Roots, The Roots - Phrenology
List Price:
Our Price: $6.66
You Save: $4.33 (39%)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Buy Used: from $2.69 (click here)
Category: Music CD
See more new music releases
Buy this Music CD at online store in your country
Canadian Music Store
Canadian Music Store
Music CD Cover
Artist: Roots, The RootsBrand: Roots
Edition: Music CD
Audio: English (Original Language)
Format: Explicit Lyrics
CD Release Date: 2002-11-26
Music Label: Mca
Soundtracks:
- Phrentrow
- Rock You
- Sacrifice (feat. Nelly Furtado)
- Rolling With Heat (feat. Talib Kweli)
- WAOK Roll Call
- Thought At Work
- The Seed 2.0 (feat. Cody Chestnutt)
- Break You Off (feat. Musiq)
- Water
- Quills
- Pussy Galore
- Complexity (feat. Jill Scott)
- Something In The Way Of Things [In Town] (feat. Amiri Baraka)
Free Music Notes for Phrenology
Free Music Review: Creative, experimental, musically amazing, whats the fuss???
Hit: 5 Stars
This album holds a special place in my heart as it was the first Roots album I owned (and I'm a huge fan now), and is the CD (along with J5's "Power in Numbers") that got me into hip-hop. Back then I wouldn't have been able to give an adequate review of this CD as I hadn't heard any of their other stuff, but now that I own Organix, DYWM, TFA, and TTP I feel that I really know the group well (I'm DYING to get my hands on a copy of Illadelph Halflife!).
This is an extremely experimental album from the Roots in the sense that they stray away from their usual jazzy/organic/underground sound, and go for a more rock/commercial approach to their hip-hop. You will notice that it is different to the earlier Roots albums in that it does not stick to one genre.
Musically, this is another amazing effort from the Roots (INCREDIBLE drumming, superb baselines, and what can I say about Black Thought that you won't know after listing to "Thought @ Work"!). The amazing thing is the Roots keep up this musical mastery over the genres of rock ("Rock You", "!!!!!!!", "Thought @ Work"), funk ("The Seed 2.0), r&b ("Break You Off"), jazz ("Water"), soul ("Sacrifice") and even a satire ("Pussy Galore") and something that sounds like club music ("Something To See", the second hidden track), and of course the token poem at the end ("Something in the Way of Things [In Town]", the most chilling poem to end a Roots album yet), but still all coming under hip-hop.
You might think after hearing this that the album would sound like a horribly arranged collection of distinct songs rather than a solid album, but the magic is that it doesn't! It may seem all over the place at first, but THIS IS INTENDED. Just look at the title: Phrenology. This album is meant to cover all moods of the brain and mind, and it does, that is the theme/force that binds all these songs together. From the lulled "Complexity", the saddening and depressing "Water" and "Something in the Way of Things (In Town), to the happy go lucky "Seed 2.0" and rocking "Rock You" this album is everywhere in your brain at once, and the way it flows is a credit the Roots skill as musicians and creative artists. My favourite tracks are "Rolling With Heat" feat. Talib Kweli, "Thought @Work", "The Seed 2.0", and the best track on the album "Water" (a message to Malik.B about his drug problems, the 2nd and 3rd movements are so amazing and touching).
Unfortunately Talib Kweli's line in "Rolling With Heat" "Creative artist never plays a target to game hunters" is not true and the Roots have come under some fire for this album from fans of their old stuff, saying it's "crap" and/or "sell out". Let me tell you, if ANY other group tried to do with their music what The Roots have done to their own on Phrenology they would have failed miserably; the statement "Things Fall Apart" would be an understatement to say the least. You hear people saying "listen to DYWM and compare the difference", and I did (I got DYWM after Phrenology), and it made me appreciate Phrenology EVEN MORE when I saw how much they've progressed to conquer more of the genre of hip-hop.
I recommend this album to all Roots fans, old and new alike, and all hip-hop heads who want the witness the underground begin to fuse with the commercial as the Roots bring together all their musical and artistic talent on their most creative piece yet, planting the seed that they bring to fruition on "The Tipping Point". Peace out.
Phrenology Poster
No Description AvailableNo Track Information Available
Media Type: CD
Artist: ROOTS
Title: PHRENOLOGY
Street Release Date: 11/26/2002
Genre: RAP/HIP HOP
Pop Music CDs
Music Genres
Top music charts in Pop Music CDs
Yvette Freeman - Dinah Was (L.A. Theatre Works Audio Theatre Collection)Release date: 2005-04-12; Music CD
Best price: $21.07
Price in other shops:
Twin Sisters Productions - Building Character Music CDTWIN SISTERS PRODUCTIONS; Release date: 2007-01-01; Music CD
Best price: $9.99
Price in other shops:
Bernadette Peters in ConcertDVD
Best price: $129.99
Everything Must Go/ Two Against Natureby Steely Dan
Published: 2003; Music CD
Scattered Ashesby Ihsahn / Emperor
Candlelight Records/Emi; Published: 2009-07-28; Audio CD; Book
Best price: $9.75
Price in other shops:
![Christmas at the Biltmore Estate [VHS] Image](/images/Christmas-at-the-Biltmore-Estate-VHS-076700437X-X.jpg){kind=small}
Christmas at the Biltmore Estate [VHS]A&E Home Video; Release date: 1998-09-04; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $12.33
Price in other shops:
The Shadow: Rare Radio Gems (Rare Radio Gems)Release date: 2002-09-01; Published: 2002-09-01; Music CD
Best price: $20.00
Price in other shops:
On the Shoulders of Giants, Vol. 1: An Audio & Musical Journey Through the Harlem Renaissanceby Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Release date: 2011-09-06; Published: 2008; Music CD
Best price: $1.98
Price in other shops:
Francis Durbridge, Paul Temple & The Gilbert Case - Radio ShowRelease date: 2003-05-12; Music CD
Best price: $21.49
Price in other shops:
The Serenaders - My One and Only YouRelease date: 2011-05-28; Music CD
Best price: $8.76
Price in other shops:
Top Rated Albums
Black StarMOS DEF/KWELI,TALIB; Release date: 2002-06-04; Music CD
Best price: $9.39
Price in other shops:
The Roots - OrganixRelease date: 2006-10-19; Music CD
Best price: $13.50
Price in other shops:
The Roots - Rising DownBaker & Taylor; Release date: 2008-04-29; Music CD
Best price: $5.95
Price in other shops:
Roots - Do You Want MoreBaker & Taylor; Release date: 1995-01-17; Music CD
Best price: $4.08
Price in other shops:
Roots - Tipping PointRelease date: 2004-07-13; Music CD
Best price: $8.12
Price in other shops:
Roots - Game TheoryBaker & Taylor; Release date: 2006-08-29; Music CD
Best price: $5.06
Price in other shops:
![Undun / [Explicit] Image](/images/Undun-Explicit-B005VR9328-X.jpg)
The Roots - Undun / [Explicit]Release date: 2011-12-06; Music CD
Best price: $10.82
Price in other shops:
Roots - Illadelph HalflifeBaker & Taylor; Release date: 1996-09-24; Music CD
Best price: $6.80
Price in other shops:
Roots - Things Fall ApartBaker & Taylor; Release date: 1999-02-23; Music CD
Best price: $6.78
Price in other shops:
The Roots - How I Got OverBaker Drivetrain; Release date: 2010-06-21; Music CD
Best price: $6.80
Price in other shops: