Common has retreated from the sonic adventure and wilful eclecticism of his previous release, 2002’s Electric Circus. Perversely, he has managed to achieve greater creative success in doing so. Rather than minimising its impact, the tight, cohesive nature of the material on Be is a welcome change of focus. The album's 12 tracks never stray too far from street-smart jazz-rap, with producer Kanye West continuing to indulge his love of helium-treated soul vocals.
The most obvious reference point is Nas’ 1995 masterpiece Illmatic. The beats on Be manage to pull off a similar trick, sounding simultaneously hard-edged and elegant. While Common does not flirt with traditional gangsta themes as frequently as Nas, they both provide an engagingly principled take on familiar rap issues like poverty, violence and crime.
The highlight is definitely ‘Testify’, a thrillingly cinematic piece of storytelling – a courtroom drama that builds slowly towards a twist conclusion. The production is layered with gorgeous piano, brass and sampled soul vocals; but Common’s voice is the most powerful instrument on show.
Deep and richly textured, his flow is as smooth and nuanced as any MC you care to mention. He’s at his best on single ‘The Corner’, dropping poetic descriptions of street life, over deep piano chords and a stuttering beat.
Things run aground when Common indulges his sentimental side, though: ‘It’s Your World (Part 1&2)’ is an unwelcome detour into schmaltzy truism, somewhat undermining the worldly rhymes that preceded it.
Common’s ability to look for beauty and poetry in street life may occasionally lead him down the wrong paths, but for the most part this is a wise and profound record.