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Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed albums.
Electric Circus
Generally favorable reviews
Based on 22 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?
Based on 11 votes
Read user comments
Rate this album >
Album Info
Label: MCA
Release Date: 10 December 2002
Discs: 1 disc
Genre(s): Rap
Summary
On his fifth album, the underground rapper ventures more into the rock, soul, and jazz territory of his influences, with production help from the Soulaquarians. An eclectic array of guests includes Prince, Erykah Badu, Jill Scott, Bilal, Mary J. Blige, and Stereolab's Laetitia Sadier.
Also By This Artist: Be Finding Forever Universal Mind Control
What The Critics Said
All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...
Ink Blot Magazine
The Electric Circus turns out to be a place that exists in Hip-hopolis and Rawk City and Bacharachville and DixieLand and Heaven, all at the same time. Holy crap, people, Com did it: he broke on through to the other side.
Read Full Review >Entertainment Weekly
Although he can be self-righteous, scattered, and grim, a team of truly youthful-minded producers is there to color the gray.
Read Full Review >PopMatters
While Talib's Quality and The Roots' Phrenology break new ground for both acts, Electric Circus is clearly the most adventurous of the trio of releases.
Read Full Review >Dot Music
While those seeking a quick fix of cheap thrills hip hop will be disappointed, anyone who likes their music lush, multi-layered and lyrical should pick this up without delay.
Read Full Review >Mojo
A record of startling breadth. [Feb 2003, p.96]
Q Magazine
It works... stretching rap into weird new shapes. [Feb 2003, p.97]
Alternative Press
Even the psychedelic overreach shows a most uncommon artist at work. [Feb 2003, p.64]
Playlouder
This is a brilliant, visionary album and needs rewarding with units - MTV won't have the scoobiest what to do, radio programmers will freak, and hip-hop will, once again, move forward.
Read Full Review >All Music Guide
Electric Circus does suffer from that which ails many contemporary hip-hop albums -- too many guests and a generally lengthy program drag this one down a tad. Nonetheless, Electric Circus is a brave and ruthless statement wrapped in sincerity.
Read Full Review >Uncut
To be filed alongside the Root's recent Phrenology. [Mar 2003, p.95]
Mixer
A hip-hop record brimming with soul and artistry. [Jan 2003, p.74]
Village Voice (Consumer Guide)
Outfitted in this music, however, Common's pretensions stand up and do jumping jacks.
Read Full Review >Launch.com
If Prince had ever successfully come to grips with hip hop, this is what the result might have sounded like.
Read Full Review >Rolling Stone
Electric Circus is a wild, vibrant trip billowing with purple-haze guitars, ethereal choruses and warped scratching.
Read Full Review >The Onion (A.V. Club)
Like The Roots' new Phrenology, Electric Circus possesses many of the weaknesses associated with ambition: a bloated running time, the faint aroma of pretension, an obligatory spoken-word piece, and songs that outlast their welcome.
Read Full Review >Stylus Magazine
So, is this genius or is this madness? As enjoyable as it is on occasion, I’m inclined to side with the latter.
Read Full Review >Pitchfork
Com comes off as alternately uncomfortable and downright lazy, half-speaking-- or worse, singing-- new-age revelations to the masses.
Read Full Review >Village Voice
Beautifully engineered, Circus sounds chocolaty and recombinant even when it doth protest the Enlightened Guy angle too much.
Read Full Review >Spin
The storytelling here isn't as sharp as on Common's previous albums. [Feb 2003, p.100]
Neumu.net
One problem: Common is an MC, not a musician. Which makes it difficult for him to achieve his lofty goals. Mostly he fails.
Read Full Review >Blender
Its attempts at a more ethereal sound crash up against Common's cumbersome intellectualizing. [#13, p.91]
What Our Users Said
The average user rating for this album is 9.3 (out of 10) based on 11 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.
Scotty S gave it a10:
Dude this album is hot to me better than BE. So what if he has too many guests Common is trying to shar eto us other artist that are great and we never heard of like Laetita Sadier of Stereolab, Bilal,Dart Chillz, and Omar
Tyler H gave it an8:
Genius, Jimmy P. knows what hes talking about. Star 69, come close, between me you and liberation. Common is a lyrical genius and this album is a classic. Im woundering how ne one thought it was better than "Be" i mean "Be" was good but just not up to commons standards.
Jimmy P gave it a10:
This album is unbelievable. I enjoyed this album so much. This cd is ambitious, and it's great that Common took a chance. To me Star 69 and Come close are the standouts
Akinyele O gave it a 9:
I thought that as ambitious as this CD was, it fulfilled its purpose. It explored new phases of Hip-Hop Music by utilizing experience and other types of music. This is very different from Common's other albums, but its still a memorable one. This album's shift from Common's previous works make it even more interesting, but a warning, only for those with an open mind.
[Anonymous] gave it an 8:
hip-hop meets psychedellic rock. not my cup of tea.
