Click here to listen to the full album preview of Finding Forever on AOL

Common is back with the highly anticipated new album “Finding Forever”. The official first track off the album the “Intro” is a dreamy, old school sounding track with no lyrics that serves to break down your defenses and expectations about what is to follow.

Next up is “Start the Show” which is essentially a testament to how long Common has been in the game and the seasons he has weathered to still remain relevant. He uses this platform to make a statement about his artistic integrity (i.e. “no gimmicks no mimicking”) and about the lack of substance that pervades the popular music scene (i.e. “you sing along with it inside knowing it’s wack”). He even throws a few subliminal jabs that he will probably deny when asked about at a few rappers (i.e. 50 Cent). This serves as a perfect introduction for anyone who isn’t familiar with how long Common has been in the game and a reminder for anyone who forgot how he has been producing heat for longer than 95% of these rappers.

One thing that is completely indisputable about Common’s musical repertoire is that he makes music for “The People”. In contrast to the average popular rap song that talks about driving a $100,000+ car, buying diamonds, living in mansions…this song (which features Dwele) speaks about things the average everyday person can relate to…the “unsung heroes” and their struggles. Common never fails to capture the very real hardships that so many people go through in such an authentic way that makes the listener take pause and actually empathize with people outside of their immediate view, and recognize the bigger social and political issues in the world.

“Driving Me Wild” featuring Lily Allen tells the story of a woman and man who are both chasing a certain image and lifestyle to find personal satisfaction and fulfillment in the wrong places. Nowadays too many people are trying to live like a celebrity…whether it is in trying to pull a rich and famous bachelor like the lady in the first verse…or popping bottles and buying fancy cars like the dude in the second verse…people are pursuing a lifestyle that is not in and of itself a guarantee for happiness. To prove this point…Common points out the seemingly “unbreakable relationships” of couples such as Bobby and Whit and Kimora and Russell to show that money and fame don’t necessarily equate to love and happiness. The moral of the story: love yourself and you will find love in everything. Musically speaking, Lily Allen’s voice perfectly complements the production and they make a great duo on the song.

“I Want You” is a mid-tempo sexy and nostalgic joint about wanting to reunite with an ex lover. Will.i.Am sounds wonderful on the track providing the background vocals and the production is hot! Common captures the regret and longing so perfectly in his lyrics and flow. This is the first song so far that doesn’t have a political or social message and that comes from a more personal place…so it provides a nice break from the heavy and lyrically full songs that precede it.

“Southside” featuring Kanye West picks up the energy with rock infused production. I hate to say it, but the hook on this song and Kanye’s singing is kind of annoying and really takes away from the overall vibe of the song. This is basically a boastful song done on a less superficial level than the average rapper. However, Common and Kanye clearly are a force to be reckoned with when they get on the track together as they seamlessly transition from one to the other. Had they dropped the rock flare and changed up the hook this could’ve been a real hot one.

“The Game” is essentially about Common’s determination and drive to make it in the game. DJ Premier and the different samples add a level of heat to the song and Common comes strong with interesting metaphors.

“Black Maybe” featuring Bilal is another socially conscious song about the extra hurdles that Blacks “people of color” folks face in society. He speaks on how the system is set up to make certain people fail or detract them from a greater and more productive purpose. The groove of the bluesy singing and the subtlety of the African drumming really capture the tragedy of the song.

D’Angelo finally resurfaced long enough to record vocals for “So Far to Go”. Even though he only sings about 6 different words throughout the song, it’s always nice to hear his voice and remember the times when he used to be one of the hottest singers in the game. This is a nice mellow joint about a pseudo-relationship he has with a somewhat special lady that he promises to be faithful to “whenever [he's] in her town”. Common and D’Angelo make a hot pairing and good distraction from the at times eye-roll inducing lyrics.

When I first heard the next joint “Breakin My Heart” at Common’s concert for Yahoo Live Sets, I instantly fell in love with it. He tells the story of how he met and developed a relationship with a young lady. My favorite line in the song is “She said you know I don’t be dating rappers. I said I got my SAG baby card I’m an actor” lol. Gotta love that cleverness. This is a song where he did everything right…the production is fire, the lyrics are witty and funny, and his flow is so infectious. Just to be picky, this song is certainly a regression from the emotional maturity of “Faithful” off the Be album…but I won’t hold it against him.

“Misunderstood” starts off very bluesy and builds in emotional intensity to tell the story of people who get caught up in the shady life. He paints a vivid picture of an ill-fated man who tried live life on the straight and narrow, yet succumbed to the pressures of needing to survive by any means necessary. He gets even grittier in the tale of the emotional trauma of a stripper who did drugs to numb the pain she felt from degrading herself to make a living. On an emotional, lyrical, and production level, this is the best song on the album. This could easily be an incredibly powerful video.

“Forever Begins” closes out the album on a high note with a little help from his father Lonnie Lynn. The drum beat reminds me of a triumphant march from battle which is a fitting way to salute J. Dilla (who the song is dedicated to) and leave the listener with a sense of hope and optimism. Once again he closes out his album with a bit of spoken word from his father that touches on a variety of items that all boil down to legacy…what kind of world are we living in and what will be your contribution to it? This is the kind of song that you can’t help but get contemplative on…and what’s better than making music that stimulates and challenges people’s minds and emotions?

Overall…I have to say that this album is absolutely stellar lyrically and it is soulful in every way possible. I just wrote a post the other day about how most music nowadays lacks substance, and then this album comes along and provides a breath of fresh air. For those who didn’t know…yes- Hip Hop can be soulful, yes- Hip Hop can be intelligent, powerful, creative, evocative, and meaningful. Whether you are a jazz, blues, rock, hip hop, country, or R&B person…the stories and the lyricism are powerful enough to appeal to anyone that can appreciate music with soul and poetry. This album is not easy listening in the sense that you HAVE to actually pay attention to the lyrics to really understand what he is talking about and not totally miss the point. If what I’ve written appeals to you, then I would highly recommend that you pick up this album…if you don’t want to think or you don’t like songs that don’t have dance instructions then I suggest you pass.

What do you think about Common’s album? Isn’t it about time for Common to get that Grammy? Is the album better or worse than what you expected?

Posted by Reecie

Related: Common- Finding Forever Preview