In Brief

* * 1/2, Gumbo, “Dropping Soulful H20 on the Fiber,” Chrysalis/ERG. Arrested Development’s Speech produced this album, which bears his poetic, spiritual imprint. Most of the material is some sort of provocative, cerebral commentary on the Afro-American condition, backed by a wide assortment of rhythms--including avant-garde jazz and funk. It’s admirably adventurous, but often annoyingly oblique. Some tracks need more forceful, colorful rapping.

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