Music Review: Lasers

Lasers

Atlantic Records/ 1^st and 15^th Entertainment

Released March 8

3/5

Hometown hip-hop hero Lupe Fiasco’s latest album, Lasers, is a solid effort, but a disappointment compared to his other two major releases, Food and Liquor (2006) and The Cool (2007).

The album’s release comes after a more than two-year struggle between Fiasco and Atlantic over the artistic direction Lasers should take. Atlantic wanted a more commercially attractive album rather than the inventive and unconventional approach the Windy City rapper is known for, according to numerous media reports.

In the context of that tug of war, it’s clear why Lasers is such a conflicted, bi-polar work.

Songs like the melancholy opening track “Letting Go,” featuring vocalist Sarah Green, and the utopian narrative “All Black Everything” showcase the insightful, socially conscience, lyrically deft Lupe Fiasco that fans expect.

But on the other side of the coin is “I Don’t Wanna Care Right Now,” a frenetic, cheesy club joint that’s a definite candidate for being the worst song Lupe has released on any album. Then there’s the lukewarm, “Get you out of my head,” a cookie cutter R&B/hip-hop collaboration featuring Trey Songz that is sure to get radio spin and bring disappointment to Fiasco diehards.

Tracks such as “Beautiful Lasers,” “Coming Up” and “Break The Chain” are decent enough, but that’s the problem — they are easily forgettable, just okay songs without replay value.  The electronic, poppy production on those three songs and throughout the rest of Lasers is too self-indulgent; it draws too much attention to itself — and away from Fiasco.

The outcome is awkward because Fiasco’s strength lies in his role as a thought provoker; but why have sermons if the people in the pews can’t hear the preacher?

He redeems the album to some degree with great songs like “Words I Never Said,” “Til I Get There,” “The Show Goes On” and “State Run Radio.” But following two classic, nearly flawless albums, Lasers is an obvious step back for Lupe as an artist — even if it’s a step forward commercially. It just misses too many times. 

Lasers has reportedly sold more than 200,000 copies in its debut week, reflecting the calculated mainstream appeal injected into the album. However, with Fiasco recently announcing that his next album, Food and Liquor II, will be a return to his roots, it looks like Lasers will go down as the exception, but not the rule.

Lupe Fiasco at last September's North Coast Music Festival in Chicago. 

Photo courtesy of yours truly.