you don't really expect after 16 years of total decay- diseases, drugs and prison, this guy to come up with such a great album. an unlikely but triumphant return, that sounds so familiar. spoken word poetry, packed full of sadness and experience, is accompanied by deathly silence and the fragmentary presence of thudding drum sounds. his voice more age-weathered, prones to letting words melt into each other. rather than tackle big scale political issues, he focuses in his own situation. he is not apologizing, he is just explaining his stories. he continues to dissect the past and realign himself with the present throughout carefully pouring all his life experience into every syllable and drawing on the triumphs and aberrations that shaped him. it still feels honest, like something said out of necessity instead of opportunity. let the man sing/recite and follow him. he knows the way.