Album Review: Common - Nobody's Smiling

The shocking recent urban violence in Chicago is behind legendary MC Common’s latest album. A return to his roots on Chicago’s South Side, it’s a reunion with Common’s original producer No I.D. and as much a hard-nosed call for peace as a lamentation. The first half is punctuated by tough, forward-thinking beats, Common giving mic time to a host of unknown Chicago MCs, adding a street-level purity to the message, while the second half relaxes proceedings into familiar soulful territories to explore more emotional and inspirational themes. Though not his finest album, it could become Common’s most important.