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Music : Rising Down
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Rating: 
- Another instant classic
Philadelphia crew The Roots have firmly established themselves as the best hip-hop band around. I use the word "band" because these dudes are a bona fide band with live drums, keys, bass and everything. They've always been political in my view but this joint, released to coincide with the 16th anniversary of the Rodney King riots in Los Angeles, is probably their most political yet. This is what hip-hop was made for, in my view, and the guys are once again (they did it on 2006's brilliant Game Theory) taking a look at the world around them and are obviously not happy with all that they see and are not afraid to say so. The music is hard, dark and synth-led and I love it. Black Thought's dense flow mixes with the electrified production in a way that reaches out and grabs this listener. I definitely want to know what THESE dudes are saying.
I caught the video to the lead single "Rising Up" featuring DC-born Nigerian MC Wale (he's definitely one to look out for in 2008) and Chrisette Michele, and fell in love with it immediately. I already knew I wasn't the only one who's sick and tired of the trash that's played on the radio all day long but it's still nice to hear someone else echo the same sentiment. The video was on heavy rotation on BET while I was on vacation in the US, so hopefully, the single and the album should do well.
Other standout tracks (for me) include the jumpy title track featuring Mos Def & Styles P, Black Thought's one-take mic attack "75 Bars (Black's Reconstruction)", the hauntingly hypnotising "Criminal" featuring Truck North & Saigon, the Afrobeat-tinged "I Will Not Apologize" featuring Porn & Dice Raw, "I Can't Help It" featuring Malik B., Porn, Mercedes Martinez & Dice Raw (I don't know how to describe this one but I did find myself dancing around like a fool when it came on - and it's the only track I played twice, the first time I played the CD), the plaintively vocal "Singing Man" featuring Porn, Truck North & Dice Raw, which takes a humanising look at the perpetrators of violence, and the very musical "Lost Desire" featuring Malik B. & Talib Kweli.
Flawless production by Ahmir "?uestlove" Thompson, James Poyser, The Roots & Ritz Reynolds, Tahir Jamal, Radji Mateen, Khari Mateen & Richard Nichols. The Roots are as consistently thought-provoking as ever and thank goodness for that. This is another instant classic.
PS. Make sure you don't miss the 'telephone' monologue on the hidden track.
Rating:
- high wire act
this is the tightrope. this is walking the line.
after 8 albums and a live release, the roots have been through all the record label crap any band could face. start as an independent, get major label love, fall into major label neglect, jump ship to a new label, get more neglect. the roots could be forgiven if this album had been a bitter screed against any and all record labels, such is the extent of their being screwed around.
instead, they manage to keep their wits about them and throw in their usual political and social commentary. this is still a dense, murky album, but it's not insular or isolating. the roots have always been dark, and here they pull the covers over the listener and play their songs through a heavy wool blanket. that's not just an outlook, but a production style too. no, they haven't gone lo-fi--the instruments still cut through clearly--but most tracks have a droning behind them that tries to smother everything else. if they weren't a real band this album would sound like the wall of noise early dalek pummelled us with.
usually the roots fill their liner booklet with lyrics, elaborate shout outs, and little stories giving background on the songs. not this time. the booklet is a two-tone credits only affair, leaving the weight of the roots' communication to the songs. pay attention, because as usual they have a lot to say. they leave it up to you to figure out what.
"rising down" is not as pointed and dangerous as "game theory"--the band is too worn out from label wrestling for that--but it's still a solid offering from one of hip-hop's reigning kings. to have a 20-year career in any genre of music requires persistence and skill. while this album isn't for everyone, it doesn't damage their legacy either. let's hope their label figures out what to do with them so they can get back to making great music.
Rating: - 4.5 stars
The production's stepped up a bit on this one and the beats are really nice...the guest stars (Peedi, Saigon, Wale, Mos) are used effectively and shine for the most part...Malik and Tariq are at the top of their game...the lyrics stay with you in a way that the past couple albums maybe haven't...this is the best Roots record in years.
Rating: - Masterpiece!
I've been a fan since the beginning and not that the last couple albums haven't been good but they haven't been in my eyes on scale with Things Fall Apart. This album hits on almost every track and shows a dark raw side of the Roots I haven't seen before. Love the opening track 2 and 8 they seem to shine the hardest! Great work, must have for true Roots fans.
Rating: - Did anybody listen to the lyrics?????????????????
Did anybody listen to the lyrics? If you did't I can understand why you would rate the cd under 5 stars. This cd in its entierty is pure genius.
I'm going to see the Roots and Queen Badu this Saturday.
- Another instant classicPhiladelphia crew The Roots have firmly established themselves as the best hip-hop band around. I use the word "band" because these dudes are a bona fide band with live drums, keys, bass and everything. They've always been political in my view but this joint, released to coincide with the 16th anniversary of the Rodney King riots in Los Angeles, is probably their most political yet. This is what hip-hop was made for, in my view, and the guys are once again (they did it on 2006's brilliant Game Theory) taking a look at the world around them and are obviously not happy with all that they see and are not afraid to say so. The music is hard, dark and synth-led and I love it. Black Thought's dense flow mixes with the electrified production in a way that reaches out and grabs this listener. I definitely want to know what THESE dudes are saying.
I caught the video to the lead single "Rising Up" featuring DC-born Nigerian MC Wale (he's definitely one to look out for in 2008) and Chrisette Michele, and fell in love with it immediately. I already knew I wasn't the only one who's sick and tired of the trash that's played on the radio all day long but it's still nice to hear someone else echo the same sentiment. The video was on heavy rotation on BET while I was on vacation in the US, so hopefully, the single and the album should do well.
Other standout tracks (for me) include the jumpy title track featuring Mos Def & Styles P, Black Thought's one-take mic attack "75 Bars (Black's Reconstruction)", the hauntingly hypnotising "Criminal" featuring Truck North & Saigon, the Afrobeat-tinged "I Will Not Apologize" featuring Porn & Dice Raw, "I Can't Help It" featuring Malik B., Porn, Mercedes Martinez & Dice Raw (I don't know how to describe this one but I did find myself dancing around like a fool when it came on - and it's the only track I played twice, the first time I played the CD), the plaintively vocal "Singing Man" featuring Porn, Truck North & Dice Raw, which takes a humanising look at the perpetrators of violence, and the very musical "Lost Desire" featuring Malik B. & Talib Kweli.
Flawless production by Ahmir "?uestlove" Thompson, James Poyser, The Roots & Ritz Reynolds, Tahir Jamal, Radji Mateen, Khari Mateen & Richard Nichols. The Roots are as consistently thought-provoking as ever and thank goodness for that. This is another instant classic.
PS. Make sure you don't miss the 'telephone' monologue on the hidden track.
Rating:
- high wire actthis is the tightrope. this is walking the line.
after 8 albums and a live release, the roots have been through all the record label crap any band could face. start as an independent, get major label love, fall into major label neglect, jump ship to a new label, get more neglect. the roots could be forgiven if this album had been a bitter screed against any and all record labels, such is the extent of their being screwed around.
instead, they manage to keep their wits about them and throw in their usual political and social commentary. this is still a dense, murky album, but it's not insular or isolating. the roots have always been dark, and here they pull the covers over the listener and play their songs through a heavy wool blanket. that's not just an outlook, but a production style too. no, they haven't gone lo-fi--the instruments still cut through clearly--but most tracks have a droning behind them that tries to smother everything else. if they weren't a real band this album would sound like the wall of noise early dalek pummelled us with.
usually the roots fill their liner booklet with lyrics, elaborate shout outs, and little stories giving background on the songs. not this time. the booklet is a two-tone credits only affair, leaving the weight of the roots' communication to the songs. pay attention, because as usual they have a lot to say. they leave it up to you to figure out what.
"rising down" is not as pointed and dangerous as "game theory"--the band is too worn out from label wrestling for that--but it's still a solid offering from one of hip-hop's reigning kings. to have a 20-year career in any genre of music requires persistence and skill. while this album isn't for everyone, it doesn't damage their legacy either. let's hope their label figures out what to do with them so they can get back to making great music.
Rating:
- 4.5 starsThe production's stepped up a bit on this one and the beats are really nice...the guest stars (Peedi, Saigon, Wale, Mos) are used effectively and shine for the most part...Malik and Tariq are at the top of their game...the lyrics stay with you in a way that the past couple albums maybe haven't...this is the best Roots record in years.
Rating:
- Masterpiece!I've been a fan since the beginning and not that the last couple albums haven't been good but they haven't been in my eyes on scale with Things Fall Apart. This album hits on almost every track and shows a dark raw side of the Roots I haven't seen before. Love the opening track 2 and 8 they seem to shine the hardest! Great work, must have for true Roots fans.
Rating:
- Did anybody listen to the lyrics?????????????????Did anybody listen to the lyrics? If you did't I can understand why you would rate the cd under 5 stars. This cd in its entierty is pure genius.
I'm going to see the Roots and Queen Badu this Saturday.