Album Review: Game Theory
October 20th 2006 09:38
The Roots are the World’s premiere live hip hop band. They have 16 years of live experience up their sleeves, and 11 years as recording artists. Their latest album, ‘Game theory’ is nothing short of great hip hop.
It’s not their best album, though you can’t blame The Roots for that. It’s a teeny weeny bit unfair to compare this latest release to ‘Phrenology’, which is one of my favourite hip hop albums of all time. Sorry, I don’t own ‘Things Fall Apart’ which is apparently even better.
‘Game Theory’ is very solid and achieves a Libran balance between creative hip hop forces and the catchiness of pop. Okay, it’s not completely balanced; the album still maintains an underground feel, though its first single ‘Don’t Feel Right’ is a well written pop song.
With that exception, ‘Game Theory’ is a very gritty record that leaves one feeling they’re stuck in the middle of the Bronx, sitting next to a crack addicted, fourteen month old baby.
Yet, somehow, the album also feels like a club in Pre-Katrina New Orleans.
Here's a music video - a trilogy in fact - of the Game Theory tracks 'In the Music', 'Here I Come' and 'Don't Feel Right':
As always, ?uestlove (The Root’s drummer and founding member) lays some crashing beats, while the sampling of the tracks are exceptional.
The credits list ‘The Roots’ as Game Theory’s producer. Whether or not the entire band equally produced the album is a mystery to me, though whatever the case, the production is heaven-sent.
What makes the album so good is its union of live instruments with sample-based producing. It’s like live jazz meets ghetto samples.
‘Game Theory’ is a top candidate for best hip hop album of the year; look out for it.
Take care and peace out…
‘Game Theory’ is very solid and achieves a Libran balance between creative hip hop forces and the catchiness of pop. Okay, it’s not completely balanced; the album still maintains an underground feel, though its first single ‘Don’t Feel Right’ is a well written pop song.
With that exception, ‘Game Theory’ is a very gritty record that leaves one feeling they’re stuck in the middle of the Bronx, sitting next to a crack addicted, fourteen month old baby.
Yet, somehow, the album also feels like a club in Pre-Katrina New Orleans.
Here's a music video - a trilogy in fact - of the Game Theory tracks 'In the Music', 'Here I Come' and 'Don't Feel Right':
As always, ?uestlove (The Root’s drummer and founding member) lays some crashing beats, while the sampling of the tracks are exceptional.
The credits list ‘The Roots’ as Game Theory’s producer. Whether or not the entire band equally produced the album is a mystery to me, though whatever the case, the production is heaven-sent.
What makes the album so good is its union of live instruments with sample-based producing. It’s like live jazz meets ghetto samples.
‘Game Theory’ is a top candidate for best hip hop album of the year; look out for it.
Take care and peace out…
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