Product Description

'Electric Circus' is the fifth album from the Chicago basedrapper, Common. Recorded in Jimi Hendrix's Electric Lady Studios, the album is a mix of hip hop and R&B and was produced by the Neptunes, and the Roots' Questlove. The album also features guest appearances from Prince, Mary J. Blige, Erykah Badu, and Stereolab's Laetitra Sadier, to name but a few.

Track Listing

1. Ferris Wheel - Common, Vinia Mojica, Marie Daulne
2. Soul Power - Common
3. Aquarius - Common, Bilal
4. Electric Wire Hustle Flower - Common, Sunny
5. The Hustle - Common, Omar, Dart Chillz
6. Come Close - Common, Mary J. Blige
7. New Wave - Common, Laetitia Sadier
8. Star * 69 (PS With Love) - Common, Bilal
9. I Got A Right Ta - Common, Pharrell Williams
10. Between Me, You & Liberation - Common, Cee-Lo
11. I Am Music - Common, Jill Scott
12. Jimi Was A Rock Star - Common, Erykah Badu
13. Heaven Somewhere - Common, Omar Lye-Fook, Cee-Lo, Bilal, Jill Scott, Mary J. Blige, Erykah Badu, Lonnie Lynn
14. The Light - Common

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #20955 in Music
• Released on: 2002-12-23
• Number of discs: 1
• Format: Explicit Lyrics
• Running time: 76 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
Rock & roll has grabbed Common by the neck and given him a good shake. With its heavy, multi-layered sound, Electric Circus is steeped in the Chicago-born and Brooklyn-based rapper's newfound love for Pink Floyd, Traffic and, above all, Jimi Hendrix. But, like many new converts to anything, Common goes a little off the deep end. His ambitious quest to expand the boundaries of hip-hop is crammed to the gills with a thousand motifs and is a little too busy to be a complete success. Perhaps not surprisingly, Common's rhymes (sample lyric: "my mind screams like Al Green to stay together!") take a distant second place to the complex musical landscape he's fashioned. In addition, a sidereal array of vocalists (including Stereolab's Laetitia Sadier, Mary J Blige, Jill Scott, Cee-lo, Bilal and Common's main squeeze, Erykah Badu) and musicians (Prince, Bobbi Humphrey, Nicholas Payton) add to the sonic density. All in all, Electric Circus mightn't strike the universal chord that Common sought, but it's a bold, elaborate project that's definitely worth a listen. --Rebecca Levine

Customer Reviews

A Masterpiece
This has to be the most underated hip hop album of all time definatley the most musical hip hop album of all time and definatly Commons second most lyrical album of all well since ressurection anyway just LISTEN to this album it will blow your mind abosolutley Genius.

Rap, Rock & Soul
Common is always been one of the most respected MC's in the Hip-Hop world not only are his beats r fresh and daring he's music also touches on real subjects such as racism and love. Electric Circus is Common's 5th studio album which is hes most experimental and also features a all star cast which includes Erykah Badu, Omar, Bilal, Jill Scott, Cee-Lo, Pharrell & Zap Mama.This is probably my favourite Common album (second being Like Water For Chocolate..obviously).

1.Ferris Wheel (Featuring Marie Daulne & Vinia Mojica Of Zap Mama) - A really strange intro it's very Zap Mama with its cool African/Mother Earth feel 10/10

2.Soul Power - Goes right into this song its more of a freestyle than a real track its not my favourite but he delievers a really great rhyme though it just doesnt grab me like the rest 7/10

3.Aquarius (Featuring Bilal & Erykah Badu) - This a really beautiful song you can definatly hear the Hendrix influences on this one with help on the chorus from the magnificent Bilal & the ever-beautiful Erykah Badu this could have been a single 10/10

4.Electric Wire Hustler Flower (Featuring Sunny Of P.O.D) - This is the worst song on the album its too experimental i really can't stand it 2/10

5.The Hustle (Featuring Dartz Chillz & Omar) - The beat is a bit like J:Lo's "Play" this song is really cool i like the chorus and Dartz Chillz is a really good rapper this song is surprisingly funky 9/10

6.Come Close (Featuring Mary J Blige) - This is one of the most beautiful love songs ive ever heard obviously dedicated to Ms Badu. With the help from the queen of hip-hop soul Mary J Blige this song never ever gets boring i can't stress how much i love it!.If angels made music this would be their influence this was a Neptunes produced track as well which i was surprised 'coz its so mellow and beautiful 10/10

7.New Wave (Featuring Laetitia Sadier Of StereoLab) - This has got a spooky vibe to it with the organ in the background Ms Sadier does a nice job delievering a nice chorus in French 8/10

8.Star 69 (P.S With Love)(Featuring Bilal) - Another song dedicated to Erykah but this time its with Bilal (dont u just love hes voice) 7/10

9.I Got A Right Ta (Featuring Pharrell Williams) - This song really annoys me i only like Pharrell's parts Common doesnt deliever on this track 4/10

10.Between Me, You & Liberation (Featuring Cee-Lo)- This song is a deep one you gotta listen to the lyrics carefully its one of the albums highlights 10/10

11.I Am Music (Featuring Jill Scott)- I have no idea why this wasn't a single this would have done well with the vocal stylings of everyones favourite soul vocalist Jill Scott its funky and soulful Common really delievers on this track its one of the best tracks on the albums 10/10

12.Jimi Was A Rock Star (Featuring Erykah Badu) - At first the song took me a while to like it but i got Common's vibe and where he was comin from on this track.It pays homage to the guitar legend Jimi Hendrix its one of the coolest tracks on the album 10/10

13.Heaven Somewhere (Featuring Omar, Cee-Lo, Bilal, Erykah Badu, Jill Scott & Mary J Blige ) - It starts off with Common tellin us about a friend he knew that got mixed up in some business then from the impression i get from the song the rest of the artists give their interpretation of what Heaven is. This song IS heaven if you love all the artists on the song a really beautiful way to end the album. Jill Scott's part is off the chain!!!! 10/10

Top 5
1.Come Close
2.Heaven Somewhere
3.I am Music
4.Aquarius
5.Between Me, You & Liberation/Jimi Was A Rock Star

This album is a definatly must have i suggust if you like all the artists featured and like bold and experimental music that you go anf buy this

One of the most original masterpieces in Hip Hop
For the followup to 'Like Water For Chocolate' Common has teamed up with The Soulquarians again and they prove to be a winning team again.
'Electric Circus' sounds nothing like LWFC. It still has the same soul in it but Common & Co. added a lot of psycedelic influences in it. The result is an eclectic album that is inspired by a lot of old music but still sounds modern and inovative at the same time.
The biggest surprise of the album is 'Electric Wire Hustler Flower' wich features members from the NuMetal-unit P.O.D.: somehow this unusual and, lets just face it, discouraging combination proves to be one of the best tracks on the album.
This may not be everyone's cup of tea but 'Electric Circus' is one of those albums that shows how much unexplored teritory there still is in Hip Hop.