The Roots - the Tipping Point

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So it's out blah blah.
Sounds really "good." Like a "progression." Black Thought is slightly more thuggish, and the beats are slightly harder. But still...it's not really a tipping point is it? MOst of the songs seem to be about the current wackness of hip hop, which isn't really that interesting. Anyone else?

― paulhw (paulhw), Friday, 16 July 2004 12:22 (twenty-one years ago)

20%

― peter smith (plsmith), Friday, 16 July 2004 12:53 (twenty-one years ago)

I had this in my hand on Monday night since it was on the shelf for $10 at the store. Then the clerk was all, "Oh, who put that on the shelf, we can't sell that to you until tomorrow." I think it was for the best though, since I realized that I have almost zero interest in hearing this at the moment.

(NB, I did listen to Things Fall Apart last week and I love it just as much as I used to.)

― Jordan (Jordan), Friday, 16 July 2004 12:54 (twenty-one years ago)

the single is really dull. i misread the above as 'black thought is slightly more sluggish' which is true!

― pete b. (pete b.), Friday, 16 July 2004 12:59 (twenty-one years ago)

I think the single is great! The beat is very bouncy, and the er "hook" cracks me the fuck up. In a good way. I like that this album kinda finally breaks away from that jazz-band-playing-in-a-hip-hop style sound of their previous albums (not to say I didn't love it before), it's definitely the most aggressive sound they've had yet.

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Friday, 16 July 2004 13:05 (twenty-one years ago)

Most meh Roots album to date. Don't believe the hype.

― Josh in Chicago (Josh in Chicago), Friday, 16 July 2004 13:06 (twenty-one years ago)

Damnit, I might have to hear it then. WHY OH WHY CAN'T THEY HAVE SOMEONE OTHER THAN BLACK THOUGHT ON VOCALS?

(x-post)

― Jordan (Jordan), Friday, 16 July 2004 13:08 (twenty-one years ago)

I think a whole album with the Roots doing beats and Dice Raw on the mic would be my favorite hip-hop album ever.

― Jordan (Jordan), Friday, 16 July 2004 13:08 (twenty-one years ago)

JORDAN O TEH M

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Friday, 16 July 2004 13:46 (twenty-one years ago)

I think I cried during 'Water' on Phrenology when I realized that Malik B is probably never coming back. I'm not sure if the rotating cast of guests makes up for the loss, and I'm wondering how this plays out live.. not that Malik B ever toured, though.

― mike h. (mike h.), Friday, 16 July 2004 13:57 (twenty-one years ago)

'stay cool' is wonderfulness though, and the 'outro' really kicks.

― stevie (stevie), Friday, 16 July 2004 14:20 (twenty-one years ago)

I am not hearing it come out of every car speaker in Philadelphia.

― Rockist Scientist, Friday, 16 July 2004 15:06 (twenty-one years ago)

It's nice to finally see hip-hop evolve.

― Symplistic (shmuel), Friday, 16 July 2004 15:40 (twenty-one years ago)

The siingle sounds so much better live. Anybody see them on Conan the other night? Pure rockfullness

― Trace, Friday, 16 July 2004 20:25 (twenty-one years ago)

an okay album. but easily their worst.

― Andrzej B. (Andrzej B.), Saturday, 17 July 2004 09:59 (twenty-one years ago)

Yeah (though I've never heard Organix). Don't forget the first mystery track though, the awesome The Mic (I think it's called).

― JoB (JoB), Saturday, 17 July 2004 12:19 (twenty-one years ago)

This album kills. It's not really a Roots album to me, as the rest of the band doesn't seem to have as much presence as they used to. I thought I wouldn't like The Roots embracing samples again, but it fucking works. Plus reusing the same Al Hirt sample from "Ego Trippin'" is a great choice. Random engineer guy on the chorus is fucking awesome too, I'd love to hear him on more shit.

Black Thought has also never had a better vocal performance. "The Web" and "Boom!" are probably the most impressive things I'll hear this year in hip-hop.

― Rollie Pemberton (Rollie Pemberton), Saturday, 17 July 2004 16:53 (twenty-one years ago)

I suppose I'll buy.

― Forksclovetofu (Forksclovetofu), Saturday, 17 July 2004 19:22 (twenty-one years ago)

I am surprised and intrigued by Rollie's comments. I've been avoiding listening to this all week. But I'm guessing I'll like it less than Prince Po which I didn't like all that much.

― artdamages (artdamages), Saturday, 17 July 2004 21:06 (twenty-one years ago)

This is being consistently and totally shat upon in above and underground circles. Is it really that mediocre?

― Forksclovetofu (Forksclovetofu), Monday, 19 July 2004 05:36 (twenty-one years ago)

The songs mentioned by Rollie are really great. They seem to be going for a bit of a minimal thing sometimes, but it's not any old-school J5 schlock or anything. I wouldn't praise Black Thought THAT much, but he seems less obnoxious. I like the last really long track better than Water and the Sly Stone cover opener is kinda cool (as is the story of its origins). There are also some clunkers.

So I say no! Well, yes. It's sort of an average Roots release. I should probably try listening to it again.

― artdamages (artdamages), Monday, 19 July 2004 05:46 (twenty-one years ago)

I think one reason why it gets dogged is because on first listen it seems too laid back. There is nothing at first blush that really grabs you (except maybe Guns Drawn or Boom!), but the whole album really flows well to me. It reminds me in some ways of "There's a Riot Going On." No, I am not saying it is as good as that album, but in the same way, this album is a little less flashy than their other efforts, but also more seamless and less wasteful. And yes, it is more mellow, and a little less "experimental" to the extent any of their other albums were ever experimental. It might be the first Roots album ever where I don't skip ANY tracks.

And there are some GREAT moments. Stay Cool is definitely a summer jam, the mumbling on the chorus of Don't Say Nuthin is cuh-lassic, the beat on Guns Drawn is brilliant, Boom! is just great rhyming from start to finish.

This album = I like it.

― Scott CE (Scott CE), Monday, 19 July 2004 06:16 (twenty-one years ago)

And there is no broad yammering on about fetuses at the end.

― artdamages (artdamages), Monday, 19 July 2004 06:18 (twenty-one years ago)

too much crappy singing on the hooks for me. but its a good effort, better than the last one which was shit, even if malik b is still better than BT. shame hes like the pete doherty of rap.

― thesplooge (thesplooge), Monday, 19 July 2004 15:19 (twenty-one years ago)

Is there any ?uestlove dn'b beat action?

― Jordan (Jordan), Monday, 19 July 2004 15:24 (twenty-one years ago)

The "Din Daa Daa" bit is really really good.

― Eric H. (Eric H.), Monday, 19 July 2004 17:06 (twenty-one years ago)

Jordan - not really.

"Boom!" is probably my favorite at the moment. I don't know what people are going on about, Black Thought is really great on this album. He sounds like he's having a great time on this album.

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Monday, 19 July 2004 17:11 (twenty-one years ago)

why do their albums have such bombastic titles?

― amateur!st (amateurist), Monday, 19 July 2004 17:13 (twenty-one years ago)

because theyre just so damn brainy and self-aware and smart and dramatic.

― thesplooge (thesplooge), Monday, 19 July 2004 18:31 (twenty-one years ago)

future album titles:

the reckoning
the judgement
the anunciation
the ascension

― amateur!st (amateurist), Monday, 19 July 2004 18:32 (twenty-one years ago)

Who ever has not released albums with bombastic titles, in any genre/era?

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Monday, 19 July 2004 18:32 (twenty-one years ago)

"rockin' with ricky"
"the chirpin' crickets"
"elvis' golden greats"

― amateur!st (amateurist), Monday, 19 July 2004 18:33 (twenty-one years ago)

okay so "golden greats" is not quite apposite

― amateur!st (amateurist), Monday, 19 July 2004 18:33 (twenty-one years ago)

You know what I mean duder.

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Monday, 19 July 2004 18:34 (twenty-one years ago)

Is there a hermeneutics of contemporary album titles?

― amateur!st (amateurist), Monday, 19 July 2004 18:34 (twenty-one years ago)

the roots greatest hits will probably be titled something like fiona apples 2nd album.

― thesplooge (thesplooge), Monday, 19 July 2004 18:35 (twenty-one years ago)

and the liner notes will come in the form of a ltd. edition encyclopedia.

― thesplooge (thesplooge), Monday, 19 July 2004 18:36 (twenty-one years ago)

And you suckers will buy it.

― St. Nicholas (Nick A.), Monday, 19 July 2004 18:51 (twenty-one years ago)

i will, questloves bloated, self-regarding, self-obsessed liner notes are sometimes the best part of their albums.

― thesplooge (thesplooge), Monday, 19 July 2004 19:11 (twenty-one years ago)

Ahmir is a good writer.

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Monday, 19 July 2004 19:44 (twenty-one years ago)

His solo album has the best liner notes of any album ever.

― Symplistic (shmuel), Monday, 19 July 2004 22:08 (twenty-one years ago)

better than the ones from america eats its young??

― amateur!st (amateurist), Tuesday, 20 July 2004 00:51 (twenty-one years ago)

george clinton might just have the best liner notes ever. the stuff on the back of the maggot brain sleeve was brilliant (even if it was mostly cribbed from the process church, i think thats what it was called).

― thesplooge (thesplooge), Tuesday, 20 July 2004 09:24 (twenty-one years ago)

ahmir has a solo album??? details please...

― stevie (stevie), Tuesday, 20 July 2004 09:40 (twenty-one years ago)

i think they mean the compilation questlove did of old soul records for BBE.

― thesplooge (thesplooge), Tuesday, 20 July 2004 09:44 (twenty-one years ago)

im think it's great, easily their best album along with phrenology. love the scott storch single, esp. the pseudo-ol skool electro keyboards and the mumbling in the chorus. also love the arabic-ish melody things in the background and the jazz trumpet on 'stay cool'. it's maximalism in full effect. and the running man-like display of force that is 'web'. and the pop chorus on the second track, the title of which i have forgotten right now. oh, and the first track, which reminds me of the first track on the new n*e*r*d album, which i've also come to like with time.

the album might not be a tipping point of any sort, except for the roots themselves, leaving behind the idea of live playing as an unconditionally 'real' or 'right' way of doing things. they used to just groove. now, they also make music.

― Jay Kid (Jay K), Friday, 23 July 2004 11:42 (twenty-one years ago)

Babies Making Babies was a *squelchy* record... Only had it on promo, though, so not liner notes... ;(

― stevie (stevie), Friday, 23 July 2004 11:45 (twenty-one years ago)

the single is the theme from knight rider revamped.

― thesplooge (thesplooge), Friday, 23 July 2004 11:47 (twenty-one years ago)

I don't think The Roots intended the title The Tipping Point to be a reference to their own career, but one to the world climate (in particular the climate in the hip-hop music industry). It seems like a lot of review of this album are basically like "it's good, but not the tipping point it claims to be", when it's not actually claiming that at all.

"Guns Are Drawn" is probably my fav right now. And "In Love With the Mic". ONE TAKE DIZZLE!

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Monday, 26 July 2004 17:12 (twenty-one years ago)

it's still a bombastic title

(this is not really a complaint, as there are many great albums hiding beneath bombastic titles.)

― amateur!st (amateurist), Monday, 26 July 2004 18:23 (twenty-one years ago)

Malcolm Gladwell wrote the liner notes.

― jaymc (jaymc), Monday, 26 July 2004 18:48 (twenty-one years ago)

Anybody know about the new Jill Scott?

― Rockist Scientist, Monday, 26 July 2004 19:17 (twenty-one years ago)

CD.

― Rockist Scientist, Monday, 26 July 2004 19:18 (twenty-one years ago)

Because I almost like nu-soul, and think she has potential.

― Rockist Scientist, Monday, 26 July 2004 19:19 (twenty-one years ago)

I had no idea she had a new album coming out! Her debut was one of my favorite albums of whatever-year-that-was. The Roots + her + Common on their Thigns Fall Apart tour was really definitely one of the best shows I've ever been to in my life. Her voice is really ridiculously powerful, even when she's just speaking.

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Monday, 26 July 2004 19:23 (twenty-one years ago)

ha ha THIGHS FALL APART d'oh

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Monday, 26 July 2004 19:23 (twenty-one years ago)

I just saw a poster for what looked like a new CD by her in The Sound of Market East.

― Rockist Scientist, Monday, 26 July 2004 19:55 (twenty-one years ago)

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