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Zero 7
Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed albums.
Ear Drum

Generally favorable reviews
Based on 22 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?
Based on 24 votes
Read user comments
Rate this album >
Album Info
Label: Warner Bros/Wea
Release Date: 21 August 2007
Discs: 1 disc
Genre(s): Rap
Summary
The Brooklyn-born hip-hop artist's third album features such guests as UGK, Justin Timberlake and Norah Jones.
Also By This Artist: Quality Right About Now The Beautiful Struggle
Also On The Web: Criticulture MP3.com Artist Space Official Artist Site
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...
Entertainment Weekly
A procession of sharp cuts. [24 Aug 2007, p.133]
NOW Magazine
Kweli's curse- 'n' cliché-free rhyme-ripping proves he needs no help on the microphone. He outshines his celebrated guests, including labelmate Grae, KRS-One, Norah Jones (!), Sonia Sanchez, UGK's Pimp C and Bun B, Musiq Soulchild and Raheem DeVaughn.
Read Full Review >RapReviews.com
Talib Kweli has made the career-defining work that his fans have been expecting for nearly a decade.
Read Full Review >The Onion (A.V. Club)
Sexual and spiritual, conscious and just plain fun, Eardrum is a master class in lyricism from a man supremely comfortable in his own skin.
Read Full Review >Filter
The production work throughout provides a head-bobbing, arm-waving backdrop to Kweli’s lyrical genius, exactly as it should.
Read Full Review >Mojo
Ear Drum confirms Kweli's position as an icon. [Oct 2007, p.106]
Village Voice
Ear Drum marks the self-proclaimed BK MC's third full-length feature, and astoundingly, it's a captivating, cocksure rejoinder to everyone who abandoned him.
Read Full Review >PopMatters
I Think, one of Talib Kweli's major goals with his music is to speak to (and from the vantage point of) groups that have been marginalized from "the norm." Ear Drum comes mighty close to reaching that goal, with only a few stumbles along the way.
Read Full Review >The Phoenix
Ear Drum doesn’t reach the highs of that far more ambitious and sprawling album ["Train of Thought"], but it’s a welcome return to form.
Read Full Review >Pitchfork
He's made a nice to return to form, crafting a mature album that nods to his past without being a retread.
Read Full Review >All Music Guide
At 20 tracks and nearly 80 minutes, Eardrum is both too much and too little, never quite understanding exactly what it needs to be.
Read Full Review >Billboard
There are enough different feels and flows to dazzle listeners with Kweli's dexterity, but some judicious editing could have produced something perhaps even more impressive.
Read Full Review >Blender
Kweli’s rigid delivery and obsession with self-empowerment remain liabilities.
Read Full Review >Hot Press
Kweli's collaborative work has set the bar so high that his solo efforts routinely fail to meet these exalted expectations.
Read Full Review >Rolling Stone
Though it's admirably consistent and pretty darn OK, it lacks a knockout track to counterbalance the complaints about the King James Bible and swine toothpaste.
Read Full Review >Observer Music Monthly
He's back on his own terms, those of the earnest hyper-intelligent bookworm who won the plaudits of Jay-Z and 50 Cent, and sounding a lot more comfortable, with 'Hostile Gospel' and 'Say Something' re-staking a claim for the hip hop high ground over beats that are soulful and sonically coherent.
Read Full Review >Vibe
Eardrum lacks cohesiveness. [August 2007, p.75]
Prefix Magazine
Kweli shows again that he deserves the respect he receives, but Eardrum is simply not cohesive enough.
Read Full Review >Uncut
Kweli, whose wordy rhymes can often read better than they flow, sounds nimble and at ease most of the time. [Oct 2007, p.96]
Spin
Though Kweli can't change his voice he was born with, he needs to figure out how to make it as compelling as his material. [Sep 2007, p.133]
Q Magazine
Articulate and thoughtful as Kweli's rhymrs are, few of the star producers he's invited along rise to the occasion. [Sep 2007, p.95]
Dusted Magazine
Ear Drum is his sprawling, messy 2007 manifesto, loaded with rhymes that take weeks to unpack, to say nothing of the bizarre diversity of producers and guests.
Read Full Review >What Our Users Said
The average user rating for this album is 9.2 (out of 10) based on 24 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.
[Anonymous] gave it a9:
It's real.
Kyle Z. gave it a10:
Album of the year. Hands down. Production from long time partner Hi-Tek on More or Less is phenomenal. The quintessential Hip-Hop album.
Edward H gave it a10:
He is a freekin' genius I have neva seen anyone outshine UGK not anyone, neva eva. But he doez it, his like tha lyrical perfection of Nas, Kanye West, and Jay z all in one. One of NY'z Finest, correction one of tha rap games finest, pure genius and raw rappin' talent dat is true and really really inspirational. Keep doin' yo thang man. Its rappers Iike you dat I live 2 hear in rap muzik.
prolifik gave it a9:
Solid album from start to finish, way better and consistent than Beautiful Struggle
Milton R. gave it a9:
This is by far the best hip hop album to come out in 2007! No doubt about it.
[Anonymous] gave it a9:
This album really speaks to the people!
moe m. gave it a10:
Classic record.
