Well they've done it again. Another quality masterwork! Album of 2011 for me...yes, it tops Amaila's Art Slave! This is definitely not for easy-listening, one-dimensional hip-hop guys or faint of heart people who recognize this collective as being the Jimmy Fallon's late night band. This album is for people who love the art of the concept album, real musicianship, soul and a story behind it. The tragic story of its fictional character, Redford Stephens is one of loneliness, struggle and fulfillment. undun can essentially play like a soundtrack largely because it starts where the story ends. Questlove, Black Thought, Dice Raw and the guys have done it again! And the ending 4-movement suite is just beautiful.... "Lighthouse" is one of the best songs of 2011 as well.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! GO BUY IT NOW!

Getting it now...will post my opinion later.

Very Stevie-esque...thought-provoking stuff!

I likes. Will be gettin this and Common's forthcoming disc Dec. 20

Can't get enough of this disc.

silverchild said:

Can't get enough of this disc.

I can tell.

smoothcriminal12 said:

silverchild said:

Can't get enough of this disc.

I can tell.

You just don't know. I had to stop playing it before I busted the CD up. The Roots brought alot of heat with this. From the opening gospel echoes of "Dun" to the final piano flourishes of "Finality (4th Movement)," undun is a masterpiece...a term I don't throw around too lightly nowadays.

Favorite cuts: "Lighthouse," "The OtherSide," "Make My," "Kool On," and "Tip The Scale"

It seems like they just outdo themselves on each album. Some people have been debating with me if this one is better than their last album, How I Got Over and I have to say: HELL YES!

silverchild said:

smoothcriminal12 said:

I can tell.

You just don't know. I had to stop playing it before I busted the CD up. The Roots brought alot of heat with this. From the opening gospel echoes of "Dun" to the final piano flourishes of "Finality (4th Movement)," undun is a masterpiece...a term I don't throw around too lightly nowadays.

Favorite cuts: "Lighthouse," "The OtherSide," "Make My," "Kool On," and "Tip The Scale"

It seems like they just outdo themselves on each album. Some people have been debating with me if this one is better than their last album, How I Got Over and I have to say: HELL YES!

I really have to peep this then, don't I?

smoothcriminal12 said:

silverchild said:

You just don't know. I had to stop playing it before I busted the CD up. The Roots brought alot of heat with this. From the opening gospel echoes of "Dun" to the final piano flourishes of "Finality (4th Movement)," undun is a masterpiece...a term I don't throw around too lightly nowadays.

Favorite cuts: "Lighthouse," "The OtherSide," "Make My," "Kool On," and "Tip The Scale"

It seems like they just outdo themselves on each album. Some people have been debating with me if this one is better than their last album, How I Got Over and I have to say: HELL YES!

I really have to peep this then, don't I?

Yes. But let me warn you, this is a disc that requires a number of listens to finally "get it." When you do, you'll be grateful that you did. Think of this disc as Game Theory with a little more tabasco sauce and substance. Bad description because that disc is classic Roots, but you'll get what I'm saying.

silverchild said:

smoothcriminal12 said:

I really have to peep this then, don't I?

Yes. But let me warn you, this is a disc that requires a number of listens to finally "get it." When you do, you'll be grateful that you did. Think of this disc as Game Theory with a little more tabasco sauce and substance. Bad description because that disc is classic Roots, but you'll get what I'm saying.

Game Theory was the last Roots cd i bought. Was nice. It reminds me of Phrenology.

silverchild said:

smoothcriminal12 said:

I really have to peep this then, don't I?

Yes. But let me warn you, this is a disc that requires a number of listens to finally "get it." When you do, you'll be grateful that you did. Think of this disc as Game Theory with a little more tabasco sauce and substance. Bad description because that disc is classic Roots, but you'll get what I'm saying.

Hmm...now I'm curious as ever...will start listening to this tomorrow...

phunkdaddy said:

silverchild said:

Yes. But let me warn you, this is a disc that requires a number of listens to finally "get it." When you do, you'll be grateful that you did. Think of this disc as Game Theory with a little more tabasco sauce and substance. Bad description because that disc is classic Roots, but you'll get what I'm saying.

Game Theory was the last Roots cd i bought. Was nice. It reminds me of Phrenology.

Game Theory was/is the shit. Phrenology remains their magnum opus though. I've gotten all of the Roots' discs post-Phrenology. I'll admit 2008's Rising Down took a while for me to warm up to and is probably their most disappointing record, but they haven't let me down yet. I'm still all wrapped up in the brilliance they put in Do You Want More!!!?!!, Illadelph Halflife, and Things Fall Apart.

I heard this was good. I'm going to check it out soon.

I've always wondered why ?uestlove ended up as the face of this group instead of Black Thought.

It doesn't make much sense in my mind.

minneapolisFunq said:

I've always wondered why ?uestlove ended up as the face of this group instead of Black Thought.

It doesn't make much sense in my mind.

He's marketable.

babybugz said:

minneapolisFunq said:

I've always wondered why ?uestlove ended up as the face of this group instead of Black Thought.

It doesn't make much sense in my mind.

He's marketable.

Yeah he's the Face of the Roots...the Afro mainly though.

Timmy84 said:

babybugz said:

He's marketable.

Yeah he's the Face of the Roots...the Afro mainly though.

He has a look.

Timmy84 said:

babybugz said:

He's marketable.

Yeah he's the Face of the Roots...the Afro mainly though.

Well he is their musical director (as it were), is highly regarded as a drummer and he works with a ton of other artists. Plus, it seems like he wants to be out there like that. Black Thought seems like that may not be his thing quite so much.

babybugz said:

Timmy84 said:

Yeah he's the Face of the Roots...the Afro mainly though.

He has a look.

Right once people saw that Afro, they could give a damn about any other member lol which isn't quite strange in hip-hop: Melle Mel had to share the spotlight with Grandmaster Flash. Plus he's also their spokesperson. I don't think Black Thought is that serious about the spotlight like ?uest is.

Haven't heard this yet, but I'm really looking forward to it. I've loved almost everything they've done and listened to the last couple for months at a time. I think its interesting that part of the concept is the guys life in reverse - from death to birth.

Cerebus said:

Haven't heard this yet, but I'm really looking forward to it. I've loved almost everything they've done and listened to the last couple for months at a time. I think its interesting that part of the concept is the guys life in reverse - from death to birth.

Wow that is an interesting concept...

Cerebus said:

Haven't heard this yet, but I'm really looking forward to it. I've loved almost everything they've done and listened to the last couple for months at a time. I think its interesting that part of the concept is the guys life in reverse - from death to birth.

Yeah the storyline plays an integral part of the album. The intro track, which is fucking amazing, is almost sounds like the young man's soul going to heaven after being shot and down from that, you get his life on wax from that moment to getting out of mother's womb. Sad life the man lives by the way. "Tip The Scale" is so prophetic and "Make My"...you just gotta hear it. Black Thought, Tariq and Dice Raw are lyrical masterminds.

Bilal sang the hell out of his hooks on "The OtherSide." Everyone just brought their A game on this masterpiece of a project.

silverchild said:

Cerebus said:

Haven't heard this yet, but I'm really looking forward to it. I've loved almost everything they've done and listened to the last couple for months at a time. I think its interesting that part of the concept is the guys life in reverse - from death to birth.

Yeah the storyline plays an integral part of the album. The intro track, which is fucking amazing, is almost sounds like the young man's soul going to heaven after being shot and down from that, you get his life on wax from that moment to getting out of mother's womb. Sad life the man lives by the way. "Tip The Scale" is so prophetic and "Make My"...you just gotta hear it. Black Thought, Tariq and Dice Raw are lyrical masterminds.

Bilal sang the hell out of his hooks on "The OtherSide." Everyone just brought their A game on this masterpiece of a project.

The Legendary Roots Crew are my dudes. The 2nd half of "Make My." starting at 2:37 is Stevie Wonder 70's bliss captured in 2011. I thought Tariq is Black Thought's real name? It's always good to hear Dice Raw. I hope people get it and buy it though.

Graycap23 said:

What's wrong?

silverchild said:

Graycap23 said:

What's wrong?

Either he hates it or forgot there was a Roots album out because he didn't read the thread...

Jokes, Gray, just jokes.

Timmy84 said:

babybugz said:

He's marketable.

Yeah he's the Face of the Roots...the Afro mainly though.

He may be the mouthpiece for the group as far as the media goes but

i know when i listen to the Roots i'm checking for Black Thought's rhymes.

Any true Roots fan would know.

phunkdaddy said:

Timmy84 said:

Yeah he's the Face of the Roots...the Afro mainly though.

He may be the mouthpiece for the group as far as the media goes but

i know when i listen to the Roots i'm checking for Black Thought's rhymes.

Any true Roots fan would know.

THAT'S TRUE... I'm glad ?uest ain't the frontman...

Musicslave said:

silverchild said:

Yeah the storyline plays an integral part of the album. The intro track, which is fucking amazing, is almost sounds like the young man's soul going to heaven after being shot and down from that, you get his life on wax from that moment to getting out of mother's womb. Sad life the man lives by the way. "Tip The Scale" is so prophetic and "Make My"...you just gotta hear it. Black Thought, Tariq and Dice Raw are lyrical masterminds.

Bilal sang the hell out of his hooks on "The OtherSide." Everyone just brought their A game on this masterpiece of a project.

The Legendary Roots Crew are my dudes. The 2nd half of "Make My." starting at 2:37 is Stevie Wonder 70's bliss captured in 2011. I thought Tariq is Black Thought's real name? It's always good to hear Dice Raw. I hope people get it and buy it though.

That second half keeps knocking me out. Stevie would die to recreate that sound today. Stevie and ?uest needs to negotiate something. The analogue synthesizers and that bass. Whoever engineered this project get kudos from me.

By the way, Betty Wright's new album is solid as well and she worked with the Roots on that one as well. First, Al Green, then John Legend, next Ms. Wright. Stevie and the Roots sounds quite fulfilling...