I’ve sat with Rising Down for about a week now. It’s a very good album and I already feel it’s better than Phrenology, Tipping Point, and Organix. It’s interesting that they decided to go with another “dark”/ “moody” album after Game Theory, being that there is more than one way to convey the many struggles and issues facing us as “Americans”, and Black people in particular. I agree with many ideas some of the posters have already stated, such as the Amnesiac comparison in terms of its place in the Roots catalogue, or that it is a better executed Tipping Point. Unlike most posters though, I feel the sequencing could have been better. The interludes stop momentum, song moods clash, and it pales in comparison to the sequencing brilliance of Game Theory. But maybe the Roots did this intentionally. I also applaud the many guest appearances, which had me feeling apprehensive at first. Analyzing one’s situation and rebelling is a community effort, so why not bring in a community of emcees and singers to help out. Here are my opinions on the songs themselves.



1. The Pow Wow
-classic intro, you can feel the hostility and anger, really sets the album right

2. Rising Down @@@@
-love the song, but I always have this feeling that the beat needs to switch or another element needs to be added at some point. Style P gets my vote for best verse on the song. Side note: Mos’ verse is over-rated.

3. Get Busy @@@@@
-outside of #10, this is my favorite track. The sound is hard as week ol’ shit found under the bed, and Peedi gets my fav guest appearance award

4. @15
-that nice at 15!… but it slows down the energy built up by Rising Down and Get Busy.

5. 75 Bars (Black's Reconstruction) @@@@@
-I’m I the only one who gets the irony of this song. Rolling Stone with their silly “it doesn’t even allow a smirk” quote or whatever the hell they said. All the niggaz after the whole nigga/nigger "debates" on top of ‘Riq is just that dude on the mic! Bang this hard in front of white people. I feel it should have came in right after Rising Down.

6. Becoming Unwritten @
-Co-sign McCurty: “What is this?” and again kills the albums strength at this point: blatant sonic Black militancy, whys is this on the album, what purpose is it serving.

7. Criminal @@@
-Another McCurty co-sign: “Feels a little soft in comparison to the rest of the album” I don’t really know if I like it, but it does stay stuck in my head after I listen to it.

8. I Will Not Apologize @@@@
-Loved it upon first listen. Thought is style fresh killin em on the first verse, and who else but Fela Kuti to pay tribute to when making rebel music.

9. I Can't Help It @@
-Like many others I want Malik back in the group. He suffers from what Big Boi suffers, the other guy is just that damn good, even though you’re nice you get overlooked. He complements Thought so well, but I can’t help not liking this song. The industrial soul is not my glass of Guinness. The change up Dilla tribute is nasty though.

10. Singing Man @@@@@
-My favorite song period, the percussive drum rhythms and Dice’s signing keep the dead neo-soul shit alive. Porn and Thought get a push on the verses.

11. Unwritten @@@
-This sounds bananas on the head phones and until Questo said he dies, being the reason the song cuts off, I didn’t get it. Like Criminal though, I’m still hear and there with the song.

12. Lost Desire @@@@
-Just Good music

13. The Show @@@@1/2
-Can someone please get Com out his comfort zone? Listening to him rap nowadays is like watching Denzel, Pacino and DeNiro, you know what you gunna get and you can’t hate ‘cause they legends, but you still want more. Great Song.

14. Rising Up @@@@1/2
-I love this song the more I listen to it. Still not sold on Wale, but he kills his verse, yes that’s a contradiction, so what… This is where I wish the sound would have gone, more up beat and playful, while still being socially conscious and politically astute. Hey James Brown, Sly Stone, Miles Davis and many others have done it, so can the Roots; this song is an example of it.

Overall, the Roots are the Legendary, because this is album number 8 and they still re-invent themselves, experiment and bring good fuckin’ music. Even though I hated Birthday Girl it would have worked to lighten up the mood of the album, and Jay Electronica would have definitely been perfect all things considered. I can see myself buying the Roots, album number 25, much like Prince, Dylan, Johnny Cash and Springsteen fans do.

-Solid @@@@