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Common
MCA
Release Date:
December 10, 2002
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22 Critic Reviews
Positive:
18
Mixed:
4
Negative:
0
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.
Although he can be self-righteous, scattered, and grim, a team of truly youthful-minded producers is there to color the gray.
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.
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.
Mojo
A record of startling breadth. [Feb 2003, p.96]
Mixer
A hip-hop record brimming with soul and artistry. [Jan 2003, p.74]
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.
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.
Uncut
To be filed alongside the Root's recent Phrenology. [Mar 2003, p.95]
Alternative Press
Even the psychedelic overreach shows a most uncommon artist at work. [Feb 2003, p.64]
Q Magazine
It works... stretching rap into weird new shapes. [Feb 2003, p.97]
Outfitted in this music, however, Common's pretensions stand up and do jumping jacks.
If Prince had ever successfully come to grips with hip hop, this is what the result might have sounded like.
Electric Circus is a wild, vibrant trip billowing with purple-haze guitars, ethereal choruses and warped scratching.
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.
So, is this genius or is this madness? As enjoyable as it is on occasion, I’m inclined to side with the latter.
Com comes off as alternately uncomfortable and downright lazy, half-speaking-- or worse, singing-- new-age revelations to the masses.
Beautifully engineered, Circus sounds chocolaty and recombinant even when it doth protest the Enlightened Guy angle too much.
Spin
The storytelling here isn't as sharp as on Common's previous albums. [Feb 2003, p.100]
One problem: Common is an MC, not a musician. Which makes it difficult for him to achieve his lofty goals. Mostly he fails.
Blender
Its attempts at a more ethereal sound crash up against Common's cumbersome intellectualizing. [#13, p.91]