The Love Movement (Explicit)

by stephen Thomas Enlewinecontinuing wth the suodued, mature stvistic ow of Beats, hvmes and ife, The love ovement. the fth album from A Thbe CaleoQuest,is the groups subtlest album yet -- which may just be a polte way for saying it's a litle monotonous. Throughout the record, Thibe mines the same jazz-Havored, R&B-fueled beats that were the hallmark of Beats. Although the "love concept provides a thematic cohesion to the album -- almost allof the songs areaout love, in one wav or anotner - the overal eect is ouite simlar to its immedlate oredecesor. the music is enthraling for a whie, out soonit al sounds a ltaroo famlar, ar ofthe problem is that Tibe funcions on a cerebralevel. a point made painfuly dear by Busta Rhymes and Redmans roaino, visceral cameos onSteppin' lt Up." On their own, Tribe favors crat over raw skls. That means there are plenty of pleasures to be had from careful listening, but Tibe has reached aooint where it's easier to admire the Ummah's stylish production and the subtle rhymes of 0-Tip, phife, and Ali haheed than it is to outioht love them, which isironic for an album bearing the title The Love Movement.