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The delivery of any new Roots album is rarely talked or written about without the words "highly" and "anticipated," and The Tipping Point is no exception. Besides the usual expectation for the band's superior lyrical skills and attention to detail, there's the previously announced concept that The Tipping Point would be recorded through free-spirited jams that would later be edited down. Sounds like a don't-care-about-the-final-package, music-for-music's-sake release, but the album is a well-constructed ride from start to finish that's perfect for a headphones-on, lights-out evening and a gift to fans who found 2002's Phrenology a bit mannered and forced. To paraphrase the album's "Pointro," the tracks here are mostly warm and organic "life music" that "thrusts its branches from the muck of wackness" without any overly calculated "hypnotic donkey rhythms." The ghost of Sly & the Family Stone is summoned for the opening "Star," an exuberant soul rocker that creeps along with a Timbaland-style beat, only it's live. On the other hand, there's the perfect for popping, locking, and robot-dancing "Don't Say Nuthin'" with its solid electro and Black Thought's quirky mumbled verse. The shifting from the sticky, stately reggae of "Guns Are Drawn" to the Cohiba-puffing swagger of "Stay Cool" is just one example of how the album overcomes its noncommitment to any particular groove by giving the listener nothing but fully formed, inspired tracks. The band's renewed love of head-bobbing jams also helps keep it together although the album's long stretches of rap-less jamming might alienate those just here for the message. For them there's the lyric-filled "Boom!," which may not be enough. Take off your academic backpack for a change and bask in an album that's comfortably loose and ends with an over-the-top, celebratory cover of George Kranz's "Din Daa Daa" that's unnecessary but extra fun. The Tipping Point is too modest to be the "idea that spreads like a virus" that's explored in the Malcolm Gladwell book the collection cops it title from. What the album lacks in ambition and social commentary, it makes up for with deep soul. That should be enough to make whatever this group does next "highly anticipated."
© David Jeffries /TiVo
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Richard Nichols, Producer, Executive Producer - Jon Smeltz, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - The Roots, MainArtist
℗ 2004 Geffen Records
Richard Nichols, Producer - Tariq Trotter, ComposerLyricist - Dom, FeaturedArtist - Jon Smeltz, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Ahmir Thompson, ComposerLyricist - Anthony Tidd, Producer, ComposerLyricist - ?uestlove, Producer - The Roots, MainArtist - Frank Walker, Producer, ComposerLyricist - Karl B. Jenkins, ComposerLyricist - Bob Powers, Mixer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 2004 Geffen Records
Scott Storch, Producer, ComposerLyricist - Wayne Allison, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Tariq Trotter, ComposerLyricist - The Roots, MainArtist - Mauricio Irragorri, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Ethan Pontz, Assistant Mixer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 2004 Geffen Records
Leonard Hubbard, ComposerLyricist - Richard Nichols, Producer - Kirk Douglas, ComposerLyricist - Russell Elevado, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Tariq Trotter, ComposerLyricist - Jon Smeltz, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Ahmir Thompson, ComposerLyricist - Anthony Tidd, Producer, ComposerLyricist - ?uestlove, Producer - Omar Edwards, Performer, AssociatedPerformer - The Roots, MainArtist - James Gray, ComposerLyricist - Frank Walker, Producer, ComposerLyricist - Aaron Livingston, ComposerLyricist - Son Little, FeaturedArtist
℗ 2004 Geffen Records
Melvin Lewis, Producer, ComposerLyricist - Paul Griffin, ComposerLyricist - Tariq Trotter, ComposerLyricist - Jon Smeltz, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - The Roots, MainArtist - Karl B. Jenkins, ComposerLyricist - Yolanda Paterno, ComposerLyricist - Bob Powers, Mixer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 2004 Geffen Records
Jimmy Douglass, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Mark Gray, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Leonard Hubbard, ComposerLyricist - Richard Nichols, Producer, Executive Producer - Robert Dorsey, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Tariq Trotter, ComposerLyricist - Jon Smeltz, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Ahmir Thompson, ComposerLyricist - The Roots, MainArtist - Robert "LB" Dorsey, Producer - Halsey Quemere, Assistant Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Jarred Zastow, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 2004 Geffen Records
Melvin Lewis, Producer - Nathaniel Wilson, ComposerLyricist - Marlon Williams, ComposerLyricist - Antonio Hardy, ComposerLyricist - Russell Elevado, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Tariq Trotter, ComposerLyricist - Jon Smeltz, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Ahmir Thompson, ComposerLyricist - The Roots, MainArtist - Karl B. Jenkins, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2004 Geffen Records
Leonard Hubbard, ComposerLyricist - Kirk Douglas, ComposerLyricist - Tariq Trotter, ComposerLyricist - Jean Grae, FeaturedArtist - Jon Smeltz, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Ahmir Thompson, ComposerLyricist - The Roots, MainArtist - James Gray, ComposerLyricist - Tsidi Ibrahim, ComposerLyricist - Tahir Jamal, Producer - Karl B. Jenkins, ComposerLyricist - Bob Powers, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Floyd Carson, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2004 Geffen Records
Scott Storch, Producer, ComposerLyricist - Tariq Trotter, ComposerLyricist - Jon Smeltz, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Montez Roberts, ComposerLyricist - The Roots, MainArtist - Bob Powers, Mixer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 2004 Geffen Records
Zukhan Bey, ComposerLyricist - Leonard Hubbard, ComposerLyricist - Marlon Williams, ComposerLyricist - Wayne Allison, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Kirk Douglas, ComposerLyricist - Tariq Trotter, ComposerLyricist - Ahmir Thompson, ComposerLyricist - The Roots, MainArtist - James Gray, ComposerLyricist - Bob Powers, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Zoukhan O'Bey, Producer
℗ 2004 Geffen Records
Karl Jenkins, ComposerLyricist - Tariq Trotter, ComposerLyricist - Jon Smeltz, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Skillz, FeaturedArtist - The Roots, MainArtist - J. Miller, ComposerLyricist - Donnie Lewis, ComposerLyricist - Trunk North, FeaturedArtist
℗ 2004 Geffen Records
George Kranz, ComposerLyricist - Russell Elevado, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Jon Smeltz, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - ?uestlove, Producer - Omar Edwards, Performer, AssociatedPerformer - The Roots, MainArtist
℗ 2004 Geffen Records
Album review
The delivery of any new Roots album is rarely talked or written about without the words "highly" and "anticipated," and The Tipping Point is no exception. Besides the usual expectation for the band's superior lyrical skills and attention to detail, there's the previously announced concept that The Tipping Point would be recorded through free-spirited jams that would later be edited down. Sounds like a don't-care-about-the-final-package, music-for-music's-sake release, but the album is a well-constructed ride from start to finish that's perfect for a headphones-on, lights-out evening and a gift to fans who found 2002's Phrenology a bit mannered and forced. To paraphrase the album's "Pointro," the tracks here are mostly warm and organic "life music" that "thrusts its branches from the muck of wackness" without any overly calculated "hypnotic donkey rhythms." The ghost of Sly & the Family Stone is summoned for the opening "Star," an exuberant soul rocker that creeps along with a Timbaland-style beat, only it's live. On the other hand, there's the perfect for popping, locking, and robot-dancing "Don't Say Nuthin'" with its solid electro and Black Thought's quirky mumbled verse. The shifting from the sticky, stately reggae of "Guns Are Drawn" to the Cohiba-puffing swagger of "Stay Cool" is just one example of how the album overcomes its noncommitment to any particular groove by giving the listener nothing but fully formed, inspired tracks. The band's renewed love of head-bobbing jams also helps keep it together although the album's long stretches of rap-less jamming might alienate those just here for the message. For them there's the lyric-filled "Boom!," which may not be enough. Take off your academic backpack for a change and bask in an album that's comfortably loose and ends with an over-the-top, celebratory cover of George Kranz's "Din Daa Daa" that's unnecessary but extra fun. The Tipping Point is too modest to be the "idea that spreads like a virus" that's explored in the Malcolm Gladwell book the collection cops it title from. What the album lacks in ambition and social commentary, it makes up for with deep soul. That should be enough to make whatever this group does next "highly anticipated."
© David Jeffries /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 12 track(s)
- Total length: 00:54:39
- Main artists: The Roots
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: Geffen*
- Genre: Hip-Hop/Rap
© 2004 Geffen Records ℗ 2004 Geffen Records
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