Hi, I'm a long-time listener, first-time caller. I felt compelled to jump into this discussion, because I was disappointed by the level of discourse, especially from ?uest, who seems to be taking things a bit too personally.

The initial criticism of Common's album was kinda weak, and could have easily been attacked on it's own merits, but instead people have been falling over themselves to take personal potshots at the critics. A person should be able to criticize an album without having his tastes attacked (Just because I don't like Common's album means I must be a Puffy or Cash Money fan? That's ridiculous.), his musical knowledge impugned, or his motives questioned.

I'll admit that I'm not really feeling Common's album. I don't have any creditials as a musician, I've never studied any instrument, and I barely passed my "Elements of Music" class back in college. But I have been a serious hip hop fan for 20 years, I'm a grown man, and I learned long ago that it's okay for me to not like something. I can't break down the technical reasons for not liking Common's album. I do know that it failed my "train test." I put my headphones on and listened to the album on the way to and from work for a few days. Every time I listened to Common's album, I generally found myself not paying attention to it, and I continually had to force myself to listen. I'm not saying it's bad, it just didn't hold my attention. That could be acceptable at work or at home, since other things are distracting me. But on the train, there's nothing else to vie for my attention, yet LWFC still didn't keep it. The new Ghostface album does; Dead Prez does; Blackalicious does. LWFC doesn't.

Now, I'm sure that it must be frustrating for a musician to read such a vague criticism, but the average fan doesn't have the musical vocabulary to say much more. Sorry. But just because I don't have the vocabulary doesn't mean I can't hear what's going on. And if one has to have the proper musical understanding to appreciate the album, then you might want to look at yourself. The average fan didn't need a musical education to appreciate James Brown, EW&F, George Clinton, Marvin Gaye, the Bomb Squad, RZA, or Premier. Why do they need it to appreciate you?

It's easy to say that your music is so much better than most everything else that's out right now. That's completely true. But if you claim to be in the lineage of JB, Prince, EWF, etc., then you have to compare your output to theirs. That's who I'm comparing you to. I listen to music for a bunch of different eras, not just stuff that was released last week. I don't say "man, this Common album is much better than that Ruff Ryders album that I never bothered to buy;" I say "this groove on this Common song is cool, but it doesn't come close to anything on this James Brown CD that I'm also carrying around with me. I think I'll listen to some JB instead." I believe that you guys do belong firmly in that lineage, but while the icons were great at it, you're "pretty good." (please don't take that as a dis; it's not meant in that spirit).

I acknowledge that there's not gonna be another band as talented as James Brown's band; there's not gonna be another singer as great as Marvin Gaye; there's not gonna be another producer as great as the Bomb Squad. But topping their legacy is what you should be aiming for, not just being better than the flavor of the week.

As for the "worshipping" of innovation that seems to go on around here, I'd like to say I support innovation, but innovation is just a means, not the end itself. The end is good music. Innovative or not, that's what I want to hear. I can appreciate experimenting, but that doesn't mean I have to like each experiment.

As I said, I wasn't really feeling the album. But that doesn't mean I won't buy the next one. I certainly will, because I think you brothers are very talented. I've been a fan of Common's since Resurrection, and I still consider myself a fan, even if I wasn't impressed by this effort (there are plenty of Prince records I don't like, yet I'm a huge fan of him). So I'm not feeling this one. Maybe next time you'll work the kinks out to my liking. If not, then the time after that. I'm a fan of the Roots, and I'm sure I'll continue to be. I wasn't a D'Angelo fan, but this lastest album converted me. Keep up the good work, and please try to accept this criticism in the spirit it was given.

David