Got the australian version on friday so ive listened to it around 10 times. I'll do that generic song by song review

1) pow wow


2) rising down (5/5)- A really atmospheric track, sombre intro to rising downs sound with some great verses. especially from mos who sounds better than he has in a long time. the sample is used really well, especially at the start of the track.

3)Get busy (5/5)- This is such a sinister track, aggressive, girtty and violent. This song works really well right after rising down. Really captures the constant tension between sadness and anger on the album. Its great to hear all the verses are bitter and angry like that baseline. I think peedi crack justt made me an instant fan with this verse.

4) @15 - this is a really great lead into 75 bars, shows how the world has changed black thought, clever

5) 75 bars- (4.5/5) This track everyone has heard but its even stronger in the context of the album. The drums are so loose,rough and hard. The second half of thoughts verse is up there with web in terms of being unquestionable cocky brilliance. I get the feeling the album cover was chosen with direct reference to this song.

6) becoming unwritten- sonically this is really interesting, i'd like to hear the story behind why this wasn't fleshed out as a full song. Intended as a brief moment of happiness maybe?.

7) Criminal (5/5). At first the chorus threw me off, i didn't expect this at all but it turned out to be one of the best tracks. That indie rock chorus is really effective, one of the best hooks on the album. The verses are some of the best as well. This is likely to become one of my favourite roots songs. The beat sounds like a uplifting song trying to escape from a deeply sad one, a great moment.

8) I will not apologise (3.75/5). Nice verses, nice hook, beat is reasonable.

9) I can't help it (5/5). Wow, the moment the beat and chorus reach full effect is as exciting and haunting as the first time hearing the beat drop out on "step into the realm". The drums have a eerie quality, sounding far away and muffled yet loud. Questlove really put the work into the drums on this album, even more so than game theory. I really didn't expect this at all, probably my favorite track on the album...that choruses sounds like the results of a drugged nightmare. The verse are perfect, malik and porn really suit this style. I feel like this song takes the sonic qualities of "in the music" and pushes them further. The funky outro at the end was also a "no way!" moment. some of the roots best work period

10) singing man (2/5). This song could of been something really interesting but the terrible chorus really distracts from what otherwise is a good track. maybe it will grow on me in time.


11) unwritten (5/5) simply beautiful but frustratingly short. Thoughts verss is excellent and perfectly understate. I can see why this track was made so short, a reflection on the running theme of a terrible world with brief moments of hope. But is still wish it was even a minute longer.


12) lost desire (5/5) perfectly paranoid beat with jittery synth stabs and a strong chorus. Once again the drums are quite dope. The instrumental outro is also a great moment.

13) The show (4/5) An all round great track, the great production elements are more understated than in some of the other tracks. Common doesnt sound out of place at all to me.

14) rising up (5/5). I great moment of hope at the end of a rather sombre and bitter ride. Funky, creative and fun without straying too far from the albums sonic qualities. This one gets better with each listen.


15) B-day Girl (3/4). This songs has grown on me a great deal and works well at the end of the album, almost as an ironic statement not to take everything so seriously. Not the roots best work but harmless enough to be pleasant. Though the end of the song hints at what could of been done with the whole song, missed opportunity maybe

16) The grand return (4.5/5) Its the classic bragidoccio roots song that reminds me of "what you want". This track is really great, i think it should of been on the american release aswell. its cocky brilliance once more.

17) pow wow 2 ( has some music near the end)

overall: This is a really fantastic album with some classic moments, but i cant decide where it fits amongst the roots catalogue. Ill give it a few weeks before i can decide, its at least as good as game theory....which was a great album as well. I was really happy it sounded very different to game theory, even though it deals with similar themes. The amount of guest was a nice addition, really helped soften the blow of such a sonically focused album.

packaging: The cover is really effective when looking at it in the cd sleave. The australian cover has something printed on the front covering the design which is a bit lame. The back cover has the cover without this distraction but instad has website printed all over the bottom half, man thats annoying. I was a bit disappointed about the lack of liner notes. other artwork or even lyrics..but i guess this was more a factor of costs and defjams decision.