Prine's sound slickens considerably here, as producer
Steve Cropper fashions a commercial-friendly album of light funk and rock. Unfortunately, the cloying production overpowers the lyrics and relegates them to an almost cursory notion, and it doesn't help that
Prine hasn't come up with much new material of note. His wit is still sharp, but it no longer shines; consequently,
Common Sense has the unfortunate distinction of being the worst of
Prine's Atlantic albums. The exceptions are "Come Back to Us Barbara Lewis Hare Krishna Beauregard" and "He Was in Heaven Before He Died." ~ Jim Smith