Favorites from The Roots, Part IV

After Illadelph Halflife, Things Fall Apart is widely considered one of the best studio albums by The Roots. It was also a great success, partly due to the pop-tinged single, "You Got Me." Like its predecessor, Things Fall Apart is quite heterogeneous and mixes neo-soul, hip-hop, jazz, pop, and even classical. The beats aren't quite as hard as on the last release but neither does it return to the complete organic jazz aesthetic of the first 2 albums, Organix and Do You Want More. In addition, it was the first album by The Roots to feature production duties from the Soulquarians, a music collective that also produced Erykah Badu's Mama's Gun, Common's Like Water for Chocolate, D'Angelo's Voodoo, and Bilal's 1st Born Second. The Soulquarians themselves included Questlove so the production of this album has both strong neo-soul and hip-hop vibes. However, the album also has strong references and beats that show the group's love for old-school hip-hop, such as "Without a Doubt" and "Double Trouble."

"The Next Movement" is another all-time great song by The Roots and one of the best hip-hop songs of all time. It has jazz, classical, and hip-hop elements, all driven by the drums and the keys. The Roots still play this at live shows.

"The Spark" also has jazz influences and a strong bass provided by D'Angelo himself. I believe this to be one of the best tracks because it's so dark yet funky.

"Dynamite" has a great jazz guitar sample but is far too repetitive for its length. Still, that unforgettable jazzy guitar sample is so good it doesn't even matter.

"Without a Doubt" samples the drum beat from an old Schooly D song. Just drums.

A'int Sayin' Nothin' New is another favorite from this album. Jazzy, funky, and good lyrics.

I love the xylophone in "Double Trouble" and the numerous references to old school hip-hop, especially Afrika Bambaataa at the end. Plus it features Mos Def, another favorite MC of mine.

"Adrenaline!" has classical influences but has the funky drumming of Questlove as well. One of the best.

"Don't See Us" also has a jazzy vibe. Great keyboard playing, guitar, and bass.

"The Return to Innocence Lost" is a favorite mostly because of the Talib Kweli collaboration as a hidden track at the end. "The Return" itself is another spoken word piece, but the Talib Kweli collaboration has such a great beat. Here is the hidden track, "Act Fore."

"You Got Me" is the breakthrough single for The Roots. Erykah Badu singing verses written by Philly native Jill Scott was thought a surefire way to ensure the single's success (Jill Scott was unknown outside of Philadelphia in 1999 because her debut wasn't released until 2000). I love the drum 'n bass part near the end of the song.