THE ROOTS - Game Theory [Def Jam - 2006]

I haven’t been listening to The Roots very much in the past, and if I remember correctly the first time I heard them was back in 1999 when they released “Things Fall Apart”. I thought they were pretty good. I also remember them having a hit with the Cody Chesnutt song called “The Seed” in 2002, but I never really paid any attention.

Anyway, when I heard that there was a new album coming I listened to some of the new songs on myspace. It sounded really good and I went down to a recordstore downtown and bought a copy of “Game Theory”.

One thing that I like about The Roots is that they’re a band (a guitar-player, a drummer, a bass-player and so on), and I think that’s really cool. And there’s some really good music on here as well, it’s kind of funky stuff and it makes me feel good. My favorite songs on this CD are these: “Game Theory”, “In The Music”, “Take It There”, “Here I Come”, “Long Time”, “Clock With No Hands”, but it’s an overall good album.

The lyrics are good as well, here’s the last verse from “Clock With No Hands” for example:

Yo livin’ in turbulent times, the blind leadin’ the blind / Some call it evolution, some say intelligent design / You say you want a revolution, you out of your mizind / You son destitute and they pop all in the prison / My man’s back in the jam, he like the back of my hand / He just attracted to scam, he right back in the can / I never sleep walk when you dead you get your shut eye / I’m on the first thing in, I’m leavin’ on the red eye / My brother back in rehab, just had another relapse / Within himself it’s like he’s been fightin’ the inner jihad / Tellin’ me ain’t nobody true when they pretend to be that / So closer than friends that’s where I keep my enemies at / To any parties concerned, it’s time to live and learn / Until we’re able to grow, forever bridges will burn / My thoughts free as a bird that’s just about to emerge / And every action that’s heard, it speaks louder than words…

So this isn’t your usual gangsta-rap lyrics with bitches, cool cars, violent behavior, drugs and money (don’t get me wrong I can enjoy that as well. “The Chronic” by Dr. Dre is one of my favorite rap-albums), but from what I understand The Roots was never about that kind of stuff to begin with.

Like I wrote in the beginning I haven’t heard so much of the earlier releases from The Roots, so I can’t really compare this to the older stuff, but this is a good record, and I don’t think you’ll be disappointed if you’ve enjoyed The Roots before.

For listening, go to: www.myspace.com/theroots or http://www.theroots.com/