Little Brother: GetBack : Music Reviews : Rolling Stone

Album Reviews

Little Brother's last album, The Minstrel Show, was a near-brilliant commentary on contemporary black culture and the ways that mainstream media distort it. But social commentary doesn't move units. The trio parted ways with Atlantic and became a duo when producer 9th Wonder jumped ship. On GetBack, a host of producers try to re-create Wonder's soulful vibe, infusing tracks with sped-up vocal samples and horns, to no avail. The rhymes, thankfully, remain sharp and funny: The first single, "Good Clothes," recalls childhood Polo envy with typically endearing one-liners ("As we got on the floor, it was embarrassing, trust me/The saleswoman walk me straight over to husky!"). On "That Ain't Love," the duo vents on industry drama; Lil Wayne works on his Most Ubiquitous Guest title with a lackluster cameo on "Breakin' My Heart." But the eleven tracks sound thin, filled out by endless skits -- wake up and smell the skit hatred, fellas -- and, after so much promise and talent, disappointing.