Foreign Exchange
Leave It All Behind
So this time around, Phonte and Nicolay have decided to change things up from the get-go. Nicolay has moved to North Carolina to work with Phonte more closely. And in case you haven't heard, Foreign Exchange's Leave It All Behind isn't a Hip Hop album. Aside from two sixteen-bar verses, Phonte Coleman virtually abandons his sharp, whimsical rhymes in favor of singing. Still, as they've shown previously, variations are where the intercontinental-turned-stateside duo does its best work.
The clear headliner of Leave It All Behind is Nicolay. The Dutch producer contributes soundbeds that are just as relaxing as they are stirring, and transitional change-ups between songs give the disc even more cohesion. While this may not be a big surprise to those familiar with the musical tastes of Phonte and Nicolay, it's still impressive how much the album strays from their Hip Hop catalogs. Sonically, virtually any song from Leave It All Behind would seamlessly fit into the rotations of any radio station's "Quiet Storm" or smooth Jazz segments. Tracks like "Take Off The Blues" and "Wanna Know" pair melodic keys and coos with thumping basslines, while "If This Is Love" incorporate elements of house music to give a mildly-frenetic bounce to Foreign Exchange's soulful sound.
Phonte is more or less along for the ride on this album, with Nicolay's stealing the show. But he still does a notable job of holding up his end of the bargain. While listeners familiar with his singing on previous songs from his various collaborative LPs or his choruses for acts like Playaz Circle [click to read] may be less surprised, intermediate fans' eyebrows will raise at how capable of a vocalist Phonte is. Don't get it twisted: he definitely doesn't pose the vast multi-octave threat that more established crooners do. But he still finds and holds the notes needed to mesh with Nicolay's subdued soundbeds, and brings in guest vocalists to fill in whatever blanks he'd leave. His lyrics feel genuine, as well: the upbeat standout "Something To Behold" sees him, Darien Brockington and Muhsinah using allegorical gems to profess love for significant others, while "All Or Nothing-I'm Coming Home To You" flawlessly simulates an argument between Phonte and wifey. Those familiar with Phonte's relationship views and musical appreciation on skits and songs like Little Brother's "Step Your Game Up" will be pleased to see that he can give even further introspection and credence to his personality here.
Absences of some of Phonte's trademarks may disappoint some. Despite his capable singing, rapping is definitely Phonte's strong suit, and it's disappointing that he doesn't rhyme more than he does. Plus, Phonte's comical musings from previous efforts--the "baby do you want a massage" quip on "Step Your Game Up"--is notably minimal here, perhaps to make the project seem more mature, or to just offer a different feel in general. Still, the positives here easily outweigh the negatives. Expectations for such established acts are understandable, but if you can leave them all behind, The Foreign Exchange's new disc is a satisfying effort.
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Comments 37 posts
shigga:
What can I say? This is what all future Hiphop / R&B should sound like. My favourite album.
Greaseman:
Smooth. It's a must cop.
Ew.:
Really. Just cause its Phonte don't mean its gonna be sick. My favourite album right now is Connected, buy that instead of this shit. Phonte can sing, Nicolay can make beats, these two can be a good combination but this album is waste. Normally I can feel R&B even though its not my main genre, but my god this album just limps on from track 1. a 2 because both of them deserve a star for there presence and nothing else...
TheSponsor:
been bumping it for 5 months with no fatigue. by far one of the fire albums of the year.
Cawley:
Veredicto said it best. The album is tight for a few songs, but tigallo, or percy miracles, or whatever Tay is going by these days needs to come in small doses. The dude can sing, dont get me wrong, but he can not sing well enough to carry a whole damn album. The 16 bars he spits over the course of the whole album are dope.. he needs to stick to his bread and butter as one of the best emcees out there..
moh112:
nice smooth record. kinda short though.
dee dizzle from tha la fizzle:
...
drake_dizzle_from_the_la_fizzle:
Sorry forgot my rating..Decent Lp...and worth hearing..
dee dizzle from tha la fizzle:
I love nicolays beats plain and simple..I feel Phonte and Pooh have started slackin since The Minstrel Show, even though I thought The Getback was good..To have waited since 04, to 08 for this project, I didnt think it was going to be like this, it wasnt the r/b, yet Phontes minimal r/b tracks on The Connected is what made the album dope..On LIAB, he over does it, on "I Wanna Know" he didnt know if I should laugh and pretend it was Percy Miracles doin a skit..I just love the feeling of Connected, the artists involved, Von P, Median, Ken Starr, Oddisee, Pooh, and D Brock, Yahzarah and Muhsinah are sick too, but I didnt feel the same chemistry this go around...decent album tho, and I love the thought out lyrics and the fact it aint jig.."If This Is Love" and "Sweeter Than You" are my joints tho, I felt nicolay bringin that FE flavor..Anyway Connected was a classic, and if u havent heard Nicolay & Kays Timeline, boy that album is a classic, and fire..!!! Maybe thats why, after listening to Timeline, I thought this album was goin to blow that out the water..Nice album, decent, yet a bit watered down, bland, the goodies are in the end of some tracks, and I feel myself gettin depressed to some tracks so Im glad I got the instros...I hope Tiggalo and Pooh go back to their LB roots on the next lp, maybe with some 9th and nicolay, krysis beats and hopefully they redeem themselves with a mix of soulful/raw energy without b.s. lyrics about touring, I want poetry...
Ben:
Damn, I know this is my 3rd post on this thread. Dont want to herb or stan-out or both, but God DAMN. I have listened to this album everyday this week at my desk at work first thing in the morning and I find myself in such a better mood and really thinking about everyone around me and how important the important things are and how much bullshit we dwell on everyday.....sorry to braveheart yall, just throwing a dart
OSKR:
CAN THESE DUDES MAKE A BAD ALBUM??????
ONCE AGAIN THEY'VE PUT IT DOWN. PROPS!!!!!
Bowdizz:
I was planning on buyin this album til I found out it was gonna be 99% R&B hahaha... Nicolay is hands down in my top 5 producers and I'm an LB fan too so I was pretty excited... Judging by the review (which is the best-written one I've read on DX in a damn long time!) though the albums still pretty tight... I'll give it a listen.
No rating for the album, but 5 X's on the review hahaha
rkonmd:
There are a lot of dope, melodic beats on this album. Phonte can't sing like that to be singing on the ENTIRE album, he should stick to rapping.
Well, at least he didn't use the autotune shit.
Veredicto:
(forgot to rate...)
Veredicto:
OK, imma be honest...
I just CAN'T leave it all behind...
I mean... i liked the album, but it's just that i didn't love it like i was expecting.
Connected is one of my all time favorite albums, and i was anticipating this one too much.
I'll give it a 3.5
Bottom line: i liked the album, but after 2/3 listens, my first thing to do was... Take this one out and... bang Connected like if it was the first time.
Phonte is too much a good rapper to all of a sudden start singin. I like that he SOMETIMES sings on a track or two (like on Connected). But a hole album is too much for him.
I don't wanna lose Phonte (pause) like i lost 3Stacks & Mos Def (pause).
C'mon man...! Even Kanye's tryin singin too?
What? Next time i'll check, maybe i'll find Immortal Technique tryin' to sing like Prince or something... or Bumby Knuckles doin' the vocoder s#"t...
Versatile:
People, people, people..... open your eyes, minds, and hearts!!!! This is the best album that i've bought in a long time. This is TRUE hip-hop mixed with a little R&B/Soul. Everything in the world ism't about some stupid ass new dance, SEX, shootin somebody, robbin', and killin'. That shit can be so damn tired and sometimes sicking. This album gets you away from all bullshit and negativity in the world. If You are a real LB fan and a Hip-Hop Head then you getting get this album. Phonte and Nicolay make a perfect duo together.
And P.S. Phonte is NOT soft for singing once in awhile. He's just showing that he has many talents outside of rhyming, which he is a beast in. Many people can express themselves how they feel inside without being soft. Big ups to The Foreign Exchange
Ben:
"his album with Zo! were drenched in dullness all thanks to Phonte's singing."
Ummmm really?? I can honestly say that was probably the least dull album that I have heard this year. It was genuis to take these 80s songs that everyone has heard and sorta laughs about and make them into legit tunes that just come off sounding so beautiful.
Jimmy2Xs:
Just because you can hold a tune doesn't mean you should try to be a singer.
Every LB album has been on point including Sleepers and Connected.
But this Tay/Tigalo crap has got to stop. Both this and his album with Zo! were drenched in dullness all thanks to Phonte's singing.
You wonder why hip-hop is dead? Because groups and individuals try to waver on some experimental BS instead of giving their all to what makes them great.
Miles Davis never tried playing the guitar. Prince never made an album with him doing flute solos.
Phonte needs to expound upon his true talent and work at becoming a legend instead of settling for mediocrity in singing.
-Nick Lovelady
Marcha:
this is the album of the year... i knew the people that does the reviews on hip hop dx wouldn't give 5 stars to this... Hip-hop Dx has the most fucked up rating...
Sean B:
Im a big fan of LB and bought Connected back in 03/04 when it came out. It instantly became "that classic album that you never herd of"... So rightly so I continuously checked for Nicolay tracks & albums (Dutch Masters Mixtapes, Here, Nicolay & Kay Timeline etc..) and highly anticipated a Phonte & Nic reunion on a new FE album. But as the product grew closser to completion I kept hearing more and more thru their interviews and such that we SHOULDNT expect this album to be Connected part 2. Tay & Nic said that would have been too easy! I deff can respect that and the fact that they decided to challenge & grow themselves as artists, we need more of that in hip-hop. So that grew my anticipation even more and changed my outlook on the album to be open minded.
Open your mind and listen and you'll agree this album is GOOD MUSIC. To me it is Hip-Hop. Hip-Hop is more than rapidy rappin on tracks. It can be soul, a concept, a vision, a mind set and mind state etc...Think about it hip-hop heads can play this for their ladies, around their moms or with their kids and still be hip-hop. Like mentioned below, hip-hop needs this album. If we can have T-Pain, Akon, Lauren Hill, or even tracks with Pharell & Kanye singing and call it hiphop/rap then we can damn sure have Phonte singing on Nicolay beats! This shit doesnt sound like some wanna be neo-soul type shit. It is genuine and well thought out. So you shouldnt compare it to Bilal, John Legend, Dwele, Saddiq etc... to me it stays in its own lane. If Nic hooked up with them cats it would be another type of album, which I wouldnt mind hearing too. Regardless I too suggest heads to "leave it all behind" when listening to this album. It damn sure isnt Connected Part 2, but it picks up right were Connected left off and gives us MORE!
50.50:
nicolay is cool on this.... phonte is an ok rapper, but his singing makes this whole thing unlistenable. I think it's mad selfish and egotistical to make this... dude can't sing yet has to spoil awesome beats to satisfy his ego while he gave darrien brockington bullshit beats (he executive produced it or something) for his album... why didn't have give these to someone who can actually sing?
Big Jinx 357:
This album is good for Hip Hop in general... If you have the likes of a T-Pain or Akon, then you have to appreciate the balance Phonte and his J-League brethren bring. For the funnies check gordongartrellradio.com
!The MaDD Blogger!:
If you are a Phonte or Nicolay fan then LIAB is more than great. Better yet if you are a fan of good music and can appreciate good and creative music then LIAB is more than great. With phenomenal and unique production it's a break from the junk you hear on the radio but it's the soul music that you crave. You can play this joint for your girl or even while riding with moms or your shorties. But the title says it all; if you are putting this joint on with certain expectations "Leave It all Behind". Expect only good music and you'll be beyond satisfied, you'll be impressed.
Beatman1018:
Excellent album!!! Appreciate the hard work and effort to make this beautiful music.
iLLie:
i remember seeing LB live a couple times, Phonte was always singing, he did this al green set so this doesnt suprise me, the album gets a little old after the first few songs but still a nice effort