“Undun” puts The Roots back on top

Luke Trimple
Staff Writer

The Roots make a triumphant return to musical prominence with their thirteenth album “Undun.” This time around the band sought to return to their original “roots,” by bringing their lyrical themes back to the struggle of making something out of nothing while discussing all that the process entails.

Originally formed in the late ‘80s, the neo soul/hip hop ensemble formerly known as The Square Roots has undergone a bit of subtraction and addition as well. It all began with the duo of Black Thought and ?uestlove (pronounced Guestlove) and has since expanded the roster to include similarly out of the ordinary names such as F. Knuckles and Captain Kirk Douglas.

Together the eclectic ensemble have showcased their unique musical presence with a diverse means of promotion ranging from appearances on Yo Gabba Gabba to a feature on the “Superbad” soundtrack. They have consistently maintained a wide audience and a significant majority of their fans do not identify themselves as rap or hip hop enthusiasts, despite the group’s obvious hip hop affectations.

Harmonious blends of smooth rapping laced with sagacious lyrics and brilliantly orchestrated rhythms secure the albums standing as one of their best to date. The album is the group’s first concept album and features the story of the fictional Redford Stephens, a lowly thug who is a byproduct of the world around him. Thoughts of death have crossed his mind frequently and his outlook on the universe is grim.

In sorrowful tracks like “Sleep,” vocalists Black Thought and Aaron Livingston weave through the ambiance of distant sounding instrumentals. The duo speak through their character to simultaneously tell the stories of Stephens and the entire black community.

Thought later borrows from the respected words of President Roosevelt when he proclaims “Not a thing I fear besides fear itself/ this is clearly a lesson learned for someone else” in the track “One Time” which features rappers Phonte and Dice Raw. The verse ends with Stephens questions the choices he made to end up in his current situation. As the song ends listeners are faced with the possibility of beginning life “born on the other side of the crack pipe” and are asked to imagine how they would conduct themselves.

“Undun” marks another notch in the upward trend of The Roots. A true sign of maturity is demonstrated through the group’s collective acknowledgement of past mistakes and the album’s progressive conceptual themes. The album is now available for streaming on NPR and download on iTunes and Amazon.