Common, “The Dreamer, The Believer” (Warner Bros.)
Even though Common is one of hip-hop’s premier lyricists, the socially conscious rapper fell short with his 2008 “techno-inspired” album, “Universal Mind Control.”
But the Chicago-bred rapper effectively regains his soulful nature on “The Dreamer, The Believer.” The rapper digs deep with his clever rhymes with the aid of his childhood friend, No I.D., who produced the entire 12-track album.
Common’s ninth album starts off with the compelling intro “The Dreamer,” featuring legendary writer Maya Angelou. The two-time Grammy-winner kicks off the opening track with a jovial vibe, rapping about the rise of his career, and Angelou caps off the song with an inspirational poem.
As usual, Common’s lyrics have depth and are insightful throughout the album. He has a positive tone while talking about achieving his own aspirations on “Blue Sky,” and shows his appreciation for life on “Celebrate,” a good-natured track that seems fitting for a family cookout or neighborhood block party.
But while Common provides some feel-good jams, he unveils the grittier side of himself on “Ghetto Dreams,” featuring Nas. He also offers his thoughts on overcoming the struggle of being raised in the inner city on the track “The Believer” with John Legend.
Common also raps about the maturation of love on “Cloth,” and the emotionally tough stages of a breakup on “Lovin’ I Lost,” with a sample from The Impressions’ 1968 song, “I Loved and Lost.”
Jonathan Landrum Jr., The Associated Press
Charlotte Gainsbourg, “Stage Whisper” (Because Music / Elektra Records)
No one can deny that Charlotte Gainsbourg is an interesting artistic presence in whatever creative endeavor she has going. The French artist has found time between being a fashion muse and shooting a range of quirky films to record some quirky music. She first gave the music thing a go by dueting with her father, Serge, in 1984 on a song called “Lemon Incest” and he produced her first album two years later. After a twenty-year break, Gainsbourg launched “5:55,” a melancholy pop album, to critical success.
Her fourth album, “Stage Whisper,” mixing seven unreleased studio recordings, some from her work with Beck on her third album “IRM” and eleven songs from her live performance on tour, is a somewhat flawed enterprise. Doubtless the album will get her alternative scene street cred, but that won’t erase the fact that some of the songs are mismatched to her whispery voice. The fact is particularly clear on the “Got to Let Go” collaboration with Charlie Fink, where Gallic ’80s synth accompanies their wails about “a deadly revolver held to your head.” A bit like this song.
Not to say that the eclecto-electro lineup is without charm. Gainsbourg shows that she can be a chameleon when it comes to music too, channeling Alison Goldfrapp successfully on “Terrible Angles” — a track reminiscent of “Train” but tinged with the despair of a floundering human being. She also does a good mix of Bjork and Kate Bush in “Set Yourself On Fire,” a psychedelic trip into the ’70s. “White Telephone” is like a lyre voyage to a misty vampire den where Gainsbourg’s singing acts as a hypnotizer for the unsuspecting victim.
On “Paradisco,” it’s boogie time for generation Y. “In paradiscos/We’ll make a million out of zeros/Split an apple with an arrow/Play the violin like Nero.” Sounds about right. Cristina Jaleru, The Associated Press
“The Wayman Tisdale Story” (Rendezvous Music/Mack Avenue)
“The Wayman Tisdale Story” is the larger-than-life tale of a three-time college All-American, Olympic gold medalist and 12-year NBA veteran who after he gave up hoops turned to his “first love” — music — and became a contemporary jazz star with several chart-topping CDs. But it’s more than that.
It’s also the inspirational story of a “gentle giant” — the son and brother of noted preachers— who always kept his trademark smile and faith in a courageous battle against the bone cancer that eventually claimed his life at age 44 in May 2009.
The CD/DVD package includes a recent documentary, written and directed by Brian Schodorf, that includes some of Tisdale’s last interviews in the weeks before his death, as well as footage from his final concert in Memphis, Tenn., when despite having lost half of his right leg, he still thrilled the crowd with his funky electric bass playing and singing.
The documentary includes interviews with family members as well as with friends from the sports and music worlds whose lives he touched — from Michael Jordan, A.C. Green and University of Oklahoma coach Billy Tubbs to saxophonist Dave Koz, bassist Marcus Miller, and country star Toby Keith.
The accompanying CD’s 13 tracks include highlights from seven of Tisdale’s nine albums — with such guest stars as saxophonist Koz and keyboardist George Duke — as well as the previously unreleased tune “Slam Dunk” that mixes smooth jazz and funk.
The self-taught Tisdale, who played his instrument upside-down and backwards because he was left-handed, was able to turn his electric bass into a lead solo voice on both funky, good-time groove songs like “Let’s Ride” and more romantic melodies like the soft smooth ballad “Gabrielle” and the faith-inspired hymn “Glory Glory.”
On “Rebound,” the title track of Tisdale’s last album, released after his cancer diagnosis, the self-styled “happy music man” begins with an inspirational lyric using a basketball metaphor.
It segues into a gradually intensifying feel-good smooth jazz groove driven by Koz’s mellow sax that offers a message of hope in the face of life’s setbacks. Charles J. Gans, The Associated Press
