Train of Thought (Reflection Eternal album)
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Train of Thought | |||||
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File:Train of Thought album.jpg | |||||
Studio album by Reflection Eternal | |||||
Released | October 17, 2000 | ||||
Recorded | 1999-2000 Electric Lady Studios (New York, New York) |
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Genre | Hip hop, neo soul | ||||
Length | Error in Module:Hms: Seconds value must be less than 60 | ||||
Label | Rawkus/UMVD | ||||
Producer | Hi-Tek, Weldon Irvine, Talib Kweli | ||||
Reflection Eternal chronology | |||||
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Talib Kweli chronology | |||||
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Hi-Tek chronology | |||||
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Singles from Train of Thought | |||||
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Professional ratings | |
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Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
Allmusic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Boston Herald | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Chicago Sun-Times | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Robert Christgau | A-[4] |
Entertainment Weekly | B−[5] |
Pitchfork Media | (8.3/10)[6] |
PopMatters | (favorable)[7] |
Rolling Stone | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
The Source | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Vibe | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Train of Thought is the debut album of American hip hop duo Reflection Eternal, released October 17, 2000 on Rawkus Records. Collaborating as a duo, rapper Talib Kweli and DJ and hip hop producer Hi-Tek recorded the album during 1999 to 2000, following their individual musical work that gained notice in New York's underground scene during the late 1990s.[1][10] Kweli had previously worked with rapper Mos Def as the duo Black Star,[11] and Hi-Tek had served as producer on the duo's debut album.[12]
Produced primarily by Hi-Tek, the album is characterized by dynamic, high-tempo tracks and a Soulquarians-type neo soul sound.[10] It showcases Kweli's rapping and features themes of revolutionary mentality, love, the state of hip hop, and modern African-American culture.[13] Upon its release, Train of Thought achieved moderate sales success and received critical acclaim from music critics. Train of Thought is now considered a classic album, and one of Kweli's best works.
Contents
Reception
Chicago Sun-Times writer Kyla Kyles gave the album 3½ out of 4 stars, stating "With a flurry of metaphors and below-the-basement underground beats, this train is on the right track. This disc proves that Kweli is a deep-thinking, gifted MC, and Hi Tek is an emerging wax master."[3] Allmusic's Matt Conaway gave it 4½ out of 5 stars and compared Reflection Eternal's music to the work of the Native Tongues collective, while writing that the album "houses enough merit to establish Talib as one of this generation's most poetic MCs".[1] PopMatters writer Dave Heaton gave Train of Thought a favorable review and described Talib Kweli as "a hyper-articulate MC with a revolutionary's mind and a sensitive poet's heart, but he's also a world-class battle MC, able to rip other MCs' rhymes apart in a quick second".[7] Rolling Stone magazine gave the album 4 stars and called it "the rare socially aware hip-hop record that can get fists pumping in a rowdy nightclub".[14]
Despite giving the album a rating of 8.3/10, Pitchfork Media critic Sam Eccleston expressed a positive response towards Kweli's boastful lyrics, stating "Kweli uses the rhythm as a foundation, building rambling, baroque rhyme structures on top of them, exhibiting his cock-eyed 'skills'. This kind of braggadocio doesn't weaken the effort in the same way his moralizing self-canonization does, if only because he can often back those claims up".[6] Vibe magazine gave it 3.5 out of 5 stars and shared a similar sentiment, writing "Reflection Eternal's great weakness is Kweli's excessive preaching about the state of hip hop, but at least he cares".[10] A retrospective Rolling Stone review gives the album 4 out of 5 stars and calls it "thick with fierce street raps ('Down for the Count' and 'Ghetto Afterlife'), maudlin soul ('Love Language'), and the type of insightful versifying Kweli has made his stock-in-trade ('Memories Live' and 'This Means You')".[8]
Track listing
# | Title | Songwriters | Producer(s) | Performer (s) |
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1 | "Experience Dedication" | Tony Cottrell, Talib Kweli Greene | Hi-Tek | Dave Chappelle, Talib Kweli |
2 | "Move Somethin'" | Tony Cottrell, Talib Kweli Greene | Hi-Tek | Talib Kweli Nonye (background) |
3 | "Some Kind of Wonderful" | Tony Cottrell, Talib Kweli Greene | Hi-Tek | Talib Kweli |
4 | "The Blast" | Tony Cottrell, Talib Kweli Greene | Hi-Tek | Hi-Tek, Talib Kweli, Vinia Mojica |
5 | "This Means You" | Tony Cottrell, Talib Kweli Greene, Dante Smith | Hi-Tek | Black Star |
6 | "Too Late" | Tony Cottrell, Talib Kweli Greene | Hi-Tek | Idle Warship |
7 | "Memories Live" | Tony Cottrell, Talib Kweli Greene | Hi-Tek | Talib Kweli Big Del (background), Donte (background) |
8 | "Africa Dream" | Tony Cottrell, Talib Kweli Greene, Weldon Irvine | Talib Kweli, Weldon Irvine, Hi-Tek (co-producer) | Talib Kweli |
9 | "Down for the Count" | Tony Cottrell, Talib Kweli Greene, Rashia Fisher, Alvin Joiner | Hi-Tek | Rah Digga, Talib Kweli, Xzibit |
10 | "Name of the Game" | Tony Cottrell, Talib Kweli Greene | Hi-Tek | Talib Kweli |
11 | "Ghetto Afterlife" | Tony Cottrell, Talib Kweli Greene, Nathaniel Wilson | Hi-Tek | Kool G Rap, Talib Kweli |
12 | "On My Way" | Tony Cottrell, E. Isaacs, J. Thomas | Hi-Tek | Kendra Ross, Tiye Phoenix, Vinia Mojica |
13 | "Love Language" | Tony Cottrell, Talib Kweli Greene, Helene Faussart, Celia Faussart | Hi-Tek | Les Nubians, Talib Kweli |
14 | "Love Speakeasy" | Tony Cottrell, Talib Kweli Greene | Hi-Tek | |
15 | "Soul Rebels" | Tony Cottrell, Talib Kweli Greene, Kelvin Mercer, David Jude Jolicoeur, Vincent Mason | Hi-Tek | Talib Kweli, De La Soul |
16 | "Eternalists" | Tony Cottrell, Talib Kweli Greene | Hi-Tek | Talib Kweli |
17 | "Big Del From da Natti" | Tony Cottrell, D. Geralds | Hi-Tek | Big Del |
18 | "Touch You" | Tony Cottrell, Talib Kweli Greene, D. Stanford Jr., Dave West | Hi-Tek | Dave Chappelle, Piakhan, Supa Dav West, Talib Kweli |
19 | "Good Mourning" | Tony Cottrell, Talib Kweli Greene | Hi-Tek | Talib Kweli |
20a | "Expansion Outro" | |||
20b | "Four Women" | Nina Simone | Hi-Tek, Talib Kweli (co-producer) | Talib Kweli Darcel (background), Imani Uzuri (background), Katushia (background), Neb Luv (background), Tiye Phoenix (background), Tiyi Willingham (background), Tracie (background) |
Sample credits
Sample information for Train of Thought adapted from TheBreaks.[15]
Move Something
This Means You
Too Late Memories Live
Ghetto Afterlife
Love Language
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Love Speakeasy
Soul Rebels
Eternalists
Big Del from Da Natti
Good Mourning
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Personnel
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Album singles
Single information |
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"The Express" (Non-album single)
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"Move Somethin'"
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"The Blast"
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"Down for the Count" (UK Only release)
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Chart history
- Album
Year | Album | Chart positions | |
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Billboard 200 | Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums | ||
2000 | Reflection Eternal | 17 | 5 |
- Singles
Year | Song | Chart positions | ||
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Billboard Hot 100 | Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks | Hot Rap Singles | ||
2000 | Move Somethin' | - | 32 | 1 |
2001 | The Blast | - | 48 | 2 |
Notes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Conaway, Matt. Review: Train of Thought. Allmusic. Retrieved on 2009-12-08.
- ↑ Coleman, Brian. "Review: Train of Thought". Boston Herald: 63. December 24, 2000. (Transcription of original review at talk page)
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Kyles, Kyra. "Review: Train of Thought". Chicago Sun-Times: 13. December 31, 2000. Note: Review is wholly incorporated in the reception sec. of the article.
- ↑ Christgau, Robert. "Consumer Guide: Train of Thought". The Village Voice: February 6, 2001. Archived from the original on 2009-12-08.
- ↑ Sullivan, James. Review: Train of Thought. Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved on 2009-12-08.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Eccleston, Sam. Review: Train of Thought. Pitchfork Media. Retrieved on 2009-12-08.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Heaton, Dave. Review: Train of Thought. PopMatters. Retrieved on 2009-12-08.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Hoard, Christian. "Review: Train of Thought". Rolling Stone: 472–473. November 2, 2004.
- ↑ Columnist. "Review: Train of Thought". The Source: 254–256. December 2000.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 Callahan-Bever, Noah. "Review: Train of Thought". Vibe: 206. December 2000.
- ↑ Benaquist, Steven. Review: Train of Thought. Yahoo! Music. Retrieved on 2009-12-08.
- ↑ Conaway, Matt. Review: Hi-Teknology. Allmusic. Retrieved on 2009-12-08.
- ↑ Gest, David. Review: Train of Thought. The Yale Herald. Retrieved on 2009-12-08.
- ↑ Columnist. "Review: Train of Thought". Rolling Stone: 112. October 26, 2000.
- ↑ Rap Sample FAQ Search: Reflection Eternal. TheBreaks. Retrieved on 2009-12-08.
References
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External links
- Reflection Eternal: Train of Thought at Discogs
- Album Review at RapReviews