Customer Reviews

LeftBack [Explicit]

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

When Little Brother released their sophomore album "The Minstrel Show" in 2005, they signed to a major label and was billed as "The group that was going to save hip hop". It seemed as if their troubles were ending, when they were just beginning. First, the album was a lightning rod for controversy at the magazine The Source- where an album review resulted in an editor's resignation. Then, their video for the song "Lovin' It" was allegedly banned from BET for being "Too intelligent for the viewing audience". Lastly, there was turmoil within the group due to the outside attention that was placed on 9th Wonder as a producer which resulted in his departure. As if that wasn't enough, they recorded the follow-up "Getback" only to be told by Atlantic Records that it wasn't commercial enough. So, they devoted their time to their side projects- notably Big Pooh's solo career and Phonte's other group The Foreign Exchange. Although they announced their break-up in early 2010, the final song from "Getback" called "When Everything Is New" all but hinted at the group's demise.

So here is the new album "Leftback", which was originally conceived as an album consisting of remixes and B-sides for material that didn't make "Getback". They scrapped that idea entirely and decided to record a new album as their swan song. Half of the album was produced by Khrysis who also did "Watch Me" from "The Minstrel Show" and "After The Party" from "Getback". The overall mood of this album is obviously "Let's call it a day", as evidenced by the songs "Curtain Call" and "Tigallo For Dolo" in which Phonte clearly states where his priorities lie- he would rather be a singer than a rapper. On "What We Are" Big Pooh plays the role of a commitment phobe involved with a woman that wanted a relationship. Kon Artis of D-12 (under his real name Denaun Porter) produces the song "Second Chances" which finds the duo in a "break up to make up" situation. The three songs that weigh this album down are the remixes to the songs "After The Party" and "Two Step Blues" which were kind of unneccesary and "Before The Night Is Over" sounds bland after a few spins. Overall, it's a good album from Little Brother, but being that it's their last album it seems as if their hearts weren't in it.

Leftback is the ending of something special.. That which is the group of LB. Superstar MC, Phonte and his partner in crime, the often overshadowed Rapper Big Pooh. I've been with these cats since the beginning with 2003's The Listening and I will ride off in the sunset with 2010's Leftback.

The Album is quite solid. Not to the level of the First two projects and I feel it's better overall than Getback.

The Standout song on the track is something I've wanted for Years and PHONTE just killing a beat DOLO. Ironically, the song is called, Phontigallo for Dolo. Amazing.

If you are a fan, it's most def worth copping just to add to your collection and complete the journey with LB.

If you are just hearing about them, start at the beginning.

Good luck to both of them as they move forward.. Phonte with my favorite group in the world, FOREIGN EXCHANGE and Rapper Big Pooh with his stuff.

Appreciate you guys for what you were and what you are.

Sad to see this as the last album. I got put on to LB when I moved to NC around the Chitlin Circuit 1.5. Good stage shows and material on both features and side projects. Favorite tracks include DOLO and REVENGE.

It's crazy NC doesn't support HOJ fam; it's your own talent! Either way, it's not they are dead so I look forward to more solid hip hop like LeftBack.

If you love hip hop, I mean REAL hip hop, you will never be disappointed by Little Brother. They are the only group, the only albums even, where I can play it all the way through and don't need to skip a track because they're all dope. If you see any of their albums in stores, pick them up! They're hard to come by over here on the west coast, so I've picked up about half of their discography through Amazon. They ship pretty quick and you'll be bumpin' some soulful hip hop in no time. Sadly, this is the group's last effort, but I'm sure there are big things in store for Phonte and Rapper Big Pooh.

seriously, Khrysis showed that Little Brother didn't need 9th Wonder anyways. he had some real nice beats with a Jazzy style in it, very similar to Jay Dee productions, and some Slum Village songs. really enjoyed the album. both the rappers showed there lyrical skills, making this album a big improvement from GetBack. i call it a 5 star.

They've done it again. They have created another classic that will go unseen by the likes of the NC radio market. I remember with the Minstrel Show came out and it was when TI King came out but it was the LB's getting all of the play time in my cd player.

I remember being blown away at a LB show back when they dropped The Listening. I've been with'em ever since. I want to give this an album one star, hoping they would see it and drop another album. But seeing that's not likely, I'm going to be real and give the album it's full props: 5 stars! I'm listening to LeftBack as I write this and I'm finding it hard to focus. Dopeness. This is a damn near flawless LP - the only track I'm not feeling is So Cold (track 5). The rest of the album is blazing, no questions. If you're a LB fan, or hip hop head, you will be bumping LeftBack continously for a while.

RIP Guru!!!

I am a huge fan of Little Brother. Hungry for other things in hip-hop outside of what they play on the radio, I dived right in. When I heard that they were dropping "LeftBack" as their final album, I almost wanted to cry.

Seriously.

And I wanted this to be a HUGE deal. I was hoping for a much bigger bow-out from my favorite duo in the game. But in all honesty, it wasn't. It was comforting to hear a direct album as their final act. Phonte does what he does and Pooh is growing in his hunger. And I'm not going to deliberate on whether or not it had anything to do with the lack of 9th Wonder as a producer. But "The Listening" Little Brother is not here. You won't find them.

Enjoy this album as a collection of nostalgia. Then travel over to "Connected". You'll enjoy yourself.

The Hottest Album of 2010, these guys should be the hottest thing in America. But since they are not willing to sell out, they aren't. I appreciate music and make it apart of my everyday life, this is an album that will be a classic for years to come. No one is dying, not talking about money, cars, and clothes, no mentioning the club, bottle popping or making it rain, this album is great, the beats, the lyricism of both Phonte' and Rapper Pooh, if you don't own it, go and pick this album up...

This album is dope. Only downside is putting remixes (album fillers) of songs from your last album on your grand finale as group. I also wish that "Star" (prod. by 9th Wonder) was on here, but due to disagreements that song is not available on the album or as an mp3 for sale online. Other than that, Little Brother or just hip-hop fans in general should pick this up.