2008 Woodie Awards
The Roots return with darkest and possibly best album yet
Karl Steberi
Issue date: 5/9/08 Section: the Scene
"It's not a party in 2008" says drummer and bandleader Ahmir "?uestlove" Thompson in a recent Rolling Stone interview. The lack of festivity he speaks of is his band, The Roots' new album, Rising Down.
On this, the band's tenth album, the jazzy hip-hop crew explores dark territory. The band's last album, The Game Theory, which came together following the death of producer and close friend to the group, J Dilla,was considered one of the band's darkest albums.
The title of the band's new album is based on William T. Vollmann's 2004 book Rising Up and Rising Down: Some Thoughts on Violence, Freedom and Urgent Means. Right from the get-go you can feel the anger and moodiness, as the opening track is a 1994 recording of a conference call with then-label Geffen, in which lead MC Tariq "Black Thought" Trotter is irate about the band's treatment.
Throughout the album, the band delivers very grimy-synth and bass heavy performances, with heavy rhymes to boot. On the album's title track, Black Thought trades rhymes regarding social ills and global warming ("greenhouse gases and earth spinnin' off its axis") with Mos Def and Styles P. The band also tackles police brutality with "Criminal," and addresses the Middle East and the shooting at Virginia Tech with "Singing Man."
The disk is not all unhappy; there are a few light-hearted moments. "Get Busy" is a rejoicing of the band's beloved hometown of Philadelphia, with verses from former band member Dice Raw, and Philly native Peedi Peedi, who lays down one of the disk's best verses. "Rising Up" with R&B sensation Chrisette Michele and rapper Wale is a funky, upbeat celebration of hope.
The album's likely first single "Birthday Girl," featuring Fall Out Boy lead singer Patrick Stump, is upbeat in that it would be a likely hit on MTV, if only it didn't deal with underage girls being taken advantage of. Rapper Black Thought really shines over the minimalist beat of "75 Bars," in which he unleashes three minutes of furious rhyming without the assist of a hook.
With the addition of Rising Down to their already deep library of great music, The Roots make it clear that they are still not afraid to break from the norm to deliver something new and something great.
The band may be moving away from the jazzy, funky and upbeat inflections that made them hip hop's darling alternative act, but the band continues to grow and mature as artists, and they always come up with something new and fresh to keep listeners coming back like addicts for more.
On this, the band's tenth album, the jazzy hip-hop crew explores dark territory. The band's last album, The Game Theory, which came together following the death of producer and close friend to the group, J Dilla,was considered one of the band's darkest albums.
The title of the band's new album is based on William T. Vollmann's 2004 book Rising Up and Rising Down: Some Thoughts on Violence, Freedom and Urgent Means. Right from the get-go you can feel the anger and moodiness, as the opening track is a 1994 recording of a conference call with then-label Geffen, in which lead MC Tariq "Black Thought" Trotter is irate about the band's treatment.
Throughout the album, the band delivers very grimy-synth and bass heavy performances, with heavy rhymes to boot. On the album's title track, Black Thought trades rhymes regarding social ills and global warming ("greenhouse gases and earth spinnin' off its axis") with Mos Def and Styles P. The band also tackles police brutality with "Criminal," and addresses the Middle East and the shooting at Virginia Tech with "Singing Man."
The disk is not all unhappy; there are a few light-hearted moments. "Get Busy" is a rejoicing of the band's beloved hometown of Philadelphia, with verses from former band member Dice Raw, and Philly native Peedi Peedi, who lays down one of the disk's best verses. "Rising Up" with R&B sensation Chrisette Michele and rapper Wale is a funky, upbeat celebration of hope.
The album's likely first single "Birthday Girl," featuring Fall Out Boy lead singer Patrick Stump, is upbeat in that it would be a likely hit on MTV, if only it didn't deal with underage girls being taken advantage of. Rapper Black Thought really shines over the minimalist beat of "75 Bars," in which he unleashes three minutes of furious rhyming without the assist of a hook.
With the addition of Rising Down to their already deep library of great music, The Roots make it clear that they are still not afraid to break from the norm to deliver something new and something great.
The band may be moving away from the jazzy, funky and upbeat inflections that made them hip hop's darling alternative act, but the band continues to grow and mature as artists, and they always come up with something new and fresh to keep listeners coming back like addicts for more.
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