Train of Thought (Reflection Eternal album)


Train of Thought is the debut album of American hip hop duo Reflection Eternal, released October 17, 2000 on Rawkus Records. Collaborating as a duo, rapper Talib Kweli and DJ and hip hop producer Hi-Tek recorded the album during 1999 to 2000, following their individual musical work that gained notice in New York's underground scene during the late 1990s. Kweli had previously worked with rapper Mos Def as the duo Black Star, and Hi-Tek had served as producer on the duo's debut album.
Produced primarily by Hi-Tek, the album is characterized by dynamic, high-tempo tracks and a Soulquarians-type neo soul sound. It showcases Kweli's rapping and features themes of revolutionary mentality, love, the state of hip hop, and modern African-American culture. Upon its release, Train of Thought achieved moderate sales success and received critical acclaim from music critics. The song "love language" was part of the soundtrack in the movie Disappearing Acts.

Critical reception

Train of Thought was well-received by music critics. Chicago Sun-Times writer Kyla Kyles said, "With a flurry of metaphors and below-the-basement underground beats, this train is on the right track. This disc proves that Kweli is a deep-thinking, gifted MC, and Hi Tek is an emerging wax master." AllMusic's Matt Conaway compared Reflection Eternal's music to the work of the Native Tongues collective, while writing that the album "houses enough merit to establish Talib as one of this generation's most poetic MCs". PopMatters writer Dave Heaton described Talib Kweli as "a hyper-articulate MC with a revolutionary's mind and a sensitive poet's heart, but he's also a world-class battle MC, able to rip other MCs' rhymes apart in a quick second". Rolling Stone called Train of Thought "the rare socially aware hip-hop record that can get fists pumping in a rowdy nightclub".
Pitchfork critic Sam Eccleston wrote of Kweli's boastful lyrics, "Kweli uses the rhythm as a foundation, building rambling, baroque rhyme structures on top of them, exhibiting his cock-eyed 'skills'. This kind of braggadocio doesn't weaken the effort in the same way his moralizing self-canonization does, if only because he can often back those claims up". Vibe shared a similar sentiment, writing "Reflection Eternals great weakness is Kweli's excessive preaching about the state of hip hop, but at least he cares". The Rolling Stone Album Guide later called it "thick with fierce street raps, maudlin soul, and the type of insightful versifying Kweli has made his stock-in-trade ".

Track listing

#TitleSongwritersProducerPerformer
1"Experience Dedication"Tony Cottrell, Talib Kweli GreeneHi-TekDave Chappelle, Talib Kweli
2"Move Somethin'"Tony Cottrell, Talib Kweli GreeneHi-TekTalib Kweli
Nonye
3"Some Kind of Wonderful"Tony Cottrell, Talib Kweli GreeneHi-TekTalib Kweli
4"The Blast"Tony Cottrell, Talib Kweli GreeneHi-TekHi-Tek, Talib Kweli, Vinia Mojica
5"This Means You"Tony Cottrell, Talib Kweli Greene, Dante SmithHi-TekMos Def
6"Too Late"Tony Cottrell, Talib Kweli GreeneHi-TekIdle Warship
7"Memories Live"Tony Cottrell, Talib Kweli GreeneHi-TekTalib Kweli
Big Del, Donte
8"Africa Dream"Tony Cottrell, Talib Kweli Greene, Weldon IrvineTalib Kweli, Weldon Irvine, Hi-Tek Talib Kweli
9"Down for the Count"Tony Cottrell, Talib Kweli Greene, Rashia Fisher, Alvin JoinerHi-TekRah Digga, Talib Kweli, Xzibit
10"Name of the Game"Tony Cottrell, Talib Kweli GreeneHi-TekTalib Kweli
11"Ghetto Afterlife"Tony Cottrell, Talib Kweli Greene, Nathaniel WilsonHi-TekKool G Rap, Talib Kweli
12"On My Way"Tony Cottrell, E. Isaacs, J. ThomasHi-TekKendra Ross, Tiye Phoenix, Vinia Mojica
13"Love Language"Tony Cottrell, Talib Kweli Greene, Helene Faussart, Celia FaussartHi-TekLes Nubians, Talib Kweli
14"Love Speakeasy"Tony Cottrell, Talib Kweli GreeneHi-Tek
15"Soul Rebels"Tony Cottrell, Talib Kweli Greene, Kelvin Mercer, David Jude Jolicoeur, Vincent MasonHi-TekTalib Kweli, De La Soul
16"Eternalists"Tony Cottrell, Talib Kweli GreeneHi-TekTalib Kweli
17"Big Del From da Natti"Tony Cottrell, D. GeraldsHi-TekBig Del
18"Touch You"Tony Cottrell, Talib Kweli Greene, D. Stanford Jr., Dave WestHi-TekDave Chappelle, Piakhan, Supa Dav West, Talib Kweli
19"Good Mourning"Tony Cottrell, Talib Kweli GreeneHi-TekTalib Kweli
20a"Expansion Outro"
20b"Four Women"Nina SimoneHi-Tek, Talib Kweli Talib Kweli
Darcel, Imani Uzuri, Katushia, Neb Luv, Tiye Phoenix, Tiyi Willingham, Tracie

Sample credits

information for Train of Thought adapted from TheBreaks.
Move Something
This Means You
Too Late
Memories Live
Ghetto Afterlife
Love Language
Love Speakeasy
Soul Rebels
Eternalists
Big Del from Da Natti
Good Mourning

Chart history

;Album
Chart Peak
position
US Billboard 20017
US Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums5

;Singles