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Underground > Radio & Music >

The Roots

23:16 / 18.06.06

So is anyone here into the Roots?

I've always kind of written them off as 'worthy' - like, yes, 'You got me' is a genuinely beautiful and moving song (and I have soundtracked break-ups with it) but it's never motivated me to try much else of theirs. I thought they were great on Jay-Z's unplugged set - really playful and much better than I expected from the concept (i.e., live rap band plays Jay songs).

But their new single, Don't Feel Right, just will not get out of my head. (Lemme know if I should ysi it.) The beat is one of the most undeniable things I've heard all year, the hook is hell hooky (oh that was a sharp comment; the lyrics are also very lyricy and the music is musical). I'm not in love with Blackthought's flow, but it's competent and growing on me. And I like that - if this and 'You got me' are representative - they can make thoughtful songs that are still fun and upbeat.

So I guess this is part a 'recommend me some Roots' thread, but I also figured they were the kind of band a bunch of people here might be into talking about.

D Terminator XXXIII

11:09 / 25.06.06

It's hard to say anything else rather than that, yes, Jackie Susann is 100 per cent on the money, as I don't know anything else about the band other than this song and therefore lack context. Within the world of RnB, hip hop and rap, it's very easy for me to feel like a flirtatious cultural tourist, where signifiers are often lost on me because, I'm sorry to say, I almost never listen to the lyrics of the music I choose to listen to. I treat the voice as another instrument, tho I'm unsure of why.

But yes, it is a great song. It's not entirely upbeat but it goes well with other less purely exuberant songs I've collected during the last few weeks.

14:08 / 25.06.06

The album that’s always hailed as a classic is Illadelph Halflife – it might be a false impression on my part, but most of the people that praise it are people with very old-school/classic tastes.

I haven’t heard this album but I did pick up their next one, “Things fall Apart” which I really enjoyed at the time, but I haven’t listened to in years (don’t know if I’ve still got it actually, will have a dig around and see how it sounds now if I have). I don’t think it’s your sort of thing, Jackie, but I’m not sure.

What I like(d) about it – nice flow from the MCs, the jams are all really tight, funky, headnodding. I can't think of another way to describe them to be honest, will have a dig for the album and come back to you.

STOATIE LIEKS CHOCOLATE MILK

16:49 / 25.06.06

I have yet to hear them, but a friend of mine absolutely swears by them. Hmm. Perhaps I should cave to popular opinion and actually, y'know, give them a go.