Electric Circus [Limited Edition w/ Bonus DVD] [Limited Edition]

Common | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (February 11, 2003)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Limited Edition
• Label: Mca
• ASIN: B00008A7WU
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #251,980 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Between Me, You & Liberation (feat. Cee-Lo)

2. Aquarius

3. Electric Wire Hustler Flower (feat. Sunny of P.O.D.)

4. I Got A Right To (feat. Pharrell Williams)

5. Jimi Was A Rock Star (feat. Erykah Badu)

6. New Wave (feat. Laetitia Sadier)

7. Star *69 (Ps With Love) (feat. Bilal)

8. Heaven Somewhere (feat. Omar Lyefook, Bilal, Cee-Lo, Jill Scott, Mary J. Blige, Erykah Badu & Lonnie Lynn)

9. The Hustle (feat. Dart Chillz)

10. Come Close (feat. Mary J. Blige)

11. Ferris Wheel (feat. Vinia Mojica & Marie Daulne of Zap Mama)

12. I Am Music (feat. Jill Scott)

13. Soul Power

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Rock & roll has grabbed Common by the neck and given him a good shake. With its heavy, multilayered sound, Electric Circus is steeped in the Chicago-born and Brooklyn-based rapper’s newfound love for Pink Floyd, Traffic, and, above all, Jimi Hendrix. But, like many new converts to anything, Common goes a little off the deep end. His ambitious quest to expand the boundaries of hip-hop is crammed to the gills with a thousand motifs and is a little too busy to be a complete success. Perhaps not surprisingly, Common’s rhymes (sample lyric: "my mind screams like Al Green to stay together!") take a distant second place to the complex musical landscape he’s fashioned. In addition, a sidereal array of vocalists (including Stereolab’s Laetitia Sadier, Mary J. Blige, Jill Scott, Cee-Lo, Bilal, and Common’s main squeeze, Erykah Badu) and musicians (Prince, Bobbi Humphrey, Nicholas Payton) add to the sonic density. All in all, Electric Circus mightn’t strike the universal chord that Common sought, but it’s a bold, elaborate project that's definitely worth a listen. --Rebecca Levine

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Common's Best CD since Resurrection, March 24, 2003

By 

"okayplayer" (Princeton, New Jersey United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Electric Circus [Limited Edition w/ Bonus DVD] (Audio CD)

Common takes Hip Hop to a place it had yet to travel to, and he does it with intelligence and soul. This is by far his most daring work, and he hits more than he misses, but with tracks like "New Wave" and "I am Music", he pushes the limits and makes you ask yourself "What is Hip Hop?"

For the future of hip hop, pick up this CD.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Another Amazing Album by Common, February 17, 2003

By 

Donohue (Buffalo, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Electric Circus [Limited Edition w/ Bonus DVD] (Audio CD)

Although this CD will probably only have one single widely excepted by the radio, the rest of the album is well worth the money. The only track I felt that wasn't strong was "I Got A Right To" with Pharrel Williams. I follow many kinds of music as a DJ, I love Common and the Neptunes, but didn't feel the collaboration. However, the rest of the CD doesn't lack anything. With the stable appearances by Bilal, Jill Scott, and Erykah Badu, I also liked the mixture created with the Stereolab's Laetitia Sadier, and Sunny from P.O.D.. In my opinion, the best upbeat song is "New Wave," and the best lyrical and slower joint is "Between Me, You & Liberation" with Cee-Lo of Goodie Mobb. Overall, the CD is incredible and another masterpiece by Common. I strongly encourage you purchase it!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The hottness.......but could have done better, March 11, 2003

By 

Charlie Rutherford Jr (Atlanta, Ga USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Electric Circus [Limited Edition w/ Bonus DVD] (Audio CD)

Me and my boy was talkin' about Common's new album and identified the pros and cons of his latest work. We felt that some of his songs were still straight in the culture of hip hop but he didn't come as witty with his lyrics as he usually does. If you want something different to listen to...this album is for you. But if you are used to the usual underground rhythm he comes with and the crazy word play he displays than you may be disappointed. You have a couple of hot songs but it's no "Like Water For Chocolate." It's still hot and gives you something to look forward to after a long day at work or at school but it's something different that he put into that album. I enjoy it but he comes at me with a different spirit than before.

-Dyrt and I'm out