I dug Game Theory...I liked How I got Over...but THIS SHIT?!?

1st off...the brevity really plays into the ADD Ipod generation format that I am kinda victimized by.

2nd...the connectivity of it really takes you through. I we can all say "Kool On" is a favorite...but I couldn't even imagine taking that song out of the suite. I mean...maybe as a "See...the album is dope...listen to THIS!!!" type situation...but its a narrative and it should be consumed as a full-on animal a la "Here, My Dear"

3rd...where this album excels past its only similar offering..."A Prince Amongst Thieves"....is that the narrative is non-linear and implied. There is a genius there in that its not a movie you are going to watch and understand the full nature of. It actually reminds me of **shameless plug** me and tREBLEFREE'S album "THE BALLAD OF CJ MEMPHIS" in that it takes particular scenes from a larger object and weaves them together...but even in that...we kept the format more linear than this. I can honestly see myself listening to this album for years...and to say that for a Roots album in 2011 not late 90s-early 2000? That's a fucking accomplishment.

4th...the fucking music suites...the general orchestration...I've been waiting for a Roots album that would make both use of Thought's writing and the band's reputation...and this is it. You can REALLY tell that the Fallon show has helped to gel their sound and hone it in a way that incessant touring hasn't. I also like the fact that Thought is very understated in that he is tied to a larger narrative...so MC posturing and bravado is at a minimum...eliminating one of the greater cliches of this genre.

This shit is a knife. And its sharp.

I'm not going to sully my opinion of the album by trying to add a rating to it...but I'll say that this is easily a top 3 Roots Album of all time.