Over a decade into a career that has never propelled AZ into the commercial position the uniformly high quality of his music has deserved, A.W.O.L. is yet another quietly excellent slice of powerful hip-hop that deserves greater acclaim. “Never Change” alone is a small masterpiece, an evocation of the strong bonds of friendship that’s set to a track that effectively uses a wailing R&B diva voice (think, believe it or not, of “The Great Gig in the Sky” by Pink Floyd!) without turning it into a cheap, distracting hook. Although several producers contribute to A.W.O.L., AZ (born Anthony Cruz) is commanding enough a focal point that the album hangs together as a whole. Tough without being thuggish, and clear-eyed and un-glamorizing about the gritty topics of songs like “Still Alive” and “Envious,” AZ is at least the equal of better-known contemporaries like Nas, and A.W.O.L. is further proof of his talents. [The Version 1.5 edition of the album includes four bonus tracks as well as an additional disc of instrumental and acappella mixes.] – Stewart Mason
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