Though not as ambitious as some of Common's previous instalments in the over saturated arena of the rap genre, Finding Forever displays succinctly how producing partner Kanye West and the Chi-town MC have truly hit their stride in a year destined to go down as the return of Rap's real voice.

Highlights include collaborations with Lily Allen and the much-missed "soulquarian" Godfather D'angelo (slated to make his own solo return next year) though as a whole there isn't one missing colour on the canvas of this disc. The quality of Common's lyricism and the poignancy of his social commentary, all delivered through a tempered growl that makes anyone but Gang Starr's Guru look tame, are the reasons people still buy compact discs.

For the initiated, the closest relative in Common's cannon to Finding Forever is Be, his previous collaboration with Kanye West, but this is a much more varied and satisfying affair with a tight 12 tracks that never drag and never waver. The usual suspects of Common's thematic drive are all here, whether it preachments of anti-culture or the misunderstanding of the female role (occasionally undercut by spatters of lustful pining), but what helps here is the balance between great beats and meaningful words - a balance that has been upset occasionally on previous efforts.

For those concerned by the splash-page presence of Kanye West; this isn't Common diluted by big-bucks production, this is Common concentrated by focussed attention and quite possibly his best album to date.

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