Best collab of '06
Patrick G. Varine | Georgetown, Delaware | 08/16/2007
(4 out of 5 stars)
"I know, it came out in '07, but the date on the album - I got the free version when it came out the day after New Year's - is '06.
Anyway, it's a match made in heaven. Madlib lays the soul samples on heavy and thick on the early-morning-invoking "The Show," lays some metallic funk down on "Over the Counter," then gets mellow for "Happy Home" and "Soul Music."
Kweli's flow is dense and intellectual but catchy, as always, name-dropping Hutus, Tutsis, Babatunde Olatunji and Paul Mooney. I discovered that it's a good album to be listening to around 3 a.m. or so, driving. I know that sounds kind of weird, but whatchagonnado?
All-around solid collaboration, and if you missed it for free, it's worth paying for."
Not Living Up To Standard
Q. Pair | USA | 07/10/2008
(3 out of 5 stars)
"Seperately, Madlib and Talib Kweli are very good at what they do. Together, they are a great collaboration, especially to do an album with. So for the life of me, I don't understand why I'm not feeling this album. The only solace I find in this project is that the CD was free when I got the tracks.
Dont get me wrong, this CD doesn't suck, its just that it could have definitely been better. At first listen, I wasnt entirely impressed with the production, so Madlib caught the blame on that, but I also found Kweli wasnt bringing that heat he usually does, so that increased my disappointment. Now granted, there are a good few tracks on here that are pretty good, like "Funny Money" and "Over The Counter" but I find myself listening to this album as a whole less and less. None of the songs get less than 4/5 stars, but out of 9 tracks, only 3 of them get a 5/5 rating from me.
I wouldnt pay $9 bucks for this, but if you are either a faithful Kweli fan or just a fan of underground music in general, go ahead and cop it, you may like it better then I. Liberation gets a solid 3/5 stars.
"
Track Listings (9) - Disc #1