Common Market – “Tobacco Road ” – [Hyena Records]

This Seattle hip hop duo is laid back, but they come on strong in their own way. Emcee RA Scion has a raw, expressive, sometimes rapid-fire style, with perceptive lyrics covering a wide range of topics. Mostly I sense that he’s on a mission to remind us that we all need to get along with one another. Many worthwhile messages here, so pay attention. Producer/beatmaker Sabzi (Blue Scholars) keeps it simple and soulful underneath with music that isn’t too dense or abrasive or challenging, just solid bumpin’ with jazz-leaning grooves heavy on keyboards/vibes. Singing and harmony vocals here and there add to the very musical feel of this CD. Track 1 is some crazy preacher guy doing his thing. Track 11 is an instrumental reminiscent maybe of some of DJ Shadow’s stuff. What more do you need?