How I Got Over LP

So it's one of the rainiest monday's I've encountered in a long while. And what better way to enjoy a rainy afternoon than downloading new music right? Especially music that goes well with the dreary weather's mood. So I was surfing the web and came across yet another leak from The Roots new LP, How I Got Over dropping tomorrow, 06.22.10. and I decided I might as well just get the whole record since I've heard from various sources that the leaks have really delivered quality joints. To be honest, I haven't picked up a Roots album since The Tipping Point and that was released in July 2004! Wow. I'm ashamed but I'm back on it because of this LP. The introduction begins with Amber Coffman, Angel Deradoorian, and Haley Dekle angelically echoing each other while a smooth jazz baseline and simple kick and snare ride out. From the beginning, I get the feeling that The Roots have a new steeze about them. Their sound has changed and matured.

It's not necessarily catering to the new zoned, spacey sound everyone is going for today, but yet it captures it while keeping that old Roots feel. The lead MC of the group, Bla

ck Thought is back on his lyrical tip on the opening "Walk Alone" featuring Truck North, P.O.R.N., and Dice Raw. Another thing I immediately noticed about this LP is that it has a lot of no-name features. I don't mean no-name as in people no one has heard of, I just mean that The Roots avoided commercial artist features. For instance, Blu, P.O.R.N., and Dice Raw are back for "Radio Daze". Blu goes in on this one. The title track is an uptempo joint thanks to ?uestlove and featuring Dice Raw once again. It's sort of evocative of "The Seed (2.0)" from their Phrenology album.

Probably one of my top favorites from the album would be "Do It Again". It acts as a remix of John legend's "Again". This is one hard hitter. If it weren't for ?uest's live kit in the back, I would've thought this was produced by Just Blaze for something off one of Jay's albums. It's funny because Legend is featured on the following song entitled, "Fire". One thing I do wish this album did was give more time on the harmonious 0:40 second interludes such as "Peace Of Light", "DillaTude The Flight of Titus", and "Tunnel Vision". But I guess we listeners can't have our cake and eat it too right? Maybe their saving those for the live show. Overall, this is a solid effort from these hip-hop veteran fusionists. Nice album to chill too on those rainy summer afternoons.