They had the chops. Black Thought was perfectly proficient with MC. In that they are an actually hip hop band on a major label, they have their own unique lane. Yet, none of the Roots' previous albums never truly moved me. Similar to the Brand New Heavies, the Roots, while technically gifted, sounded too practiced. For a live band, their music rarely sounded spontaneous or organic. Instead, it sounded overly rehearsed and over considered. As if every micrometer of the album's sound was heavily thought about. (If you ever read any of the fascinatingly brainy interviews with the band's leader, drummer Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson, you'd see that it was.) Music is supposed to come from the heart, not solely from the mind.
So although, all nine of the previous Roots LPs were musically impressive, they lacked a lot of soul.
Until...How I Got Over.
This album is such a pleasant surprise. Not only is it instantly captivating and beautifully produced, it's the first album by the Roots that actually has sheer emotion. Not well-thought ideas but genuine feeling. Not only does it sound good, it FEELS good.
How I Got Over is a seamless listen that must be listened to in it's full 42 minute rotation. The album finds the band in a morosely reflective mood. It's the aural equivalent of a man, on the verge of entering another stage of his life (in interviews, Thompson says that stage is entering the fellas entering their 40s), giving himself a deep, hard stare in the mirror. Reflecting his past and pondering his future and wondering where his place is in the world. This deep introspection is achieved by mood and texture, not heavy-handed thought, which makes HIGO even more powerful and intoxicating.
As with the more recent Roots releases, How I Got Over features an eclectic guest list, including career-long affiliates like Dice Raw, underground hip hop geniuses like LA's Blu and North Carolina's Phonte (of Little Brother and Foreign Exchange fame) and indie rock sensations the Dirty Projectors (the ladies in that band give a beautiful performance on HIGO's intro), Jim James and Joanna Newsom (via a sample) as well as R&B crooner John Legend. Yet all the guests flow beautifully with the album's groove. They only add to the album's brilliance, not interfering with it.
How I Got Over is a must-have. It's easily one of the best albums of the year and the new decade. A beautiful album from a band that finally freed their mind and let the groove (and emotions) follow.
J.Johnson
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