Picking up where Holy Terror and Umar Bin Hassan's solo album Be Bop or Be Dead left off,
The Time Has Come is a scalding blend of avant-jazz, bebop and hip-hop, highlighted by cameos from
Chuck D and
Pharoah Sanders. These two guests may be impressive, but they don't steal the show -- they merely demonstrate that the
Last Poets are too diverse and way too smart to be pigeonholed into one particular category. Occasionally, the record may be a bit unfocused, and its relentless barrage of avant-poetry may be headache-inducing to some, but few records are as politically powerful and articulate as this. ~ Leo Stanley