Comments on: Decade :: The Roots, Phrenology (2002) http://www.aquariumdrunkard.com/2009/11/23/decade-the-roots-phrenology-2002/ Los Angeles Based MP3 & Music Blog Mon, 22 Mar 2010 04:16:53 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Brandon http://www.aquariumdrunkard.com/2009/11/23/decade-the-roots-phrenology-2002/comment-page-1/#comment-925568 Brandon Tue, 24 Nov 2009 14:45:21 +0000 http://www.aquariumdrunkard.com/?p=9256#comment-925568 I think that The Roots took a lot of chances on this album. The reason that it works is because they have the attitude of not caring if it works. I mean that in a good way. I guess a better way to put it would be to say that they have the artistic integrity to take these chances. The Roots don't follow trends, they set them. Nice pic. Anyone interested in ?uestlove should also check out Al Green's "Lay It Down". Quest produced and played on the album. The tones on the album just sound so good. A real return to form for Al Green. I think that The Roots took a lot of chances on this album. The reason that it works is because they have the attitude of not caring if it works. I mean that in a good way. I guess a better way to put it would be to say that they have the artistic integrity to take these chances. The Roots don’t follow trends, they set them. Nice pic.

Anyone interested in ?uestlove should also check out Al Green’s “Lay It Down”. Quest produced and played on the album. The tones on the album just sound so good. A real return to form for Al Green.

]]> By: Amanda http://www.aquariumdrunkard.com/2009/11/23/decade-the-roots-phrenology-2002/comment-page-1/#comment-925379 Amanda Tue, 24 Nov 2009 05:00:13 +0000 http://www.aquariumdrunkard.com/?p=9256#comment-925379 Great review :) Def one of the best albums of the decade. Great review :) Def one of the best albums of the decade.

]]> By: j. neas http://www.aquariumdrunkard.com/2009/11/23/decade-the-roots-phrenology-2002/comment-page-1/#comment-925060 j. neas Mon, 23 Nov 2009 13:36:29 +0000 http://www.aquariumdrunkard.com/?p=9256#comment-925060 @Neil - I can see where you're coming from very easily, and there are times (mostly when I'm not really listening to <i>Phrenology</i> the album and just skipping through for my favorite songs) that I'll give "Water" a pass. Maybe I'm just a sucker for hearing truly, genre-hopping work out of a hip-hop group, especially in a genre (just like any other, but more so, for various reasons) that can be so painfully insular at times. I have a few other hip-hop records due for Decade write-up before the end of the year and each of them holds some of these same qualities. @Neil – I can see where you’re coming from very easily, and there are times (mostly when I’m not really listening to Phrenology the album and just skipping through for my favorite songs) that I’ll give “Water” a pass. Maybe I’m just a sucker for hearing truly, genre-hopping work out of a hip-hop group, especially in a genre (just like any other, but more so, for various reasons) that can be so painfully insular at times. I have a few other hip-hop records due for Decade write-up before the end of the year and each of them holds some of these same qualities.

]]> By: Neil Cake http://www.aquariumdrunkard.com/2009/11/23/decade-the-roots-phrenology-2002/comment-page-1/#comment-925030 Neil Cake Mon, 23 Nov 2009 09:40:40 +0000 http://www.aquariumdrunkard.com/?p=9256#comment-925030 Phrenology is unqustionably daring and impressive, but my own personal opinion is that The Roots seem to have thrown everything at the wall, confident that it will all stick. Unfortunately there are too many experiments that don't stand up to repeated listening, and ultimately cause me to 'pass over' this record in favour of something I can enjoy all the way through - such as Things Fall Apart. I think I've had to delete a whole FOUR tracks of Phrenology from my MP3 player in the hope of making the record more cohesive/listenable - which is fair enough, but the biggest shame in my opinion , is the track "Water". The first half of the track is amazing, but while the remainder may be a conceptual experiment, it is unlistenable, and far too lengthy. Just to be able to include it on a mix for friends I've had to edit the track and remove that last part entirely. So in summary, just a little restraint on behalf of the band would have gone a long way. Phrenology is unqustionably daring and impressive, but my own personal opinion is that The Roots seem to have thrown everything at the wall, confident that it will all stick. Unfortunately there are too many experiments that don’t stand up to repeated listening, and ultimately cause me to ‘pass over’ this record in favour of something I can enjoy all the way through – such as Things Fall Apart.

I think I’ve had to delete a whole FOUR tracks of Phrenology from my MP3 player in the hope of making the record more cohesive/listenable – which is fair enough, but the biggest shame in my opinion , is the track “Water”. The first half of the track is amazing, but while the remainder may be a conceptual experiment, it is unlistenable, and far too lengthy. Just to be able to include it on a mix for friends I’ve had to edit the track and remove that last part entirely.

So in summary, just a little restraint on behalf of the band would have gone a long way.

]]> By: Darnoc http://www.aquariumdrunkard.com/2009/11/23/decade-the-roots-phrenology-2002/comment-page-1/#comment-924979 Darnoc Mon, 23 Nov 2009 08:09:22 +0000 http://www.aquariumdrunkard.com/?p=9256#comment-924979 sick! sick!

]]> By: theMike http://www.aquariumdrunkard.com/2009/11/23/decade-the-roots-phrenology-2002/comment-page-1/#comment-924974 theMike Mon, 23 Nov 2009 07:52:32 +0000 http://www.aquariumdrunkard.com/?p=9256#comment-924974 unquestionably crucial album. solid write-up. unquestionably crucial album. solid write-up.

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