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Leave It All Behind | 
 enlarge | Artist: The Foreign Exchange
Label: Hard Boiled
Category: Music
List Price: $16.98
Buy New: $10.85
You Save: $6.13 (36%)
New (33) Used (5) from $10.85
Avg. Customer Rating:  25 reviews
Sales Rank: 4728
Format: Explicit Lyrics
Media: Audio CD
Discs: 2
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 5.4 x 4.9 x 0.5
MPN: 02
UPC: 616892981527
EAN: 0616892981527
Release Date: October 14, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: International shipping available
Condition: Brand new and factory sealed. Most orders shipped within 24 hours directly from our warehouse.
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| Tracks:
| • | Daykeeper | | • | Take Off The Blues | | • | All Or Nothing/Coming Home To You | | • | I Wanna Know | | • | House Of Cards | | • | Sweeter Than You | | • | Valediction | | • | If She Breaks Your Heart | | • | If This Is Love | | • | Something To Behold | | • | Leave It All Behind |
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| Editorial Reviews:
Album Description
Four years after the release of their critically acclaimed debut "Connected," The Foreign Exchange returns with their sophomore set, "Leave It All Behind." Consisting of singer/songwriter Phonte and producer Nicolay, The Foreign Exchange came together via the online hip-hop community Okayplayer.com in 2002. After trading files through Instant Messenger for over a year, Nicolay (living in his native Holland at the time) and Phonte (a Raleigh, NC resident) completed their debut album before they ever met each other in person. The album, "Connected," was released in 2004 to positive reviews, and was praised by legendary DJ's such as Jazzy Jeff, King Britt, and DJ Spinna for its inventive mix of hip-hop, R&B, and electronica. "Leave It All Behind" finds The Foreign Exchange much closer in geography (Nicolay has since become a resident of Wilmington, NC), but located much further from their hip-hop origins. The duo's second full-length is a dark, multilayered affair that features Phonte showcasing his abilities as an exceptional lead and harmony vocalist, while Nicolay extends his musical palette to include sprinklings of jazz, downtempo, and house. The lush, Darien Brockington-assisted "Take Off the Blues" picks up where Connected's sleeper hit "Come Around" left off, while the complex polyrhythms and dreamy synthesizers of "Sweeter Than You" are described by Phonte as "swing jazz for the next century." Marc Mac (of legendary UK production team 4hero), also contributes a string arrangement to the duo's glorious cover of Stevie Wonder's oft-forgotten 1991 gem, "If She Breaks Your Heart." In addition to appearances from longtime FE affiliates Darien Brockington and Yahzarah, the album also features guest shots from producer/keyboardist Zo! and vocalist Muhsinah.
Album Description
Explicit Version. Four years after the release of their critically acclaimed debut album, Connected, The Foreign Exchange are back with the highly anticipated sophomore set IN 2008 with Leave It All Behind. Consisting of singer/songwriter Phonte and producer Nicolay, The Foreign Exchange came together via the online Hip-Hop community Okayplayer.com in 2002. After collaborating and building a rapport online via instant messenger for over a year, Nicolay (living in his native Holland at the time) and Phonte (a Raleigh, NC resident) completed their debut album before actually having met each other face to face.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 20 more reviews...
 Probably the best R&B record of the year...sorry hip-hop heads October 27, 2008
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
In three words: buy it now.
This record is vastly different in concept and execution. Unlike some undertakings we could name, this one utilizes the skill set of the band (producer Nicolay and rapper-and-apparently-closet-singer Phonte of Little Brother).
The record is somehow both clearly a maturing marriage between the two talents that gave us the incredible mostly hip-hop affair "Connected" four years ago while being completely different from the first record.
Terence Howard stated in an interview focused on the release of his debut record that he was told that his record works because he went into the studio and no one told him what he shouldn't do. While Howard's record doesn't work under this premise at all, "Leave It All Behind" clearly does. Phonte isn't the best singer anyone could name but he sings and arranges in such a way that makes the songs completely his. It is the same phenomenon that Sade has built a career on, and the singer works his unique tone and solid arrangements to the record's advantage throughout.
With the mix of styles presented admirably by Nicolay there was a risk that the record would come off like an album of Prince Paul skits, but rest assured: both of these cats possess the chops and a clear ear for what works that this album is a genuine and serious contender for best R&B record of the year. Considering the field is littered with over-produced sound-a-likes that can barely manage an un-annoying single with no surprises and this record isn't, I feel very comfortable putting it on such a pedestal. The lyrical range of the record bears noting as well. At first glance it's a record full of love songs, and upon further investigation it still is. Yet, unlike much of the fodder of this genre in recent years, the subject of the music spreads wide on the subject, not content to simply say "I love you". There's the "Don't leave me" song, the "I got the couch" song, the "Baby Boy" song...it runs the gamut of a mature, full-fledged relationship without a nightclub or crass sexual reference in sight. It's an R&B record for grown folk.
If you liked "Connected" you may not like this record. It's not in the same genre as "Connected", so that's understandable. If, however, you like a good R&B record in the vein of Dwele or D'Angelo, and want something that radio isn't brave enough to run into the ground, this is the record for you. It isn't the record I thought it would be, but it is the record I was looking for even though I didn't know it. I cannot recommend it highly enough.
The New Brown Sugar October 16, 2008
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
I was going into this expecting to hear Phonte rap 1st & foremost! I'm a huge Little Brother fan secondly. Nicolay is was an average producer until he started to evolve because I really liked that beats on that Nicolay & Kay- Time: Line. On Little Brother's last album did anyone seem to notice Phonte seem sorta kinda bored & uninspired? In my opinion right now as far as new guys in rap go he's prolly the 3rd best rapper behind Lupe Fiasco & Median(from his own Justus League crew). Back to this album I want to stress Phonte is NO Andre 3000, meaning he can actually sing & hold a whole album down w/o any tricks. This album reminds me A lot of D'Angelo's Brown Sugar & also some of Amil Larrieauxs 1st album Infinite Possibilites. It's a 5 outta 5. As of right now Phonte is the 2nd best singer/rapper I've heard behind Lauren Hill of course. This album is Classic and shows Phonte's growth as a Human Being & Artist. He's very sincere & Intelligent here w/ Nicolay. He does the singing stuff better than most who do it full-time (I.e. R. Kelly, Beyonce, & Avant) & I don't think that's an over exaggeration! A must have for 08'. Nicolay Is a better R&B producer than Hip-Hop producer maybe that a lane he should drive in more often .
Come A Little Closer November 19, 2008
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
A fellow hip hop head told me about this album before I had a listen to it, his advice was to not bother because Phonte only raps on 2 songs. Well to say the least, I'm so glad I didn't listen and decided to make my own judgement. I didn't like the album at first with the exception of "Take off your Blues" but now that I've given it more ipod rotation, I can't stop listening to it. This album is so smooth and fresh- give it a chance and stop trying to make it live up to "Connected" after all, variety is the spice of life right?
Beautiful Music October 15, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I know that this ISN'T the HIPHOP banger most people were looking for but it was beautiful music none the less. Leave all your preconceived notions behind. Leave the first album behind...purely this is good music Beautiful fluid tracks. I could put this CD in and listen over and over. I absolutely loved this. Although, I did slightly miss the hiphop element of Connected, this was an awesome album and I highly recommend it. From the first to the last track each song took me to another place.
Amazing!! October 18, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
This is a must buy! The versatility of sound and production is amazing..
I'm a big fan of the guest vocalists on the album which is how i came across the album..
So worth it..
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