‘Universal Mind Control’

‘Universal Mind Control’

Common

(G.O.O.D. Music/Geffen Records)

Grade: C+

The once-underground hip-hop artist Common painted himself into a corner awhile ago as a chin-stroking hippie who can still hang with the harder types. It might’ve gotten Lonnie Rashid Lynn Jr. a few Hollywood jobs, but it didn’t help diversify his image — and image counts for a lot in Common’s business.

In his eighth album, “Universal Mind Control,” Common tries to break away, taking on a harder, naughtier persona and dipping his typically dusty grooves in executive producer Pharrell’s cold chemical wash. For part of the album, the techno gambit blows fresh air into Common’s paisley pondering. The title track is a banger with ice-floe-thick beats. His Kanye West-assisted “Punch Drunk Love” is bedroom bravado set to defrost. His collaboration with Cee-Lo, “Make My Day,” is bouncy sun-glinted retro-soul that should’ve served as a model for the whole album.

But too much of “Universal Mind Control” falls conceptually flat. “Sex 4 Sugar” hints at Barry White, but it stalls out with Common’s unclever seduction rhymes. Wasted opportunities abound, including an inconsequential final track with Tricky’s muse-chanteuse, Martina Topley-Bird.

— Margaret Wappler, Los Angeles Times

‘Avant’

Avant (Capitol Records)

Grade: C

When Avant made his debut in 2000 with the hits “Separated” and “My First Love” featuring Keke Wyatt, the Cleveland native often drew comparisons to R. Kelly because they had similar styles of crooning.

Yet with three gold and one platinum album to his credit, Avant has transformed into a singer with his own unique identity, though like Kelly, lovemaking remains central to his message.

His new self-titled CD contains a few melodic gems mixed with a couple of so-so bump-and-grind ballads.

On his first single, “When It Hurts,” Avant speaks to his lover about their relationship, wondering if it would crumble or flourish under tough circumstances as he sings, “Let’s change people’s definition of love.”

“Out of Character” is Avant’s naughty attempt to persuade his lady friend to invite another woman for a night of pleasure between the three. He shines on female-friendly track “Perfect Gentlemen” featuring rapper T.I.’s prot g and labelmate Alfamega and the party starter “Involve Yourself.”

There are some stumbles (like “Break Ya Back” and “Attention,” featuring Snoop Dogg).

— Jonathan Landrum Jr., Associated Press

‘Human’

Brandy (Epic Records)

Grade: B

Brandy has gone through a lot since she released her last CD four years ago. She left her longtime music label, dabbled in TV and was involved in a car crash that killed a woman (she faced no charges).

Perhaps because of all of those experiences, her new album, “Human,” represents her most personal CD to date.

The 15-track set never disappoints, as the 29-year-old explores love in deeper ways (like on the infectious “Piano Man”) than most contemporary R&B artists. She reunites with longtime collaborator Rodney “Darkchild” Jerkins for the majority of the CD.

Some of the songs are therapeutic — like “Camouflage,” a nice tune where Brandy sings, “These flaws I got, they’re a part of who I am/Take me or not, but I finally understand.” The title track, which Brandy co-wrote, feels just as good. The song is a beautiful reflection of her growth as a singer and as a person.

The CD’s best tracks include the cool “1st & Love,” “Fall,” co-written by Natasha Bedingfield and “Shattered Heart,” a futuristic heartbreak song that could easily be remixed by Kanye West while he’s in his “808s & Heartbreak” phase.

— Mesfin Fekadu, Associated Press