Common should be nominated for Best Actor. And he should win. The character he portrays throughout his new album Universal Mind Control is so out of place with the Common of old that the Chicagoan is forced to act like it’s natural. And act he does.
It seems prophetic the rapper long ago dropped “Sense” from his moniker considering the lyrical content of this record. From the outset, it’s clear the majority of Control is Common simply trying to convince everyone just how good he is, be it on the mic or in the sack. Did he actually forget that he recorded “I Used to Love H.E.R.,” or is he simply ignoring this fact? It’s an important question because the Common who wrote and recorded that classic would be embarrassed of this new version.
Take “Sex 4 Suga,” for example. Over an electrifying, percussive beat, Common drops the astoundingly absurd, “Oh, you makin’ my nature rise/ We can do more than fantasize,” which is followed (and topped) by, “Let’s do the do, me and you/ We can whoa, whoa, whoa and whoopee-woo.” Really, why doesn’t Common just come out and say, “Hey, we should fuck.” It’s subtler that way. As ridiculous as the lyrics are, the title takes the crown ? even Prince would question it.
But what is most alarming about this song (and a substantial portion of the album) is the fact that Common once said, “Few understand the union of woman and man/ And sex and a tingle is where they assume that it land.” This gem of wisdom from his 2000 album Like Water for Chocolate in juxtaposition with his new material illustrates just how far Common has fallen.
Yet, the real tragedy of the album isn’t the immaterial lyrics. While that is disgraceful considering Common’s catalogue, the real problem with this album is the wasted production, which is some of the best this year. More importantly, a few of the Neptunes-produced tracks are among the best work the duo has ever done. This is noteworthy because they produce seven of the 10 songs here, with the other three by Mr. DJ. While DJ is in top form, the Neptunes run rings around him by returning to the percussive-heavy approach that worked to perfection on past Clipse records.
The title track is their most arrestingly hypnotic work to date. It is a shame, then, that Common has nothing of any worth to say. It is pathetic to hear Common spit garbage like, “I stay fresh like I’m wrapped in plastic,” and, “Like cash money I stay in pocket.” Damn, that sucks.
Worse yet is the fact that Pharrell sounds like a 1950’s robot, an irritating effect that is sure to overtake the vocoder as the new trend in popular music by mid-2009.
There are exceptions, however. “Changes” and “What a World” save Control from being a total lyrical failure. The former, a positive outlook to the future, has a refreshing, upbeat message of substance. The latter, a simple story song about a kid who dreams of being a famous rapper, may well be autobiographyical. The song is the only other reprieve from the rest of the lyrical bullshit Common spouts.
Hopefully Universal Mind Control is just Common’s braggadocio phase. He’s just so much better than this.
3 out of 5 stars.
