Resurrected Music: Common - "Nobody's Smiling"

Common's latest studio album "Nobody's Smiling" takes me back to the nostalgic days of rap (the 90's and it's preceeding era) when you could close your eyes and get an incredibly vivid, and often gritty, dose of storytelling that spoke as much to the mind as it did the heart. In short, it was REAL. Not the ingenuine nonsense we're crap-piled with on the daily. The greatest of these thirteen tracks "The Neighborhood", "No Fear", "Kingdom", and "Rewind That" truly embody this feeling with such an ease that it counters his decision to anchor otherwise enjoyable tracks like "Diamonds" with questionable guest spots from Big Sean all the more disappointing.

Amateur features aside, the instrumentals and production are true to the aforementioned old school vibe. Stripped down beats like that in "Black Magik", hindered, be that it may, by the simple and repetitive hook, and the title track "Nobody's Smiling" serve to make Common's unexpectedly aggressive, substance fueled, and raw flow, cohesive throughout thee enitre project which is rare AF, all the more powerful and effective. The lyrical content on tracks such as "Hustle Harder" fall short in the substance department but Common's charisma and addictive rhyming makes it delightfully engaging. "Real" is a memorable, laid back, and catchy segue for the final three tracks in this deluxe edition to leave the overall impression of a more than satisfactory album.

If you haven't heard it yet, listen to the "Nobody's Smiling" stream below:

Natasha Marie

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