I think it’s safe to say that one can’t properly critique/review an album without being familiar with the artist’s previous work (assuming they have any). So as I sit here with Common’s post-’94 discography stacked on my desk, I can’t help but feel disappointed by Universal Mind Control—his eighth LP released earlier this week. It’s not the kind of disappointment one gets from having high expectations, but one from having low expectations actually met. After Common released his 4th LP, Like Water for Chocolate, his style significantly changed. You could argue he became more “mainstream,” or go so far as to say he “sold out,” but it’s always easy for us reviewers to judge. After all, a brotha’s gotta eat, right?
