When it first became known that their new record would not be a collaborative effort, but rather two solo albums flying under the unifying banner of Outkast, rumors flew that Big Boi and Andre 3000 would ultimately break up as a duo. While they deny they’ll split up, it’s obvious that the ATLiens aren’t on the same wavelength they once were. Speakerboxxx and The Love Below are decent stand alone albums, but neither really approaches the near transcendence of earlier Outkast outings.

Andre 3000’s The Love Below contains nearly no rapping. Instead it’s loaded with spacey, instrumentation- heavy songs featuring Andre singing, alone and accompanied. It’s Dre’s attempt to make a Prince album for 2003. When it works, it’s tremendous (“Happy Valentine’s Day,” “She Lives in My Lap,” “Hey Ya!,” “Vibrate.”) When it doesn’t (“Spread,” “Behold a Lady”) it’s practically unlistenable. Andre deserves credit for his exploration of new musical frontiers, but at times it’s obvious that he’s trying too hard to be “different.” The Love Below is still good stuff, thanks to Dre’s boundless creativity and musical ingenuity, but it’s a bit overlong and way too inaccessible for the hip-hop nation. He’ll just about break even as far as his fanbase goes; he’ll lose some, gain some. (One thing everyone will agree on, “Hey Ya!” boasts the simile of the year; “Shake it like a Polaroid picture!”)

Speakerboxxx is Big Boi’s half of the opus and a continuation of the Outkast quest to make Space-Age, Dirty South hip-hop. There are some definite hits here, namely “The Way You Move” & “Hip Hop Rock.” Big Boi has always been one of the more underrated lyricists in the game, so it’s good for him to have his own platform to prove how good he really is. Crunk-a-thons “Tomb of the Boom” and “Last Call” showcase Big Boi’s skills perfectly. So does the political track “War” in which he raps: “I’m seein’ just how they’re lying to the general population/ Don’t be patient/ Get up and stand up for your life/ Do you agree or understand that we lost some rights/ In 1-1-9?”

Speakerboxxx is a thoroughly enjoyable listen, but throughout, one knows there's something missing. From Southernplayalisticcadillacmuzik through Stankonia, fans of Outkast came to love the verbal interplay of Big Boi and Dre, the way their divergent styles meshed so perfectly. That’s not here. This is a good project, but with Outkast excellence is the rule thus good is a disappointment. Let’s hope they’ll work together as closely as they once did on the next album (if there is one- many fans fear there won’t be.) Big Boi addresses those worries on “Tomb of the Boom”: “They say, ‘Big Boi, can you pull it off without your nigga Dre?’/ I say, 'People, stop the madness, ‘cause me and Dre be OK.’” Sorry guys, but you’ve done it to yourselves. We don’t want OK. We want greatness.

Tom Donnelly is 26 years old and currently resides in Boston. He owns approximately 1,200 records, CDs, and tapes collectively. He drinks Coors Light and Corona beer and Stolichnaya vodka, and uses only Fender pens and Marshall pads. His Wu-Tang name is Respected Samurai. He's hot, cool and vicious, his rhymes are delicious, and he's got mad skills like Nomar, but he isn't superstitious. Tom is currently working on a history of self-written profiles. Write to Donnellt@bsci.com