Well, one last push for a forgotten album never hurt nobody. Guess we should direct you on places where to buy it huh? Read the rest of this entry »

Forever the journeyman through all the convolutions that accompany a Hip-Hop career, Rashid “Common” Lynn was never one to shy away from letting the music represent his current mood. In attempts to fatten his catalog with more accessible material to counterpoise the analytical content in the bulk of his discography, the concept of Invincible Summer was born. However, scheduling conflicts forced the album’s delay, ultimately spawning Universal Mind Control which is a zesty blend of electro-funk, retrospect, and occasional laziness.

Not as eccentrically irritating as 2000′s Electric Circus, nor as confined to uniformity as last year’s Finding Forever, UMC determines its own path by remaining bubbly in its entirety courtesy of The Neptunes and Mr. DJ — of Outkast fame. Which in turn, help build momentum and compensate for Common’s lacking in the vocal charisma department. This is best evidenced on the album’s first two singles “Universal Mind Control” and “Announcement.” The title track which borrows flavor from Afrika Bambaataa’s “Planet Rock,” rides a futuristic wave of looping instrumentation that looks to be the B-Boy anthem of the next millennium while the latter, finds Common and Pharrell bigging up the Notorious one over a funky yet subtle backdrop. Read the rest of this entry »