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The Roots Game Theory Average Rating: 
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If you like "Game Theory", you might also like ...
Rising Down |
Phrenology |
Things Fall Apart |
The Tipping Point |
Do You Want More?!!!??! |
| Customer Reviews 1-5 of 85 | NEXT >> |
2008-12-12I should preface this review by saying I'm not the world's biggest rap fan. That being said, I'm also not someone who tries to claim all rap is terrible or that it isnt music. It is, without question, music and there are tons of great rap songs. In my oppinion though, it is a genre that has many more good songs than great albums (which to be fair, is as much a comment on the mp3 era as it is on rap music in general). As a teenager, I would regularily buy rap albums and feel disappointed when there would only be 3 or 4 songs I would want to listen to. This caused me to drift away from rap in general for severeal years.
Then one day, I saw a copy of "Rising Down" by The Roots in a store. I wasnt too familiar with The Roots, but I did remember liking the song "You Got Me" when I was younger. On a whim, I bought the album and was blown away. I was able to listen to it from start to finish, and while some tracks were stronger than others, it was all pretty listenable. Shortly thereafter, I bought "Game Theory" and "Things Fall appart."
While I still concider "Rising Down" to be a great album, "Game Theory" is unquestionably even better. I like the harder hitting sound on the two latest Roots offerings as opposed to the sound they were persuing on "Things Fall appart," which has typically been discribed to me as their best album. With all due respect, I'm going to have to disagree and say that The Roots have only gotten better through the years. "Game Theory" is not only their greatest album, I would be willing to venture it may be the greatest rap album I've ever heard.
Like "Rising Down", there are no bad songs. Every song is at least as good as anything any of the more mainstream Hip Hop acts has put out in the last few years, with a few songs being flat-out amazing. Highlights include the single, "It Don't Feel Right", as well as "In the Music" and "Here I Come." The album closes with the eight minute "Can't Stop This", which would bog the album down if it were placed in the middle but works quite well as a closing peice.
In conclusion, if you've never given The Roots a chance, now is the time and this is the album. Their use of live instrumentation keeps the music sounding much more intresting than most of todays Hip Hop artists, and their lyrics are second to none. Make no mistake, these are smart guys. And best of all, they don't just write a couple of singles in order to sell records. They create albums in which the songs flow together perfectly and you don't find yourself frequently skipping tracks. Even if you are not a big fan of rap music, you may find you love The Roots. I know I do.
2008-06-04Really enjoy listening to this album. Listening to it from start to finish, it really comes together. Good recording quality for your hi-fi. There's a few really cool classic songs. Overall not perfect but very good and worth the purchase.
2008-03-09Game Theory presents even yet a darker view into the intellect of musical and lyrical virtuosos together known as the roots. Game Theory is very introspective, evidenced by such reflective rap of Black Thought. Though the album is not quite as experimental, musically, Tipping Point it is of high quality. The production is sound, and the flow delivery is on point.
definately an essesital in the hip hop collection.
2008-01-24Game Theory finds The Roots fed up with the rising body count in Philadelphia and around the world. It's an album lacking in the playfullness that was interspersed througout the group's previvous efforts, which makes it a little heavy but worth the weight. The prominant use of old-school R&B samples serves as a nostalgic counter to lyrics dripping with anger and resignation. It's a littlepolemical, but overall this is an important album that needs to be heard.
2007-12-27The Roots continue to be the most consistent rap group of all time and continue there slur of good music by providing us with a concert like effort on "Game Theory". Following the disappointment of their last album (which if you want to choose, "Tipping Point" was probably their weakest album to date) they hit us with a barrage of fast pace, dark, and energetic music never heard from The Roots. People have grown a custom to their layed back vibe of music in the past. However, this album blends in all the components of a true concert feel that no other rap group can provide. Black Thought (who is never mentioned amoung the top MCs in the game) delivers us with a strong onslaught of lyrisism with "False Media", and "Game Theory", with Quest and the gang hittin you with intense instrumentals captivating your attention right from the start.
Lead single "Don't Feel Right" takes you back to the old Tribe Called Quest "Senario Rmx" that keeps your blood pumpin. The biggest highlights of this album are "In The Music", "Long Time", and "Can't Stop This" which pay tributes to the late great J-Dilla extending the beat to his classic instrumental off "Dilla Donuts" "Time: The Donut of the Heart" this album is pure Roots at its best. "Atonement", however, should not have been on the album which messed up the vibe a tad. But all in all, best Roots album I've heard in a while!! Black Thought and Quest keep it going!!
4 1/2 stars. Best album since "Things Fall appart"
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| Editorial Review |
If you like "Game Theory", you might also like ...
|
Rising Down |
Phrenology |
Things Fall Apart |
The Tipping Point |
Do You Want More?!!!??! |
