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I've been struggling with the new Talib Kweli release for a few weeks now. Part of me thinks that Kweli is on top of his game, yet there are other portions ("We Got the Beat") that make me sit and scratch my noggin' wondering what the heck he was aiming for. Expectations
were naturally high for the album, given his past work in Black Star as well as his first release Quality.
"Going Hard" opens the disc up and charges out of the gates, only to
quickly lose steam and fizzle out. "Back Up Offa Me" follows with some
of Kweli's least-inspired lyrics to date layered over an awkward beat. The Neptunes lend a hand on "Broken Glass," and while the story of a
young woman having her dreams shattered ("like broken glass") from a
spiraling drug habit offers a captivating tale, the song struggles more
often than not.
The first great song on the disc materializes with "I Try" with Mary
J. Blige on backing vocals. I liked it instantly the first time
I heard it (when it was called "Get By" on his last release). The
song can stand on its own though, and offers a familiar but
fantastic beat by Kanye West. Next up is "Around My Way." At first
I thought it was a tad too slow for my taste, but I warmed up to it
a great deal and its now one of my favorites on the disc. They
sample and revise portions of "Every Little Thing She Does is Magic"
by The Police, and it winds up working out well when complemented by
some of Kweli's trademark thoughtful lyrics.
"We Got the Beat" has an okay beat, and typically good lyrics... but
gets ruined by a truly awful hook. I have an immense amount of
respect for Kweli, but to say he missed the mark on this one is a
massive understatement. It makes me cringe. Moving right along then.
The next notable track is "Black Girl Pain." Kweli examines the unique
discrimination faced at the intersection of race and gender,
personalizing the broader social conflict through the eyes of his
young daughter. I have yet to grow tired of this song -- it has a
rather slippery beat, with great social commentary -- what you
were hoping to hear when you first popped in the disc. Vintage
Kweli.
"Never Been in Love" is a guilty pleasure of mine. Is it the best
track on the disc? Good Lord, no. But there are just enough
details in the beat to make the hook bearable, and the crash of the
cymbals seem to resuscitate the song at the exact right moments. I
could easily see myself being in the minority on this one, but I'm a
fan of it.
The title track rounds out Kweli's sophomore release. Clocking in
at just over four minutes, the song actually seems as though it
could have used an extra verse. Or two. (Or Mos Def). The close
to the album is a fitting one then: definitely good, but almost a
tease in some respects.
The words of Mos Def provided the inspiration for the album title
("Life is beautiful. Life is a struggle. Life is a beautiful
struggle"). A beautiful struggle takes place on the album, with
Kweli coming out with some definite hits and some definite misses.
It may not have been what die-hard fans had been hoping for, but it's
still a pretty damn good album. Kweli's lyrical prowess makes every
song listenable, but after a few spins you may find about five or
six gems that can withstand repeated listening. Solid, but not
spectacular work from one of the best in the business.
Nathan Rodriguez
JamBase | Colorado
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