Speakerboxxx/ The Love Below Reviews

• The Love Below/Speakerboxxx

  
  By A1SFZM3XWL1SEJ on 2003-09-27
  I want to start this out by saying that Im not a huge rap fan, but this is still an incredible album. Of the two albums Andre 3000's The Love Below is the better and more interesting of the two. He strays away from any traditional rap sound and carries a more funky jazz vibe. My favorite tracks on the album are Love Hater which is basically a laid back jazz tune, Spread which is extremely funky, Roses with a cool piano intro and a catchy chorus, Hey Ya! with its acoustic guitar, awesome synth riff, and chorus, My Favorite Things is a crazy reworking of the original, Dracula's Wedding is short but sweet, and Vibrate is funky with great lyrics.

  Big Boi's Speakerboxxx is my second favorite in this double album. It seems to stick to a more traditional rap style but is extremely funky. Ghetto Musick is a great track with a great backing track and chorus, Bowtie with crazy horn lines and great hook, Bust is a great track with a hard rock edge to it and great raps, War is a song about the problems in the world today, and Church is a great funky track. Definitely pick this album up if your looking for some music that isnt afraid to try something new in a genre that needs new life.
  
  

• SPEAKERBOXXX/THE LOVE BELOW

  
  By A10VG0UYRGHUBH on 2003-11-10
  The genius of two men: Andre 3000 & Big Boi shine on this 2-disc album titled SPEAKERBOXXX/THE LOVE BELOW. Aready worldwide superstars, Andre & Big Boi take their incredible new hip-hop/funk/jazz/soul style into the mainstream. Here are the track highlights for the best songs.

  Disc One - SPEAKERBOXXX

  "Ghettomusick" is a fast-paced thrill ride with an electronic/techno sounding beat to back it up. Big Boi uses his high energy raps and slows down in-between to make an amazing first song.

  "Bowtie" is a funky, infectious, pimp-flavored anthem where Big Boi brags about all he's got. The hook, as well as the rhymes, are all very catchy and solid.

  "The Way You Move" is the infectious, jazz-influenced lead single that is bringing the sales of the album to a whole new hight. The rhymes and the soulful hook make this a great song.

  "The Rooster" is another jazzy-type track where Big Boi asks you to "put ya back in it".

  "Tomb Of The Boom" is a good straight-forward hip-hop track featuring rhymes from Ludacris on the side. Great song with infectious rhymes.

  "Last Call" is a crunked-up party banger that features Slimm Calhoun, Lil' Jon among others. Very good track. Followed by a needless reprise of "Bowtie".

  Disc Two - THE LOVE BELOW

  "Happy Valentine's Day" is a funky, stylistic track which finds Andre 3000 playing the role of Cupid Valentino -- "the modern day cupid".

  "Spread" is an hard to describe song but it sounds good and Andre 3000 really sings his all on the hook.

  "Prototype" is a slow love song following the worthless interlude "Where Are My Panties?".

  "Hey Ya!" is the infectious, dance-floor ready first single that has millions 'shakin like a polaroid picture'!

  "Roses" is a concept song about how looks aren't everything. The hook makes it clear with the words "roses really smell like poo poo".

  "Pink & Blue" is a buffet of interesting sounds that is hard to describe but very good.

  "Vibrate" is another interesting song with some very interesting sounds.

  "A Life In The Day Of Benjamin Andre" finds Andre 3000 spitting for the first time on the album. Followed up by an untitled bonus track.

  OVERALL - 4 STARS because of the needless skits on SPEAKERBOXXX and the horrific song "Love Hater" on THE LOVE BELOW.
  
  

• How does it NOT live up to the hype???

  
  By A1KDU2BFDTLDOB on 2003-09-25
  2 discs... 2 totally different styles.

  First, Big Boi's "Speakerboxxx": Fire from the get go. You first put it in and you notice Ghettomusick, Bowtie, The Way You Move, The Rooster, Bust, War, Church, Tomb of the Boom, Knowing, Flip Flop Rock, Last Call... pretty much the entire CD. Play it in your car, play it loud... it's awesome.

  Second, Dre's "The Love Below": Takes some time to get used to, but then its just as hot if not hotter than Big Boi's. My favorite tracks on Dre's CD are: Roses, Happy Valentine's Day, Dracula's Wedding, A Day in the Life of Benjimann Andre, Hey Ya, and pretty much the whole CD, especially after I got used to the sound. Some get at Dre for ditching the rap, but he said it himself that Hip Hop doesn't inspire him anymore. Just because he has an interesting and different voice does NOT mean he can't sing.

  Give this album a try... especially Dre's side. Most fans will appreciate Big Boi's side at first but once you listen to Andre's more than once or twice you will realize its true greatness.

  5/5
  
  

• Possibly One Of The Best Albums I Have Ever Bought!!

  
  By AMMXFNJSKJUQ on 2003-09-27
  First, let me preface this buy saying that I am not a hardcore hip-hop fan, but I do like it. I was really excited to get this album because I knew it was going to be different and, frankly, no artist in any genre is being different right now. I have really been waiting for an album like this to come along. I have listened to it nonstop since I got it and it already feels like a classic, like it's been around for a really long time. Okay, here are the tracks: Speakerboxxx: 1. INTRO: This is pretty short and a standard intro kind of setting up the album. 2. GHETTOMUSICK: Amazing. Just flat out amazing. I have never heard anything like this before and it is one of my favorite songs off both albums. This song is so catchy and has a great dance beat. 3. UNHAPPY: This has a sweet sort of slow melody intercut with rap verses. It is very nice and could definitely be a single. 4. BOWTIE: This song has a great big band feel to it and the horns are really catchy. 5. THE WAY YOU MOVE: I love how this song starts off kind of slow and then builds up to a big, soulful chorus. 6. THE ROOSTER: I love this song. It's funny and has a good beat kind of reminiscent of a Jackson 5 track. 7. BUST: This is a really interesting song. It is incredibly funky and very rocky. To me it sounds kind of scary and apocolyptic, but maybe that's just me. 8. WAR: Another interesting song. It starts off as a creepy, loungy sort of vibe but then changes into a whole different kind of song. Very interesting. 9. CHURCH: I love this song (I love them all). It has a great gospel feel, especially when the music speeds up at the end. 10. BAMBOO: This is an interlude introducing "Tomb Of The Boom". Not much I can say about it. 11. TOMB OF THE BOOM: This is a more traditional sounding rap song but has a great beat. 12. E-MAC: Another interlude. 13. KNOWING: I love this song. It is very soulful and has a really interesting beat that seems to be very simple but addicting. 14. FLIP-FLOP ROCK: Another more hip-hop oriented song but good, nonetheless. 15. INTERLUDE: Funny how this interlude doesn't even have a name. 16. RESET: This is a really slow song, the slowest on the album, and a nice change of pace. It's very beautiful. 17. D-BOI: Another interlude. 18. LAST CALL: This is perhaps the least innovative track on the album but I think it is really catchy and pretty good. 19. BOWTIE: This is a short reprise of the song and provides a good closing to the album.
  THE LOVE BELOW: 1. THE LOVE BELOW: Wow! This is technically an intro, but more like a song fragment. It has a crooning style much like Frank Sinatra. Listening to this, you know this album will be different. 2. LOVE HATER: A full on jazzy song that segues nicely from the intro. I love the line about dandruff and this is just amazing stuff. 3. GOD: An interlude, but more like a poem or monologue. It is touching and funny. 4. HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY: So catchy! This is just innovative stuff. I love the way that Cupid has been reinvisioned here. This is a funny song. 5. SPREAD: Again, a very catchy song that is quick and fun to listen to. 6. WHERE ARE MY PANTIES?: A funny interlude. 7. PROTOTYPE: A slow ballad with a catchy and killer guitar solo. I love this song!!! 8. SHE LIVES IN MY LAP: Oh my god! How good will this album get?? This song is AMAZING!!! Everything is perfect. 9. HEY YA!: Perhaps the catchiest moment on both discs. This is amazing! A new style of music has literally been invented here! You will love this no matter who you are! 10. ROSES: This is hilarious and very funky. It reminds me of Prince. 11. GOOD DAY, GOOD SIR: This is an absolutely hilarious interlude. 12. BEHOLD A LADY: This is a great upbeat tune that has a sort of electro background. Again, it reminds me of Prince. 13. PINK & BLUE: This is a wonderful slower song and is very catchy. 14. LOVE IN WAR: A very pretty and catchy song. Andre can sing!! 15. SHE'S ALIVE: A very jazzy and touching song intercut with some spoken parts which add so much. 16. DRACULA'S WEDDING: This is a short song but one of the best on the album. It is so catchy and so completely jawdropping in its amazingness. 17. MY FAVORITE THINGS: For some reason this song is not listed on the track listing on the cd. It is a very interesting and wonderful instrumental reworking of the classic song. Groundbreaking. 18. TAKE OFF YOUR COOL: Another short song, this sounds mostly improvised but is very laidback and great. 19. VIBRATE: This is a very funky song that has a lot of depth to it. I love the lyrics. 20. A LIFE IN THE DAY OF BENJAMIN ANDRE (INCOMPLETE): This is a very bizarre ending to a very bizarre album. I have to listen to it more because it is kind of challenging.
  BUY THIS CD BECAUSE IT IS VERY WELL WORTH YOUR TIME
  
  

• My $.02.

  
  By A38U2M9OAEJAXJ on 2004-01-18
  I finally got around to Outkast's Grammy-nominated 2003 CD after weeks of putting it off. With all that's already been said about "The Love Below/Speakerboxxx," there isn't much for me to add that you don't already know. Big Boi and Andre 3000 release separate albums that may as well come from two different planets. Public opinion has dubbed Andre 3000's disc as the "arty" one, and that's no lie. On this disc, he glides through a dizzying range of genres from '60's mod pop ("Hey Ya!"), perky jazz ("Love Hater"), and Prince-inspired funk ("Spread," and just about every other track). But my favorite is the dynamite "Prototype," a silky smooth jam that's an obvious nod to 1970s old school soul. The only serious misfire is a botched, drum-and-bass updating of "My Favorite Things." Sorry, but I'll stick with Coltrane's version. Other than that, Andre 3000's "The Love Below" holds up pretty well during its 78 minutes. Big Boi's "Speakerboxxx," on the other hand, is another beast altogether. While "The Love Below" is an eclectic effort that went all over the map, "Speakerboxxx" keeps its feet firmly grounded in hip hop. It may be 20 minutes shorter than Andre 3000's disc, but there are just as many solid moments such as the memorable "The Way You Move," Big Boi's collaboration Cee-Lo and Khujo Goodie on "Reset," and "Bowtie" with Sleepy Brown and Jazze Pha. Special mention also has to go to the rousing "Church," which, as the title implies, has a spiritual vibe that's uplifting. While these two discs aren't flawless, they make up one of the more creative releases I've heard in a while. Outkast is one of ATL's greatest talents, and "The Love Below/Speakerboxx" is a bold achievement that transcends lazy categorization.
  
  
• What's next?
  By A2K150EBPF8LT7 on 2003-12-06
  Well, 2003 is about over, and with the exception of a few releases hip hop has let me down again. It's predictability, self assured ego and lack of depth and emotional power had almost leaving H.E.R(as Common put it) and has got me listening to more rock music. Then one fine August day, something magicial happened; Outkast, the most talented, progressive and outright funky group known to man would be hitting us over the head with not one, but TWO CD's !And get this; they're SOLO albums! Is this the final indication that Big Boi is fed up with his partner in rhyme Andre 3000's ultra eccentric lifestyle and is leaving him? Or is Andre fed up with hip hop's ultra blandness and has decided to leave? Or are both of them just flexing their
  creative muscle in an attempt to give urban music the kick in the ass it sorely needs? The answer to the last three questions are no, no, and HELL YEAH!

  For the straight ahead hip hoppper, Speakerboxx is the one for you. Had Big Boi released this on his own, this would be easily the best hip hop album of 2003. I always thought Andre was the lyrically stronger one of the two; I guess that's why they're a duo, and not an MC and a hypeman. The first single, "The Way You Move" may be getting all of the airplay, but that's the LEAST quality song on this CD. While there's the usual player stuff that Big Boi espouses; it's not nearly as cliched as most of the rappers cluttering up the airwaves. There is stuff about relections about being a father(his son even makes a cameo on one song), war and politics and about being black In America that would make Public Emeny and KRS-ONE proud. The guest apperances are great, from the VERY underrated Killer Mike, the VERY overrated Jay-Z ,the VERY funny and whistful Ludacris, and the VERY anticipated Sleepy Brown(when is his album gonna drop?). But the two ring circus that is Outkast's new CD isn't over; in fact, the best is yet to come.

  The Love Below. If I could describe it in one word, it would be...LOVE. Love for hip hop. Love for music. Love for friends and family. Love for making love. And especially love for that emotionally ambiguous species known as woman. Andre 3000 has been decribed in many ways; weird, eccentric, wise, powerfully alluring. But this portion of the Outkast album will get him another description; GENIUS. One reviewer said it perfectly; this is the best album Prince never made; I should know being a big Prince fan(thanks to my mom; thank you mom). It trancends genre;the single "Hey Ya" is getting big rotation on top 40 and alternative rock radio; which means that Outkast has more fans than they know.
  Andre deals with lots of emotions; on some songs
  he's "Purple Rain" Prince, in which he deals with life turmoils
  in and outside of himself, and on other songs he's "Controversy" and "Sign Of The Times" Prince, in which James Brown mildly put it, he wants to hit it and quit it. I wonder how he ever got Kelis(who ironically reminds me of Vanity) and Norah Jones(who ironically reminds me of a more soulful Wendy and Lisa)to guest on his album? Anyway this record alone could be the best R&B album of 2003.

  Well, that's my long ass review of Outkast new album. While this is very much worth buying, it only serves as a reminder that Big Boi and Andre 3000 are peanut butter and jelly; good sepearately, but great together. For those deep into hip hop and are fed up about the way our great music has deteriorated, pick this up and have your faith renewed. For those whom might buy this and would want to get into hip hop more, don't be fooled by the radio, MTV and BET that what you see and hear represents all that hip hop has to offer; there is plenty off great stuff out there(Gangstarr, Goodie Mob, Jurassic 5 ,Black Eyed Peas, Slum Village, Common, Lauryn Hill, most albums between 1988 and 1994)for those who are willing to look. So to close up, there is but one question: What's next?
  
  

• Fantabulous
  By ADYNO5CD0GVFE on 2003-11-21
  I am not a fan of rap music. For the most part rap is like country music in that there is a format that most rap groups follow to appease their core audience. Having said that, I probably would've never listened to these albums. Speakerboxx is a little more formulaic, and it is the music that hardcore rap fans will enjoy. It's definitely quality rap music, don't get me wrong, but it is basically the formulaic rap music to which most are accustomed. The Love Below, however, is the dramatic departure. TLB is, quite simply, some of the most brilliant music I have heard in some time. I hate to draw comparisons, because this music is so refreshingly original, but you can tell Dre has spent a great deal of time listening to Prince. There are moments in this album for just about every lover of music. The lyrics are funny and brilliant, and the music is jaw dropping. The intro alone, let's you know that you are in for something you have never heard before. It makes one picture a Frank Sinatra or Sammy Davis jr. in a 70's special smoking a cigarette with lovely ladies around them. Love Hater will catch you off guard with it's jazz style experimentation. It could be my favorite song on both discs. Even if it's not, it may have been the song that made me want to run out and buy this disc after someone let me borrow it. Happy Valentine's Day reminds me of a lesser known group called Mother Love Bone. It's definitely displays that Andre Benjamin has a craftsmanship that is among the elite in his business. Whether you are a rap, jazz, or rock fan you do have to appreciate when someone reaches this level of craftsmanship. I'm reminded of a line most use to describe Michael Jordan: He works so hard, he makes it look easy. You listen to these first few songs, and you are left to wonder why everyone isn't making music this incredible, this crisp, and this effortless. There is nothing here that will make you contemplate the theory of relativity. In Spread and Prototype, for example, you simply have a man singing about love and his perfect woman, but Andre proves that you don't have to sing about the fall of the Roman Empire to be brilliant. Hey Ya! is the one that everyone knows. It's the hit. It makes you think of the Beach Boys and Prince. It's the essence of this music that makes it so enjoyable however. It's weird in the manner that David Bowie was weird in the '70's, it's groundbreaking in the manner that Purple Rain was groundbreaking in the '80s. I'm normally someone who seeks out the more independent style of music, along the lines of a Mike Patton or a Damon Albarn, but this is my favorite album of 2003, and it is becoming burned into my CD player. I'm going to guess that you will probably see Andre Benjamin become a solo artist after this disc because if there is any justice in this world a piece of art like this disc will place him in the stratosphere for years to come.
  
  
• OutKast cranks out another hit
  By A161XT9J8CTYFK on 2003-11-05
  At a time when most artists run the risk of sounding the same over and over again, OutKast proves to the world that Hip Hop is what you make of it, infusing their own thang and creating something new. Like many, I was totally unprepared for Andre's album, but I totally loved it. It takes a lot of confidance in oneself to go out and produce something so different, yet he pulls it off with aplumb and shows the world that Andre 3000 is indeed multi-talented.
  Big Boi's effort was not to be left behind. His album packs the solid punch that the double disk album needs.
  OutKast has done it again, and as a die-hard OutKast fan, I might be biased, but I believe that you should really go out and try this album.
  
  
• Amazing new alblum!
  By A3UISFQMOSZJMO on 2003-12-10
  This cd should be in everyone's collection whether you like country, hip hop, jazz, pop whatever.....it is a CLASSIC.

  The love below is just brilliant! I absolutely cannot get over the creativity and talent it shows. I have heard him compared to Prince but he goes way beyond Prince and is gonna take us a long way. It took my husband a few listenings to really appreciate this cd, he much preferred Speakerboxx but now he really listens and understands what kind of musical genious it is.

  Speakerboxx I would say is more "traditionally Outkast" the beats, lyrics and such satisfies your craving for their sound.

  I could not say enough about this cd, and I truly believe this will be a cd that goes in everyones collection.

  Two brilliant men bold enough to go where the music takes them and we are allowed along for the ride.
  
  

• The Hope of all Hip-Hop
  By ADQCCHVTDZ3R0 on 2003-11-16
  As to be expected in an ambitious rap project, Big Boi fulfills his duties to the Dungeon Family and fellow southern emcees by filling his side with several guests, including Lil John and the Eastside Boyz, Jay-Z, Killer Mike, Ludacris, and Cee-Lo. His fast-paced rhymes are incredible and rapid-fire as a machine gun, and on many tracks, especially the thrill-ride "Ghetto Musick", his beats have electronic/techno sounds to them. Right from his energetic raps in the first song, Big Boi lets you know he's serious about making an incredible hip-hop album. Following is "Bowtie" a funky song with a hook by Cee-lo, then the amazing laid-back single, "The Way You Move". Unlike most other albums, Big Boi never seems to run out of steam. His skill stand tall all the way from "The Rooster" and the Killer Mike duet "Bust" through "Flip Flop Rock" and by far the most unbelievable track on his disk, "War". Andre's disc sounds almost like R&B/soul, with some elements of funk or jazz thrown in. It sounds almost like Prince with some rapping, although Andre proves over and over again that he has a great and very high singing voice. His new persona as a soul/funk vocalist is both creative, brilliant, and hilarious- just like Andre himself. In addition to the heartfelt and downright fun love songs like "Take Off Your Cool" "Prototype" and "Love Hater", he also gets very lustful and perverted on songs like "Spread" and "She Lives in my Lap" and proves that hip-hop is not soulless and can be deep with songs like, "Roses" "Hey Ya!" "Behold A Lady" and the spectacular "Love in War". He then gets back to his roots as a rapper with "A Day in the life of Benjamin Andre". The rest is just plain bizarre and very entertaining, like when he plays the role of a famous vampire in "Dracula's Wedding" or during the hilarious skits were he calls God (who is a woman) on the phone, talks with a fiddler on a roof, and wakes up after sex on the first date. In a dying rap world overpopulated by generic street rappers obsessed with bling bling, cars, 20" rims and misspelled song titles, Outkast manage to breathe life into the body of hip-hop once more. These guys are too smart, talented and original to ignore. Even if you hate rap, this will be one of the best CDs you have ever heard.
  
  
• C"RAP" Hater!
  By A2J0YGT8ARWBHK on 2003-10-16
  I hate RAP, hate it, hate it, hate it! Because rap today glorifies the negatives in life, mostly in the big city, and preaches an unholy "word" to the urban kids. RAP started out as being fun and entertaining new type of music, going back to Run DMC (RIP), Rob Base, and even the sub-rave breakers such as Cybertron were entertaining. Even though not as many rappers would go out on a limb and play music for a diverse crowd back then (cept Run DMC with Aerosmith) it didn't matter because it was all good.

  NEXT!
  I was watching the David Letterman show (was really bored, tryin to get to sleep) and saw a rap group (what looked to be initially anyway) come on, and was ready to flip the channel (rather than be annoyed). The song started and my reaction was "holy shot"!!! The lead vocals were good, the BG vocals were good, and the music would make a zombie dance. I was bangin my head left and right like I was a mental patient. And these guys don't walk around the stage in some thuggy routine, they were performing for the crowd! The song and performance were so good I had small tears of joy afterwards.

  These guys are different, "MUCH" different, they know what's good and now matter what the source (rock, jazz, blues, anything) they'll put it in their music. I haven't even bought the CD just yet, but I listened to some of the other songs and I know I will. Not only are these guys good, they also show class (for the kids) putting out a clean version. It may be some time before I can get off my "Hey Ya" crack addition...

  Buy this CD, for good music (as well as DYAO), regardless of the category it's put in.

  signed,
  The Whitest Guy in the Nation
  (George Bush)
  
  

• Hard to figure this one...
  By A3J98842B0DCY9 on 2003-10-09
  Let's get this straight right now, I love Outkast. I have been a faithful follower since their Player's Ball days. However, they have managed to completely transform their style with this one. It is less about hot beats, although it boasts a few on both sides, and more about creativity. Dre really goes off the deep end with TLB, he is whacked out on most of the tracks and boasts too many interludes on his set. However, he still manages to shine on "A Life in the Day....Incomplete" and knocks it out the box with bot "Hey Ya" and "Prototype", a sort of hip-hop ballad to love and finding that perfect mate.

  Big Boi does not disappoint. Coming hard with collabos with Luda and Jigga. Not to mention the ridiculously hot party joint "The Way You Move". He truly shows that he is behind the funkadelic, bass-grooving, phat sound that is Outkast.

  The CD, as a whole, should get mad props for just being different and creative. At first, and maybe even second, listen one might think to dismiss this album, but open your mind and you will find the work of two truly creative and forward thinking hip-hop geniuses who are out to change the face of the game.
  
  

• What are you afraid of? The Love Below?
  By A1NSMQIF1C2VCE on 2003-11-26
  Like so many people, I was drawn to this album by hearing "Hey Yea" on the radio -- on every format station I can find in LA, they seem to be playing it -- but I have to say that, for once, the gamble of buying an album for one song didn't burn me.

  While "Speakerboxxx" is hit-or-miss -- "Ghetto Musick" is great, but a lot of the CD is skippable for me -- "The Love Below" is amazing, fun, sexy (at points even bordering on playfully filthy), great to dance to, great to chill to, and one of the freshest sounding albums in years. At a point when the music industry mostly seems to be about endlessly recycling the same few tired bits, Andre 3000 has made something that -- while certainly owing a lot to Prince and other predecessors -- feels NEW.

  "The Love Below" is the first CD I've left on auto-repreat for over a year, and I love hearing it every time.

  I appreciate folks who want harder hip-hop might find "The Love Below" to be a disappointment, but that's what the "Speakerboxxx" half is for.

  Strongly recommended for anyone with a pulse, whatever sort of music you think you like. A true "must have" album.
  
  

• Open & Creative Approach - Joyous Ride
  By ARQFTZQ8Q6HU1 on 2003-12-16
  Folks are trippin, this is one of the most creative albums of the year, more so for the beginning of the new century. Speakerboxxx sticks to the typical hip hop/rap genre w/ a couple bass head twists and continues the Outkast fire, while 'Dre shocks us with these new tracks and formulates this beautiful new beginning to blow our minds and broaden our horizon. Whether ur a die hard hip hop/rap fan or someone that is totally new to this duo and genre you will have a great appreciation for these fellas and their art. If you don't then... um... like Steve Harvey said "If you ain't feelin this, then DAMMNIT this ain't fa you!"... This album is exciting, electrifying, fun, grimey, etc, etc, etc, it is an overwhelming album if u ask me. It took me months to digest this joint. But all the words that I type here does the album no justice b/c there's so much that I ain't saying, u will have to experience this ride yo damn self... so what'cha waiting for? cop it.

  "Play with your own score sheet, become the master of your own..
  And yes, God is watching you, but no need to be embarrassed
  For the future is in your hands, no the future is in your hand
  Play with your own score sheet" - Andre3000/Outkast/The Love Below
  
  

• What is hip hop?
  By A15QURFET6PTMR on 2003-10-21
  Some of the people dissed this album, I say it is one of the greatest of all times. What is hip-hop? Is hip-hop rap? No. Is hip-hop expression from a generation? Outkast just doin what everyone else wants to do. They are expressing themselves, without confines of the record industry. So many rappers can't truly be artist because they are limited to the confines of their contract, "ordering" them to create music a certain way. Outkast is the greatest. So what if this album isn't a cookie cutter image of any of their previous album, but which of their album is a cookie cutter image of the other? Everyone of their albums are different, showing the evolution of their skill. So in other words don't hate. Plus Andre's cd is more creative than anything any of you could ever do. To me Andre seemed to create this cd maybe for a love is his life, if I had the cash, I'd do it too. That's the tightest pimp game anyone could ever have.
  
  
• The REALITY Is....
  By A1K8GZBRV8JKWN on 2004-06-18
  What a lot of people are missing about this album is the truth and the facts.

  Truth-the Rap game is INCREDIBLY stale, hell, rotten even, at this point.
  Fact-Yes, Outkast's album is MUSICAL (some of you may have confused it with 'different'.)

  Truth-Outkast's album IS commercial, as with their other albums.
  Fact-The album is certified DIAMOND worldwide.(for those not in the industry, 10+ million copies sold). I've NEVER known a HORRIBLE album to go DIAMOND. NEVER. Plus, think about it: 10 million copies-these cats have introduced hip-hop to brand new audiences.

  To all those who DO NOT like the album: The saddest FACT is many of the artists that you've come to love are the same ones who stagnate the genre. The TRUTH is those artists too want to create something as MASTERFUL as Outkast has with this album. Unfortunately, they don't have the guts(or creativity for that matter) to do it, for fear of what CONSUMERS will think. They make sure they stay in their little box; they never grow, dare or challenge the minds and ears of the people. The true hip-hop artists of our time have never cared what people think. Think back to groups like RUN-DMC with the Aerosmith collabo, and N.W.A.(do I REALLY need to explain...).

  As history has shown with other genres of music, hip-hop needs another evolution, and Outkast is spearheading the movement. They have shown these other so-called 'top MC's/groups', how to make the consumer grow WITH them, and not be held back because of them.

  Whether it is realized now or later, Speakerboxx/The Love Below is THE classic hip-hop album of the new millenium. It CLEARLY showcases extreme creativity in music, lyrics and overall production.
  
  

• You Must Understand This Album To Love It
  By A2YI2W3ZRCU25L on 2003-11-18
  I've read several of these reviews, and it seems like many people have much love for Speakerboxxx but think that Andre's lost it on The Love Below. They don't understand the seemingly fragmented songs that populate that disc. Here's the point, people: Don't look at each song individually on The Love Below. You have to listen to the album as a whole. It's a STORY. Listen, from beginning to end, as Andre asks where love can be found (track 1), describes his jaded attitude towards love (Love Hater), asks God for help in finding the perfect girl, gets stricken with love (Valentine's Day through Prototype), begins to have doubts.... and so on. This album is an amazing commentary on the art of relationship. It lives and breathes humanity in a way few albums do.

  Of course, many people won't like it, won't understand it... They'll just accuse Andre of being weak and selling out, instead of seeing the honest and open approach he has taken to trying to figure out love.

  So, in summation, get this dual album. Listen to Speakerboxxx, and enjoy the pinnacle of hip hop. Don't listen to your friends, though. Take that copy of The Love Below they're using as a coaster and listen to it. You won't regret it.
  
  

• Dre's "The Love Below " is the best record Prince never made
  By on 2003-10-21
  I'd be happy to share my thoughts on both CD's to you, but at this point I have not removed Dre's "The Love Below" disc out of the player. Rather than write yet another long review and bore you, I will just say this - "The Love Below" is as good as Prince in his heyday. It's "Dirty Mind/1999" good. It's frank, funny, funky, and at times simply beautiful to listen to. I'm sure Big Boi's record is great also, and I look forward to getting to it in 2006 when this CD wears out!
  
  
• Always can rely on Outkast
  By AN98AKVQGJAYP on 2003-10-02
  I've loved Outkast since Aquemini, and since then have picked up all of their other albums.

  When I first heard of the concept of this CD, I was a bit worried that it would suck. The first time I heard "The Way You Move" and "Hey Ya!" I got really worried. But the more and more I heard them, the more and more I liked them. Now I own the album and I'm awestruck. They've done it again!

  Speakerboxx by Big Boi is pretty traditional, but is a tight album. It has some great tracks on it. I love the track where he puts his little boy on to rap. I couldn't stop laughing when I heard that! Stand out tracks to me are: "Unhappy", "The Way You Move", "Church", "Flip Flop Rock"

  The Love Below by Andre is amazing. Simply amazing. I listened to it before Speakerboxx and I was just hypnotized. This disc isn't for EVERYONE, but the first listen drew me in, and I have listened to it constant times since, loving it each time. This is the first I've seen someone try somthing experimental and totally succeed! Andre is truly a musical genius. Standout tracks to me are: "Happy Valentines Day", "Prototype", "She Lives in my Lap", "Shes Alive"

  Outkast never stay the same...every album is different. Whenever I switch between Speakerboxx and The Love Below, its hard to believe they came in the same jewel case. They both are extremely different. Its hard to imagine that these two would have made 3 top selling albums before this "album". Each have a totally different music style, but those who have their other albums know they when Big Boi and Andre mix, you get some beautiful and bumpin Hip-Hop.

  Definitly worth a look for Outkast fans, old and new. I'm sure anyone will like Speakerboxx, but be sure and give The Love Below a few chances. As I said, its not for everybody.
  
  

• The odd couple
  By AA6HMCJRRH83P on 2003-09-27
  Not sure exactly how to react to this double-set quite yet. Speakerboxxx/The Love Below are two very diverse records from one another, simply put. First off, Big Boi presents Speakerboxxx, a collection of songs any fan of Outkast will recognize. The beats are reminiscent of old 'Kast material without the strange element Andre brings to the table. Big Boi also has his share of guest artists that help showcase the more gangsta half of the group. "Unhappy" is a smooth track that is sure to please any and all ear drums with an appearance by Sleepy Brown. "Tomb of the Boom" is a tight track with spots from Ludacris, Big Gipp, and KONKRETE. "Flip Flop Rock", another highlight which sounding reminiscent to Aquemini's "Chonkyfire", features Jay-Z and Big Boi's protege, Killer Mike. Also check out "War", "Ghettomusick", and "Church".
  Ah, then there's Dre. The quirky, silly-dressed half of the legend of Outkast. Don't expect another Speakerboxxx. The Love Below is not necessarily what you want playin' in ur ride. Other than the lead-off single, "Hey Ya", this record is different from anything ever recorded. With jazzy-laced tracks in full control of this disc, Andre proves to be the more creative half of the duo, not just different. Not a sound for everyone, this disc should be left up to the listener to determine how it sounds, that's it. All in all, Speakerboxxx/The Love Below is another appreciatable effort from Outkast in their attempt to be different from anything on the market. How they could possibly get any more diverse is unclear and mind-blowing in itself.
  
  
• WOW! "The New Funk" at It's Finest
  By on 2003-10-02
  All fans of the old school funk (Parliament/Funkadelic, James Brown, etc.) need to hear this! Their adventures into victorian literature and swing music blew my socks off. Had a feeling this would be their funkiest stuff yet and couldn't have been more right about that!
  
  
• What?
  By A2UB5RDROW0TLQ on 2005-01-10
  Hip Hop, whatever. Listen, I'm in my late 30's, white and female. I have eclectic taste from Mingus to Kraftwerk to Morphine to old Selpatura and Iggy, as well as Orbital and Grooverider. This album is definitively innovative. Only those who have been asleep or tweaking their $1,000 speakers would miss it.
  
  Andre's references to old standards is brilliant and Big Boi's take owes more to Detroit than standard hip hop. Wake up. Someone's making a difference. Or else, you can just stay plugged into whatever you're told to listen to. That's the way the whole country's going anyway. Take your Soma or pick up some Coltrane. It's up to you. This is a great album.
  
  
• Consider your sources folks...
  By A1UCSWZLNMCLDJ on 2004-04-06
  You may see some lacklustre reviews for this album here on Amazon.com, and I know that a lot of you check how many stars an album receives when you're considering whether or not to purchase a cd. But just remember, the average star rating is based on EVERYONE'S reviews, democratic-like, where each person's vote holds the same weight as the next. Now, democracy may be an adequate way of conducting matters in politics, but in musical taste, majority most definitely does not "rule". I could go on to tell you all the dangers of following popular opinion, but instead, I think that the following example will be sufficient:

  Mr. Leonard Snerdley, who rated this album "1 star" also rated these artists:

  Bread...5 out of 5 stars

  Eddie Money...5 out of 5 stars

  Kenny Loggins...3 out of 5 stars (I will also add that the only reason he didn't give this album 5 stars was because of the track selection - it was a "Best Of" - not because of the talent of Mr. Kenny Loggins)

  The Beatles...1 out of 5 stars

  So if you love Bread, Eddie Money, and Kenny Loggins, and hate the Beatles, then you should probably not buy this album.

  My own ratings?

  The Love Below...1,000,000 out of 5 stars

  Speakerboxxx...4 out of 5 stars

  Kenny Loggins...5 out of 5 stars. Hey, if you can't rock out to "Highway to the Danger Zone", you're either dead, or you might as well be.
  
  

• GREAT CD
  By on 2004-01-05
  First of all, I am sick and tired of people getting on here writing negative bullcrap that has nothing to do with an album review. If you listen to the whole album a few times and don't like, fine, write an intelligent critical review stating why that is. Don't get on here and give the whole album 1 freakin' star because you can't stand "Hey Ya" or something like that. But anyway, I have had this album for a couple of months now and I must say that I absolutely love it, especially the love below. And I hated the love below when I first got the album, but I find that like most truly great albums that I have ever heard, it takes a couple of listens before it can be fully grasped. I personally have been an Outkast fan since '94 and a hip hop head since '84 and, this is definitely the most refreshing and enjoyable hip hop album that I have heard since "Phrenology" by "The Roots". As you probably know by now, the love below is not really a hip hop album but it is really great none the less for what is. Speakerboxxx is great and is easily the best hip hop album to come out in 2003, but I must say that it sounds a little rushed. Every other Outkast album sounds simmered and slow cooked to perfection but Speakerboxxx, to me sounds stir fried or sauteed. It doesn't sound bad at all but it sounds like there wasn't as much TLC put into as there has been put into past Outkast albums. But with that said, it is still the most creative and innovative mainstream rap album to come out this year and I would give it atleast four stars on it's own. The love below on the other hand is a timeless masterpeice. I have a hard time listening to just a few songs on this album. Once I start I can't turn it off until its finished. Even though Andre can't really sing, this album has so much heart and soul and is so honest and innovative and just damn good that it can easily stand as one of the greatest r&b/funk/soul albums made since the 70's. If you notice, most of the people on here who diss this album don't have anything intelligent to say, so that tells you how much you should value their perspective. If you have an open mind and you like good heartfelt music then this should not be a dissapointing purchase.
  
  
• BOI and DRE do it again!!!
  By A1KWJO2G27BQ4J on 2003-12-22
  Okay, I bought this album maybe about 2 weeks ago. It is definatly the best album I have gotten this whole year. The album is a seperation of big boi and andre 3000. It is nice to hear the differences of the two artists styles. After hearing this album you can get a real feel for where different styles came from in past outkast albums. Andre 3000 creates his masterwork as "The Love Below" on this cd such tracks as "Happy Valentine's Day" and "Hey Ya" stick out the most. Big Boi creates his masterwork as "Speakerboxxx" on this cd such tracks as "Ghetto Musick", "Unhappy", "Bowtie", "The Way You Move", "The Rooster", "Flip Flop Rock", and "Last Call." I have seen most reviews praising Andre 3000's effort on this album more than Big Boi's. I will have to say though I think Big Boi is the better artist on this collaboration. Check this album out you won't be dissappointed.
  
  
• reminds me of the early days of rap
  By A3L2XXAF3KTCNN on 2003-12-05
  Imagine that the 1990s never happened to hip-hop, that the music stopped after Straight Outta Compton and rap was nver taken over by the thugs and gangstas and drug dealers and women beaters and cop killers and self-obsessed narcissists that turned it into a hateful, joyless exercise. Go back to the days when hip-hop was still young, wide open, wildly experimental, socially aware, intelligent and fun. This album is a throwback to those days. Big Boi and Andre refuse to be boxed in by expectations and go where they want to go, which mostly is to places no one's gone before. There's more here than just boasts about how big their penises are or how many joints they smoke. There's more intelligence and wit and creativity in 10 seconds of any of these songs than in the entire catalogs of thin-voiced, empty-headed pretenders like Nelly or 50 Cent. Of course, Dre's is the better disk, exploding the whole notion of hip hop and putting it back together so it looks like jazz and funk and Prince and r&b who knows what else. Big Boy is no slouch, though, and manages to find new and different things while staying within the more traditional hip hop styles. Probably the best rap/hip hop disk in the last 10 or 12 years.
  
  
• Separate Efforts
  By A26UD81P1XHS4O on 2003-11-18
  Outkast have released a string of critically acclaimed hip-hop disks over the last, nearly, 10 years. Composed of childhood friends from Atlanta, Big Boi (Antwan Patton) and Andre 3000 (ne Benjamin), Outkast is known for its experimental flair, humor, and ability to blend rap with a spectrum of other genres. Evidently, what make this group work are the complementary tastes and talents of the 2 artists. This becomes glaringly apparent with the release of this double cd, where each artist has created his own album. Of the 2, Big Boi's 'Speakerboxxx' is the far more conventional. Despite its superb use of live instruments and sterling samples (especially that of Patti LaBelle on the album's highlight, "Ghetto Music"), were this the whole package, we probably wouldn't have been interested. But Andre 3000's 'The Love Below' is a treat. The scope and impressiveness of this cd would cause us to regard 3000 (some of these names are designed to make us feel silly) as the successor to Prince (who also had a silly name for awhile) and the most innovative artist that we've heard in R&B today. There are a smorgasbord of sounds and styles with Andre and friends singing as much or more than they rap. Andre's voice is as playful and off-kilter as are his compositions, 21st Century ditties-often vulgar, sexual, and profane, just as often funny, romantic, and sharp. His arrangements are imaginative and jazzy, harkening back to Earth, Wind, and Fire, P-Funk, and the Isley Brothers. Whereas fellow rappers Jay-Z and Ludacris guest-star on Big Boi's joint, Andre throws us curveballs like Norah Jones, the Benjamin Wright String Orchestra and a hippity-hop version of "My Favorite Things" (ala Coltrane by way of 'The Sound of Music'). We could do without the between-song skits and patter, the bane of many a hip-hop album, it seems. Amusing or relevant as a few (very few) are, they detract, somehow, from the continuity. Ergo the fast forward button. Then again, some of the songs on this 2-for-the-price-of-one record (especially on 'The Love Below') are so infectious, you may be hitting the repeat button even more.
  
  
• Everything I've been missing in music returns!!!!
  By on 2003-11-13
  Many of us, who enjoy music, and miss the days when talent was the most important asset, instead of a hype machine for mediocre talent, will embrace the breath of fresh air that Outkast continues to provide the music industry. True Outkast fans never ever attempt to predict the vibe of an upcoming album. But no one would have ever come close to predicting the styles of Speakerboxx/The Love Down Below. Andre 3000, takes us back to the times of Parliament, Funkadelic, George Clinton, Prince, Ohio Players, and others. Big Boi provides us with solid hip hop music with an array of featured guest. This is an album to be embraced, and has set the pace for other to follow.
  
  
• Superb!
  By A35XMF3Y5EHI1N on 2003-10-23
  Whoever thinks that this CD is too weird, different or wack... Wow. Go listen to 50 Cent.

  This CD is different, but a good kind of different. A great kind! I might even go as far as to call this CD revolutionary. Well, maybe not yet. The two albums are almost like one on separate discs... they perfectly compliment each other, and like it was said on Speakerboxxx:

  "They say 'Big Boi, can you pull it off without your n* Dre?'
  I say "people, stop the madness cause me and Dre be okay"

  OutKast, Cell Therapy to cell division
  We just split it down the middle so you can see both the visions
  Been spittin it damn near ten years, why the f* would be be quittin?"

  As you can see, they arent splitting.

  The Love Below and Speakerboxxx are acurately named... Dre's CD is focused around his love life, and Boi is all about the music.

  Well, Im talking too much again. So let me say this:
  If you want to listen to superfical ghetto crap about ho's pimps and spinners... you wont find it here. If you want a quality, eye-opening listen... buy this.
  
  

• SICKNESS
  By on 2003-10-03
  Sickness.
  This album has me flopping around on wood. This album has the clouds burning and the sun crying. This album is a yin yang of brilliance. IF YOU HVAE NOT HEARD THIS, YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW GOOD THIS IS. This album gives me a woody.
  
  

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