Seattle’s most famous market is the Pike Place Fish Market, a place where it’s always raining and guys wrap fish in newspapers and throw them at you. As fun as that sounds, I prefer Seattle’s lesser-known market: Common Market, the hip-hop duo made of producer Sabzi (of Blue Scholars fame) and emcee RA Scion (like the toaster-shaped car). The Bahai brethren’s sophomore album, Tobacco Road, staked its claim as one of the best-produced albums of 2008 and a mainstay on many critics’ (including our own Sean Deez!) “Most Slept-On” lists.
Sabzi doesn’t hit you in the face with raw boom-bap or get you shaking your dreads with a club banger. Sabzi laces this album with some really creative stuff; from heavy synthesizers, guitar, organs, piano, and, on “Weather Vane”, something that sounds like dishes being clanked together. And somehow, it works. “Slow Cure” takes familiar elements from a Cypress Hill joint, “Illusions,” and turns it from a real dark, gloomy song into something really laid-back. The organ on “Trouble Is” gives you the feeling that you’re at a tent revival and RA Scion is at the pulpit spitting a sermon. The production alone is reason enough to check this album. But, don’t sleep on RA Scion’s lyrics. His comparisons between Tobacco Road farmers and the hip-hop game and the current state of affairs are sprinkled throughout the album.
RA Scion is certainly a dope MC, with a sick flow and a mastery of the English language. But since many artists have dumbed down for their audience (and doubled their dollars), his lyrics may go over listeners’ heads on first listen. Tobacco Road absolutely forces you to listen multiple times to catch all the double-meanings, multiple entendres, symbolism, and overall message. It’s like watching a movie with amazing special effects and a great story; you’re so blinded by the effects that you completely miss out on the story. That’s what it’s like to have all these great beats by Sabzi and great lyrics from RA Scion. Some people may not be ready to make a multiple-listen commitment, and that’s a commentary on our culture of instant gratification. Nevertheless, to go 18 songs with no filler is quite a feat and a rarity in a mixtape era of hip hop. Although you’re likely to listen to Tobacco Road multiple times to fully grasp the album, there will be no complaints because it is THAT good.
85/100
Standout Tracks:
“Trouble Is”
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“Nina Sing”
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“House”
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{ 9 comments… read them below or add one }
lol word..
this has been around forever
dope stuff Kev and Fred
Yes, this was one of the most slept-on album from last year. Great review!
this album was bananas, for damn sure. Not a single skippable track
Very dope review man. Everything u said was on point. The more I listen to this album the more love it. Every track has something special to offer.
dope album..go cop it if you havent already..great review dude..PEACE
Common Market are the truth. i gotta cop that finally.dar
dammmmmmn! “HOUSE” is such a dope track! That guitar sample gives me goosebumps! I gotta download this on Emusic!
Thanks mucho!
check out the interview i did with Sabzi!
damn I was lookin’ for Common’s UMC album and the dude in the store was like “nah man, it’s called tobacco road” got me confused for a while, this idiot. then I was lookin’ for some Jay Dee, and he was like “what? You mean Jay-Z !!” -__-’