Album Rating: 4.5 | Sound Off

Very good review, pos. This album has the flash to hook you on first listen and the depth to keep you coming back for more. I'm diggin it hard.

Yeah, I can't get enough and I'm liking it more with each play. Glad to see you guys are digging this and thanks for the kind words!

Edit: Just realized this is my 40th review... I hope I can make it to 50 before the end of Decemeber!

This is a wonderful review Matt, you described the album really well. Fantastic job.

Album Rating: 3.5

lol pizzamachine, great pic. weakness to fighting bahahahaha



but yeah I need to hear this album

Ugh every time The Roots release an album everyone wants to give it 4s and 4.5s automatically.

Anyway, this is okay but eh, they need to stop trying so hard to be "conscious". Stuff like Game Theory was good with the grittier beats and sound and when they weren't being try-hards.

"as the roots undun" [2]

Was hoping I'd beat everyone else to the punch. Dammit.

Thanks, Ali!

gabe: I like their older albums for having that gritty sound as well, but it's like I said in my review, they're one of the few bands who've managed to outshine their contemporaries in keeping in with the moving hip-hop trends. Also, I don't know what you mean by: "they need to stop trying so hard to be "conscious". Care to elaborate?

Album Rating: 3.5

I liked this. Will be listening again.

Glad to hear it, Ali! Have you heard their other stuff?

Album Rating: 3.5

I heard bits of their previous record but never listened to it all the way through. I'll check it out properly sometime.

More people need to hear this!

"Also, I don't know what you mean by: "they need to stop trying so hard to be "conscious"."
I mean, they've always had a conscious hip-hop touch here and there, but lately they've been trying REALLY hard at it and it's taxing.

That statement is really ambiguous. Do you mean that they were conscious of the more streamlined hip-
hop music they were capable of? Because they've always been a hip-hop band, so this: "they've always
had a conscious hip-hop touch" doesn't make much sense to me. Moreover, I'm a little lost as to what
you mean by: "they've been trying REALLY hard at it" 'it'? consciousness?

Uh, I don't think you get what I mean by "conscious hip-hop".

"Conscious Hip Hop is a term applied to Hip Hop artists whose lyrics deal with social issues. It has
parallels with Political Hip Hop, although its focus is extended to topics such as religion, African
American culture, everyday life and the state of Hip Hop itself. "

Album Rating: 4.0

Basically, you're saying they've always been one of the more "intelligent" hip hop acts with regards to their style, subject matter, etc. Obviously, with this being a concept album and all, they've taken that even further than before. I don't see it that way or why that would be a negative, but that's probably the reasoning. Yeah?

Idunno about conscious = intelligent, but the've been doing this before this album, but yeah that's kiiind of the gist. It's less that I care about them taking it further and more like it just irksme when it seems you're trying too hard to front like you want to be as conscious as possible.

Album Rating: 4.0

Yeah, the thing I don't get is why you think they're "trying too hard" now if you liked Game Theory. They've pretty much always been doing what they do, as you say. I don't think there has been any radical new shift from then to now.

There hasn't, which is why - even with the understanding of his earlier statement - I am a little lost. How is that a detraction?

I like subconscious hip-hop the most

Unconscious hip-hop.