Customer Reviews

Leave It All Behind

5 star:		(29)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Why limit yourself? That's the lesson of The Foreign Exchange.

Yes, Phonte is still the brilliant MC we've come to know and love from Little Brother. He's still half of the very talented retro-duo known as Zo! and Tigallo. And if you've not given ears to his occasional Gordon Gartrell Radio Podcasts, you're missing out on commentary that is at once insightful and hilarious, all set to the found beats of DJ Brainchild. This should be enough for any one man, but Phonte has talent to spare. Which brings us to The Foreign Exchange.

Connected was an initial step in a particular direction. Leave It All Behind is the logical next.

Phonte and Nicolay give themselves over entirely to the concept of Leave It All Behind. It feels like this dynamic duo surveyed the current landscape of R&B and found it wanting. Too much plastic, too much "Love In This Club" nonsense, too many unnecessary guest spots, and not enough of that human-to-human contact that used to be the total objective of old school R&B. Sensing this need for something honest and real, they created Leave It All Behind.

Did they succeed? Mostly. Admittedly, the strongest single is the album opener. "Daykeeper" works on the senses like the work Tricky used to do with Martina Topley-Bird, like something intoxicating and evolving. The rest of LIAB -- with the possible exception of the titular closer -- is best experienced as a whole, from beginning to end. After all, this is a journey. To enjoy it, you need only to come along, leaving your own preconceptions at the doorstep.

A fellow hip hop head told me about this album before I had a listen to it, his advice was to not bother because Phonte only raps on 2 songs. Well to say the least, I'm so glad I didn't listen and decided to make my own judgement. I didn't like the album at first with the exception of "Take off your Blues" but now that I've given it more ipod rotation, I can't stop listening to it. This album is so smooth and fresh- give it a chance and stop trying to make it live up to "Connected" after all, variety is the spice of life right?

I was going into this expecting to hear Phonte rap 1st & foremost! I'm a huge Little Brother fan secondly. Nicolay is was an average producer until he started to evolve because I really liked that beats on that Nicolay & Kay- Time: Line. On Little Brother's last album did anyone seem to notice Phonte seem sorta kinda bored & uninspired? In my opinion right now as far as new guys in rap go he's prolly the 3rd best rapper behind Lupe Fiasco & Median(from his own Justus League crew). Back to this album I want to stress Phonte is NO Andre 3000, meaning he can actually sing & hold a whole album down w/o any tricks. This album reminds me A lot of D'Angelo's Brown Sugar & also some of Amil Larrieauxs 1st album Infinite Possibilites. It's a 5 outta 5. As of right now Phonte is the 2nd best singer/rapper I've heard behind Lauren Hill of course. This album is Classic and shows Phonte's growth as a Human Being & Artist. He's very sincere & Intelligent here w/ Nicolay. He does the singing stuff better than most who do it full-time (I.e. R. Kelly, Beyonce, & Avant) & I don't think that's an over exaggeration! A must have for 08'. Nicolay Is a better R&B producer than Hip-Hop producer maybe that a lane he should drive in more often .

Upon first listen, anyone who loved "Connected", which I know many of us did, had to be a bit shocked by the stark difference in style of the album. It took me a few listens to get over this mental hurdle, but once over it, you find that this is a masterpiece of a different sort. The soundscapes that Nicolay creates on this album flow together, just as they did on Connected. This time the feeling is even more laid back, but just as inspiring and evocative. My favorites still tend toward the tracks that sound most similar to this duo's work together on Connected. Tracks like "Take Off the Blues" and "Something to Behold" present shades of that first beloved album, but I am coming to enjoy and appreciate the other tracks more with each listen. With the way Nicolay layers his tracks, it is very difficult to become bored when listening to this album (although it is VERY relaxing and soothing).

I am sure that Connected, being their original brainchild, will always be their most well-received and praised effort, but it is hard not to appreciate an album like "Leave It All Behind" for all that it offers in terms of pure creativity and soulful music.

I am officially STILL a huge Foreign Exchange fan.

In three words: buy it now.

This record is vastly different in concept and execution. Unlike some undertakings we could name, this one utilizes the skill set of the band (producer Nicolay and rapper-and-apparently-closet-singer Phonte of Little Brother).

The record is somehow both clearly a maturing marriage between the two talents that gave us the incredible mostly hip-hop affair "Connected" four years ago while being completely different from the first record.

Terence Howard stated in an interview focused on the release of his debut record that he was told that his record works because he went into the studio and no one told him what he shouldn't do. While Howard's record doesn't work under this premise at all, "Leave It All Behind" clearly does. Phonte isn't the best singer anyone could name but he sings and arranges in such a way that makes the songs completely his. It is the same phenomenon that Sade has built a career on, and the singer works his unique tone and solid arrangements to the record's advantage throughout.

With the mix of styles presented admirably by Nicolay there was a risk that the record would come off like an album of Prince Paul skits, but rest assured: both of these cats possess the chops and a clear ear for what works that this album is a genuine and serious contender for best R&B record of the year. Considering the field is littered with over-produced sound-a-likes that can barely manage an un-annoying single with no surprises and this record isn't, I feel very comfortable putting it on such a pedestal. The lyrical range of the record bears noting as well. At first glance it's a record full of love songs, and upon further investigation it still is. Yet, unlike much of the fodder of this genre in recent years, the subject of the music spreads wide on the subject, not content to simply say "I love you". There's the "Don't leave me" song, the "I got the couch" song, the "Baby Boy" song...it runs the gamut of a mature, full-fledged relationship without a nightclub or crass sexual reference in sight. It's an R&B record for grown folk.

If you liked "Connected" you may not like this record. It's not in the same genre as "Connected", so that's understandable. If, however, you like a good R&B record in the vein of Dwele or D'Angelo, and want something that radio isn't brave enough to run into the ground, this is the record for you. It isn't the record I thought it would be, but it is the record I was looking for even though I didn't know it. I cannot recommend it highly enough.

I got interested in this album after seeing the video for House of Cards. I thought a song with such great songwriting can't exist in a vacuum. So I purchased the album and man was I right. This is an album you can play front to back. Phonte and Nicolay have put together one of the better R&B albums of the last few years with Leave It All Behind. For those who would like to play music to get in a reflective mood or just to smooth things out, this is the album for you.

It is starting to be a standard for The Foreign Exchange to blow us away with every release. I admit it took awhile for me to shake off the gem that was 'Connected' (4 years in fact) - but after 'Leaving Behind' all of my pre-notions, I allowed myself to become fully submersed in the sheer delight that is 'LIAB'!

Let the Foreign Exchange prove again why they are one of the HOTTEST group/duos in RnB/hiphop music. Their unique sound defies definition. It is a genre all on its own. It is the beautiful sound of The Foreign Exchange.

Phonte is at his rawest sincerity.

Nicolay is a genius.

the guests artists shine just as bright.

'Leave it All Behind' is musical heaven! :-)

A+, 5 stars.

The first thing to know about this album is that it is a R&B/Soul album, not a Hip Hop album. Given that their first release was a Hip-Hop album, and we know both Phonte and Nicolay from their Hip-Hop roots, a lot of the criticism (and really the only criticism) I've heard about this album from Hip-Hop heads is that it is "experimental" and isn't a Hip-Hop album. If you really don't like Soul music, then just don't buy this album (although I would argue this may turn you into a fan). But don't hate on an album for not being what it wasn't intended to be.

With that said, I think Foreign Exchange has a classic on their hands w/ this album. I am usually heisitant to call an album classic this soon after its release, but Leave It All Behind deserves it.

I agree with what I have read in a few other reviews on the internet - Nicolay is the star of this album. This album is one of the best produced albums I have ever heard. I am a huge fan of Nicolay's production (on Foreign Exchange's first album Connected, his albums/mixtapes - Dutchmasters, City Lights and Here and the album w/ Kay), but this is by far his best work. The best way for me to explain the production (although I know I won't do it justice) is Soul from the ears of a Hip Hop producer, which makes for an amazing combination. Front-to-back the production is almost flawless. His transitions between songs are amazing, which makes the album feel like one cohesive piece of work instead of a collection of songs.

Phonte is very good singer. While he isn't an amazing singer, it is clear that this isn't a rapper attempting to sing - he is really a talented singer. Phonte's voice and lyrics fit the production perfectly and the way his vocals are arranged is near perfect.

My favorite songs are Daykeeper, Take Off the Blues, All or Nothing, I Wanna Know, Something to Behold and Leave it All Behind (I realize I named half the album) but the whole album is amazing.

Being a huge fan of Connected, I got excited when I heard that Foreign Exchange was releasing a new album but was admittedly let down when I heard it would be an all R&B album. I am now unsure if I would prefer their next album to be Hip Hop or Soul! If you're a fan of both Soul and Hip Hop music, you will love this album.

This is one of the most beautiful albums I've listened to in a long time. I have it on heavy rotation. I'd recommend it to any and everyone. Among all the dry, over-processed crap being fed to the masses by the entertainment industry (whether it be music or film) this stands out loud and proud from the pack and it's taken my blues away ... that's for sure.

You just don't know how good this album is unless you give it a thorough listen and let this good stuff sink into your souls! Phonte hits the spot every time! Very glad about my download purchase of this album. The songs are overwhelmed with good harmony, lyrics, off-beats that makes it different from those other artists that hardly ever put thought into their music!!!