Electric Circus [ENHANCED]

Common

Product Details

• Audio CD (December 10, 2002)
• Original Release Date: 2002
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Enhanced
• Label: Mca
• ASIN: B00007FGLT
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (153 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #66,087 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

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

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars The difference between a Ringleader and A MC Clown, January 3, 2003

By	P. Brown "Music Maniac" (Bronx, New York United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Electric Circus from Common is one of the must eccentric Hip Hop CD's that I have ever heard. As I was skimming through it my first impressing was "What in the world is this?" It was like Hip Hop was on an acid trip. Most of the beats had elements from the "seventies funk era." However I gave the CD another hear around, and listened to the lyrics and concept of the disc. Lyrically Common is very profound with expressing his stories, of Human Issues (Between Me, You & Liberation) & Love (Come Close). Out of 13 songs I enjoyed 8 (which is normal for me from a Common CD). The other 5 songs were okay, but either the production or lyrics got shuffled in the "Matrix", and lost my personal interest. I truly enjoyed this "collaged" of his interpretation of An "Electric Circus". It was something different and unique.

Lyrically Common is one of the "Ringleaders" in this Hip Hop madness. If you enjoy a "Mc Clown" who likes to brag about the people they killed, people they are sleeping with, and items they own then this CD is not for you. Only listeners with ability to enjoy "True Hip Hop" and doesn't settle for the regular "mode" of music could truly enjoy the message that the "Electric Circus" delivers.

My picks from this CD.
Song that will get you hyped and Jumping
Soul Power
Electric Wire Hustler
New Wave

Songs that will make your head swing (Mellow Madness)
Come Close (My Favorite)
I Am Music (Love The Beat and Jill Scott a is plus)
Aquarius (Hot)

Songs with a very deep message
Heaven (Long but food for thought)
Between Me, You & Liberation (Very Deep)

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Come one, come all - the Electric Circus is in town..., December 12, 2002

By	JOHNBLAZE (Denver, CO, USA - The Mile High City) - See all my reviews

These days, it's pretty difficult for me to utter the word "perfection" in the music world. Aside from albums such as OutKast's "Aquemini", no album has ever really struck me as "perfect" - until now. Common has always been my favorite emcee, but I never expected this - never in a million years. Common has shown a type of growth and maturation the likes of which few have ever seen. His newfound maturity is easily seen on the lead single "Come Close" featuring none other than the infamous Mary J. Blige. When Common exclaims "The pimp in me/ it may have to die with you..." you get the feeling that he's serious this time. That's simply a taste of what on the album. I simply can't put into words the complexity of this album - every single track is a journey in itself. From "Electric Wire Hustler Flower" to "Star *69 (PS With Love)" to the stellar "Heaven Somewhere", you'll find that no part of this album is wasted on cliches and the usual barrage of mindless talk. Common, the hip-hop community thanks you for this album... Take a bow.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Best Album Ever........Maybe, January 4, 2003

By	Donovan (Chicago, Illinois USA) - See all my reviews

I've always been a fan of Common Sense, who has always served up an elegant mix of hip-hop, fused with other influences. On his prior albums, this influence has mainly been jazz. "Electric Circus", however, brings a new sound to the table, offering a fuse of rock, soul, jazz, and hip-hop. The finished project is the best album EVER!
From the Intro to the end, "Electric" startled me as to how one who lives now could make music that sounded like it was SO far in the future. When Gangster Rap has long gone, artists will turn to stuff like this for inspiration.
Tracks like "Soul Power", the first following the instrumental intro, really spoke to me, at first. The music behind Common's intelligent, enlightened lyrics, was like nothing I'd ever heard before, making me wonder how he made those warped whistling sounds. I couldn't tell whether it was Protools, Synthesizers, or live instruments. In any case, I loved it, and it only got better from there.
There's no bad track on the album, but the only song that isn't spectacular is "I Got A Right Ta Feel High" produced by the Neptunes, with Pharell singing the chorus in a rough, truck driver tone. While it was enjoyable, it didn't strike me as groundbreaking, like the rest of the album.
Despite that, this album shines, and if it isn't nominated for best album of the year in the Grammys, then I won't know what to say.