The Roots - How I Got Over

Sometimes there’s a certain kind of distraction that takes over. And sometimes a blend of restrictions and confinements makes it an arduous task to embrace the singular passions in life. It’s rare that it’s everything from the aforementioned combined – but rare is not never. While it sometimes feels like a sort of cloudy fog that has encapsulated everything in its path, the distraction is a definite kind of solace. An escape from the immediate temporary, a remarkable kind of love that has sustained throughout; the only thing I know for sure is what I wanna do, anytime, anywhere… 

Arguably the hardest working band in music has always been The Roots. I know I’m not going out on much of a limb by saying that but they were the hardest working band even before they became the best house band on TV. But before and during their mainstay as the best house band on TV, The Roots has been making album after album of tremendous music – twelve total studio albums if you count all of their collaborative albums – and How I Got Over is #9. Distinctly a lot brighter than their previous two albums, Rising Down and Game Theory, it’s also the first album after the Bush administration finally left office. So it immediately has a much clearer flow and the songs just sort of gel throughout The Roots’ positive, optimistic point of view. And since they became the best band on TV they’ve also met some amazing musicians who they collaborated with on this album to create some of the better songs.

I need to include “A Peace of Light” because it features the original females from Dirty Projectors. A band The Roots met through performing on the late show and whom they immediately fell in love with. It’s mostly an introduction that features the women harmonizing their vocals into one bubbly, smooth opening that allows ?uestlove’s timeless drums to appear in a light refrain.

Jim James is another hardworking musician who crafts music with his main band My Morning Jacket, as a solo artist and who also did a collaborative album with M. Ward and Conor Oberst as Monsters of Folk. The Roots borrow the melody from the opening song off their album, “Dear God,” and also use James to sing the chorus on “Dear God 2.0” (perhaps homage to “The Seed (2.0)” as well?) The Roots version is a straightforward letter about the pain in the world and how everything from broken homes, to drugs, to jobs, to love can fall apart and how there can be so much suffering in this world. “Why is the world ugly when you made it in your image?”

Joanna Newsom is another hardworking musician as she not only composes all of her music but practically writes poetry when she writes lyrics. Here The Roots borrow her “The Book of Right-On” on “Right On,” for what is probably the best song on all of How I Got Over. Her version features her trademark harp and her singular voice but The Roots version combines it all for a smashing hit that showcases just why they’re one of the best bands, period. – Bryan  

My Morning Jacket - Circuital

If people weren’t busy being phonies then they’d probably realize how amazing a band like My Morning Jacket really is. I wrote about Z before and hopefully it’s gotten some good talk and now the band has returned with Circuital. Although it’s probably not as good as that 2005 masterpiece, the wonder with My Morning Jacket is the way they reign in on their strengths. Haters or shall we say, downplayers, will say “well, their live show is amazing but no one album can reach that height,” and really, that’s just phony, lame talk. A band can be judged for making great studio albums without needing to prove anything else to anyone else. And their merits lie in the fact that they make fantastic music: music that both entices and thrills with a sense of energy and spirit. So add another great album to their arsenal; it’s more than just an aphorism if you ask me, this is one awesome band.

On the title track to the album (click on the picture above to see the image in full size [bad ass liner notes that came with the vinyl]) Jim James’ voice is a marvelous thing to behold. Starting with a light drum stomp that is highlighted by a bright guitar part through the segues, James’ voice shines as the star of the show. You can hear the atmospherics that drive the band’s depth to an immersing spectrum and then you hear the roar of the drums as the songs kicks in and as everything breaks away, James sings “Circuits, all in and out…connect my body, deep into the ground.” The song rolls through its seven-minute pace with a sparkling keyboard that cascades the ending. Fully spreading the aforementioned spectrum into something lush, radiant and colorful, the music justly soars over everything else. It’s probably the most exciting moment on the album and really, tremendous.


Of all the other great tunes on this hit record, I couldn’t tear away my sentimental heart from “Moving Away”’s sad tones. It’s hard to really know what the song means but I’m guessing that he’s got no other choice but to move away, although he admits – with great dear care – “I won't forget the one I left behind.” The troublesome piano part lends itself as the lonely melody to support James’ bittersweet words as he sings, “I'll always be an alarmist who'll jump at a chance: anything for romance!...I hope I'll always be what you want.” There’s deep sadness in the sentiment he’s expressing but it’s as if there was no other choice and although she probably means a lot to him, he made the drastic move in moving away. In the end, it’s about looking for something new and exciting and well, as James sings, “A new life to create,” the somber piano closes out the album in lulling fashion. – Bryan

My Morning Jacket - Z

Did anyone else see the horse race today? I like watching the major horse races and the talk with everyone was how the mighty Zenyatta would do. Long story short, she was undefeated (19-0) heading into the race today, where she looked to end her career a perfect 20-0; she’s also a female horse and she’s named after The Police’s Zenyattá Mondata. Pretty impressive right? She hung around the back of the pack for most of the race before roaring after the last turn to come in a close but futile, second place. It was something beautiful to see, really. Here was this gorgeous horse, who had never lost and on the last race, she gave it everything she had to be beat by some dude. I was rooting for her too, sure, but with such an awesome name, I thought of an album Z, by My Morning Jacket. So maybe my tastes are far too generic but come on, this is still, very good music right?

I’ve always loved the middle section probably the most. There’s the giddy energy of “What a Wonderful Man” and by the time the driving guitar chug of “Off the Record” comes on, it’s pretty awesome. I remember back in 2005, this all sounding so fresh and new for me and it’s still relatively original. I mean, I don’t think that you could find many other voices that truly resemble Jim James' soaring vocals and the band is able to diversify from sound to sound, style to style, with such skill that it all seems entirely easy. And so “Off the Record” is perfect in showcasing just how all-encompassing the sounds on here are. I remember reading Rolling Stone and the headline was something to the effect of “My Morning Jacket: The American Radiohead.” Z was their breakthrough and arguably, their highest point and so naturally, word was huge around this band and album.


One of the first capturing moments with me and Z was when I realized how impressive the bookends were. “Wordless Chorus” is seemingly perfection in opening any album and “Dondante” is this nostalgic, reflective, almost ghostly ending. Music should always maintain some kind of importance to you, solely – without any kind of interference or inconvenience because of some kind of other force. So while Z was deeply rooted in past memories, it’s amazingly fresh and real for me now. At first “Dondante” is slowly maneuvering around James’ words with a menacing guitar line. The band is patiently foreboding with their massive progression and once the explosion hits, it’s downright stunning. “You had me worried! So worried, that this would last. But now I’m learning, learning that this will pass.” – Bryan