Finding Forever
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LP / Format
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Critic Reviews
95
While having nothing to prove at this point in his career, long since having had the doors of both Hollywood and the music industry opened wide for him to stroll through, Common still finds his inspiration in everyday life and proves that he’s as relevant as ever if not moreso.
1y
90
Common shows his hand early into his seventh studio album.
12y
90
After drifting into a territory that no one seemed to welcome with Electric Circus, Kanye has helped bring Com full circle. Album number seven puts Common‘s catalogue on a level that few can fuck with. If forever is immortality in this game, Common has found it.
13y
83
It's nice to hear DJ Premier's signature scratching on "The Game," but Forever could benefit from more sonic curveballs. Common and West have found a style that works, commercially and creatively. That makes it the perfect time to start taking more risks.
12y
83
The album is both lush and gritty, integrating awkwardly hacked samples, rowdy percussion, and sweet backing vocals from neo-soul hipsters like Dwele (Slum Village) and Bilal (Erykah Badu, Jill Scott). With that kind of muscle, Common need not worry about watching his mouth.
10y
80
Once again, Common makes timeless hip-hop seem easy.
11y
80
West has already shown that he knows how to escort Common's muse through the sonic jungle, and the rapper is happy to follow those guidelines again.
3y
80
Instead of reinventing himself once again, hip hop's Hogarth has built on the success of his last album.
8y
80
Finding Forever is a winner, lean and mean and without a minute of wasted space.
15y
75
Finding Forever ... is Common's snapshot of hip-hop's awkward middle age -- an album that is neither here nor there.
7y
70
Dullness has always been a problem for Common, and a couple of snoozers, including "So Far to Go," invest too much in his good intentions and not enough in the music.
11y
70
The rest of it ... is soulful and intelligent where 'intelligent' is not exclusive to 'good beats and rhymes.' Which is what it's all about.
3y
70
The album includes a handful of well-placed and effectual guest contributors including Bilal, Dwele, Lily Allen, Common's dad, and the one and only Primo. Still, it's a shade less satisfying than Be.
15y
60
Finding Forever is something to be admired, even if it is uneven.
11y
60
If you can stomach the contrived slow jams and the sensitive soul-baring, there are a couple of decent joints produced by West.
3y
56
Common and Kanye West continue the sound of 2005's solid comeback Be with a follow-up that attempts to inject it with a bit of Dilla-fied Soulquarians style.
15y
50
An imitative, soulful mess. Fans will probably forget this is a Common album by the third or fourth track and it’s probably for the better.
12y
35
Take off the flat cap, buddy. You used to spit; now you dribble.
11y
Bruhhhhhhhh
Common's five album run from Resurrection to Be is beyond legendary. Ressurection is an all killer, no filler album packed with great rapping and great beats. One Day It'll All Make Sense, I believe, was the birth of the Common we know and love today, and showcased a more mature Common with more serious subject matter. Like Water For Chocolate is Commons best for a number of reasons, and is also one of the best hip hop albums of all time. Electric Circus is one of the most forward ... read more
The rapping is amazing once again and backed by great production just like nearly every album before this one.
Contributions By
patton, royalflush, thisisabtlgrnd, philthy, Alejandro González, MarkyC, da, asianboyian, GeemBecome a Subscriber
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Track List
| 1 | Intro 1:17 | 79 |
| 2 | Start the Show 3:14 feat. Kanye West | 84 |
| 3 | The People 3:24 feat. Dwele | 95 |
| 4 | Drivin' Me Wild 3:42 feat. Lily Allen | 82 |
| 5 | I Want You 4:30 feat. will.i.am | 73 |
| 6 | Southside 4:44 feat. Kanye West | 86 |
| 7 | The Game 3:32 | 88 |
| 8 | U, Black Maybe 5:02 feat. Bilal | 87 |
| 9 | So Far to Go 4:27 feat. D'Angelo | 85 |
| 10 | Break My Heart 3:39 | 76 |
| 11 | Misunderstood 4:46 | 82 |
| 12 | Forever Begins 7:36 | 83 |
Total Length: 49 minutes
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4mo
I think Common probably remembered the error of completely changing image for Electric Circus (an album everyone hated at the time despite it being good) following his most successful album yet (LWFC). So when Be came out and surpassed LWFC, he went ahead and built something similar instead of going off piece. And it went #1. Can't hate on him for that, even if this isn't the most experimental album in the world.