs a bit." In response to Reply # 52
I feel like his solo albums, save Nobody's Smiling, are mostly him alone with 1 or 2 features. Seems like he's always preferred that.
But I'd love for him to drop something where he is just doing a bunch of collabs with some of our favorites and his contemporaries. De La, Talib, Yasiin, Thought, etc. Would be good to get some of that old school "posse track" flavor from some of the best.
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