We have seen ATCQ come along way since their 1990 release of Peoples Instinctive Travels... Tribe's albums have been marked by tight rhythmic beats, flawless lyrics and engaging commentary. Most heads agreed that nothing could top Low End Theory until the group released "Midnight Mauraders", which grossed the most in total sales for this phenomenal trio. After "Midnight Mauraders" however fans agreed there was a drop off in the overall quality of Tribe's work. On "Love Movement" we as fans have to admire Tribe's Quest to focus on the one thing that a Black Male dominated industry fails to focus on and that is love. But this album much like, Beats, Rhymes and Life, lacks the intangible ummph that distinquished ATCQ from the rest of the hip hop nation. Phife Dogg no longer delivers the lyrical jabs that he so effortlessly gives on "Low End" and "Midnight Maurders". In fact, Phife's solo track on this album should not have made the final cut. Attempts to recapture the magic of the "Low End Theory's" "Butter" semmingly slip through Phife's fingertips. Listeners notice on Love Movement that Q-tip himself delivers some lackluster performances as well. Aside from this, we don't see Quests groundbreaking vocal celerity that we say on the first three albums. The beats on the Love Movement also leave something to be desired. When you hear "Find a Way" you know it's ATCQ in a good way. Conversley when you hear "Common Ground","Tha Booty", and "Start to Know" which is the albums first track, you know this is ATCQ in a negative since. "Love Movement" does have it's Good moments such as "Find a Way". The sonic boom delivered "Pad and Pen" remind quest fans of years past when Tip and Phife's sharing of the mic was only matched by the EPMD and Run-DMC. Guest appearances by Busta Rhyme and Redman seemed forced. It seems that these artists are invited on to give Quest a unneeded creditabilty as opposed to appearances on previous albums in which artists were invited on to share their love of the art form. Though this album does seem to have peaks and valley's, Tip delivers perhaps his finest performances on "The Love"and "Money Maker". Phife has shown flashes of greatness, but many hip hop enthusiast agree that some of Tip's best work has been when Phife was absent from the recording booth. On "The Love" Tip does what so many in the hip hop world try to do and that is remain sophisticated without confusing listeners. As the track opens Q-tip retorts that "so many people in this industry are motivated by bull****." Tribes problem over the past two albums isn't that they have let their fans down. Maybe it would have been better for them if they had released their albums in the opposite order. Tribe unlike other artists in the hip hop world are clearly victims of their own success. This would clearly be a 4 star album if we had not heard and witnessed the best of ATCQ.
