What people search:
 | Title : Phrenology (Limited Edition w/ Bonus DVD)
Author : Roots
Release Date : 20021126
Binding : Audio CD
Regular Price : $19.98
Amazon.com Price : $12.29
(38
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Editorial Reviews :
If you were wondering what the heck phrenology means, the Roots wouldn't have it any other way. Hip-hop's hardest-working live band continues where they left off with Things Fall Apart, forcing listeners to think outside of the Hot 97 FM box--or just plain think. On 'Thought at Work,' lead emcee Black Thought--the most criminally underrated wordsmith of his time--weaves captivating flows over a neck-snapping break beat, while on 'Water' he boldly addresses the controversy surrounding his partner-in-rhyme Malik B's alleged substance abuse. While collaborations with Nelly Furtado ('Sacrifice') and Talib Kweli ('Rhymes and Ammo') read much better on paper than they sound, the catchy, up-tempo call-and-response routine utilized by the crew on the latter song will amp up Roots nonbelievers. As a bonus, Jill Scott's dreamy falsetto refrain hammers home some finer points about love on 'Complexity.'
Buyer Reviews :
You gotta admit, although the Roots have showed many flashes of brilliance in the past ('Things Fall Apart' was one-half the way to the Greatest Rap CD of All Time), their weakest moments are when they let their worst tendencies for self-indulgence and musical half-heartedness take over completely. Unfortunately for their fans, 'Phrenology' picks up where 'Things Fall Apart' left off by mixing straight-up searing and exciting hip-hop beats with total garbage.
You could boil this album down to about a six-song EP and have saved yourself the grief of knowing that the Roots like to play Beastie Boys covers in their spare time (the track called '!!!!!!' is uncalled for). In playing funk-pop with Cody Chesnutt ('The Seed') and Jill Scott ('Complexity'), the boys from South Phil drop some sounds I do not care if I ever hear again. In between, they play one heck of an annoyingly immature noise jam, many bizzare spacy-effects (the end of 'Break You Off' seems to drag on for minutes), and generally fulfill every bad thought I've had about them ever since I saw that they guested on this year's ultra-wack 'Soundbombing 3' LP.
But the songs that do well are incredible. There really is no denying it that when they drop all their artsy tendencies and concentrate on what they do best, the Roots are the premier hip-hop combo out there today. Back-to-back 'Rolling With Heat' and 'Thought @ Work' are especially thumpin, the latter being the one-millionth reworking of the old 'Apache' track but with far more energy and imagination than every other rendition I've ever heard. 'P Galore' is actually a pretty funky track that would make a great single if not for its radio-unfriendly lyrics, and even the opener 'Rock You' does a pretty good job of approximating the Cocoa Brovaz track from the second Soundbombing joint.
If only these guys would get an editor who could put it to them kindly. If only they would stop concentrating on making 'serious works of art' (leave that to far-less talented acts like Blackalicious and Slum Village). If only they would work their ideas into actual SONGS sometimes instead of half-baked poppy attempts to get on the radio ('Complexity' is just ridiculously bad). Who knows, we might get a masterpiece out of them yet.
(by A music fan)
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