Search - The Roots :: How I Got Over

A Long Hard Stare In The Mirror

J. Johnson | CT | 06/24/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The Roots have always been one of those bands who I always respected but never fully enjoyed.



They had the chops. Black Thought was is perfectly proficient MC. In that they are an actually hip hop band on a major label, they have their own unique lane. Yet, none of the Roots' previous albums never truly moved me. Similar to the Brand New Heavies, the Roots, while technically gifted, sounded too practiced. For a live band, their music rarely sounded spontaneous or organic. Instead, it sounded overly rehearsed and over considered. As if every micrometer of the album's sound was heavily thought about. (If you ever read any of the fascinatingly brainy interviews with the band's leader, drummer Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson, you'd see that it was.) Music is supposed to come from the heart, not solely from the mind.



So although, all nine of the previous Roots LPs were musically impressive, they lacked a lot of soul.



Until...How I Got Over.



This album is such a pleasant surprise. Not only is it instantly captivating and beautifully produced, it's the first album by the Roots that actually has sheer emotion. Not well-thought ideas but genuine feeling. Not only does it sound good, it FEELS good.



How I Got Over is a seamless listen that must be listened to in it's full 42 minute rotation. The album finds the band in a morosely reflective mood. It's the aural equivalent of a man, on the verge of entering another stage of his life (in interviews, Thompson says that stage is entering the fellas entering their 40s), giving himself a deep, hard stare in the mirror. Reflecting his past and pondering his future and wondering where his place is in the world. This deep introspection is achieved by mood and texture, not heavy-handed thought, which makes HIGO even more powerful and intoxicating.



As with the more recent Roots releases, How I Got Over features an eclectic guest list, including career-long affiliates like Dice Raw, underground hip hop geniuses like LA's Blu and North Carolina's Phonte (of Little Brother and Foreign Exchange fame) and indie rock sensations the Dirty Projectors (the ladies in that band give a beautiful performance on HIGO's intro), Jim James and Joanna Newsom (via a sample) as well as R&B crooner John Legend. Yet all the guests flow beautifully with the album's groove. They only add to the album's brilliance, not interfering with it.



How I Got Over is a must-have. It's easily one of the best albums of the year and the new decade. A beautiful album from a band that finally freed their mind and let the groove (and emotions) follow.





"

Haven't had to skip one track

D. Stewart | Grand Rapids, MI USA | 06/21/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I've been a fan of The Roots since their debut back early to mid nineties. I haven't been terribly impressed with entire albums for the last few albums they've had out. This is turned out very well! I like the appearance of Blu on a few tracks. (Check out Blu & Exile's "Below the Heavens" album if you dig his style...cali spitter) The flow of this album goes together quite well and I didn't find myself looking for the next track half way through a tune. Granted I've only listened this new album once. I am willing to bet it will only get better from here on out. Check it out!!"

They Can Still Make Classics!

I. Nelson-Roehl | Seattle, WA USA | 06/22/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"How I Got Over is reminiscent of older Roots albums; it is consistently potent and musically focused, yet always dynamic and unique. With the exception of Game Theory, no Roots album has had this consistency since the 90s. Every track is good, and fits like a piece of a puzzle into the album, which is 100% listenable. The many featured artists add lots of flavor, the production is tight, and Black Thought is in top form.



Here, as on every album, The Roots redefine their style while somehow remaining true to the musical quest Ahmir and Tariq began decades ago. These tracks are chapters 143 through 156 in the Great Roots Epic, and How I Got Over is one of its best volumes in a while."