Track Listing

1. Dilltastic Vol Won(derful) - Steve Mandell, The Roots, Ahmir Thompson
2. False Media - Kamal Gray, The Roots, The Randy Watson Experience, Russell Elevado, Robert Dorsey, Steve Mandell, Jon Smeltz, Black Thought, Wadud Ahmad
3. Game Theory - The Roots, Khari Mateen, Jon Smeltz, Jason Goldstein, Black Thought, Malik B.
4. Don't Feel Right - The Roots, Maimouna Youssef, Tahir Jamal, Jon Smeltz, Robert Dorsey, Steve Mandell, Jason Goldstein, Black Thought, Maimouna Yousef
5. In The Music - The Roots, Malik B., Richard Nichols, Pedro Martinez, Porn, Owen Biddle, Kevin Hansen, Jon Smeltz, Russell Elevado, Robert Dorsey, Black Thought
6. Take It There - The Roots, Ahmir Thompson, Wadud Ahmad, Richard Nichols, Pedro Martinez, Adam Blackstone, Kevin Hansen, Jon Smeltz, Russell Elevado, Jason Goldstein, Black Thought, Rahzel, Mercedes Martinez, Dice Raw
7. Baby - The Roots, John John, John McGlinchey, Robert Dorsey, Steve Mandell, Russell Elevado, Black Thought, Dice Raw, ?uesto, Michael Heinzer
8. Here I Come - The Roots, Dice Raw, Malik B., Richard Nichols, Owen Biddle, Pedro Martinez, Brook D'Leau, Jon Smeltz, Russell Elevado, Robert Dorsey, Jason Goldstein, Black Thought
9. Long Time - The Roots, Peedi Peedi, Bunny Sigler, Kevin Hansen, Owen Biddle, Darryl Robinson, Richard Nichols, Omar Edwards, Jon Smeltz, Robert Dorsey, Russell Elevado, Black Thought, Dice Raw
10. Livin' In A New World - The Roots, John John, Khari Mateen, Jon Smeltz, Jason Goldstein, Black Thought, Mercedes Martinez
11. Clock With No Hands - The Roots, Mercedes Martinez, Khari Mateen, Brook D'Leau, Jon Smeltz, Jason Goldstein, Black Thought
12. Atonement - The Roots, Jack Davey, The Randy Watson Experience, Jon Smeltz, Steve Mandell, Jason Goldstein, Black Thought
13. Can't Stop This - J-Dilla, The Roots, The Randy Watson Experience, Robert Dorsey, Steve Mandell, Jon Smeltz, Jason Goldstein, Russell Elevado, Black Thought
14. Bread And Butter - The Roots, Khari Mateen, Jon Smeltz, Jason Goldstein

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #31897 in Music
• Released on: 2006-08-28
• Number of discs: 1
• Formats: Explicit Lyrics, Extra tracks
• Dimensions: .23 pounds
• Running time: 51 minutes

CD Description
'Game Theory' is the eighth album from organic hip-hop masterminds The Roots. Staying true to their unique mixture of hip hop and live instrumentation, this album finds the band on top form, and will prove to many yet again that this groupare at the forefront of the literate hip-hop movement. Includes the single 'Don't Feel Right'.

Customer Reviews

Roots back on top
(4.5 stars) On first listen I was a bit disappointed by this album but the more I hear it the better it gets. Since my favourite album of all time is Phrenology this had a lot to live up to and it is a lot darker and moodier than any of their previous stuff but it works so well. Black Thoughts rhymes on this really shine and Malik B is much more involved than in the last few albums, with both rapping politics and war. My favourite track on the album is "In the Music" and has an amazing verse from Thought about street tragedies in Philly. Other highlights are "Game Theory", "Dont Feel Right", "False Media", "Here I come" (which sounds very similar to Boom off the last album). Go out and buy this album now

A return to form
Game Theory captures the energy of the Roots' live shows, and is a welcome return to form following the patchy (yet still entertaining) Tipping Point. The album mixes the crisp beats and wordplay of Things Fall Apart with the ferocity and eclecticism of Phrenology. Importantly, the band have trimmed the fat from some of their more self-indulgenct work - no spoken word or avant garde jazz here, and no tracks outstays its welcome.

The resulting effort is a rewarding listen, buoyed by the return of Malik B and excellent guitar work from new member Captain Kirk, whose onstage antics were a highlight of last year's international shows. Black Thought also brings a renewed energy to his role as frontman of what is far and away the best hip hop band in the world.

Highlights include the fury and energy of In The Music and Here I Come, the shuffling, strangely compelling Baby, and the soulful, uplifting Long Time, which may be the catchiest Roots track since The Seed 2.0. The album also doesn't want for variety, with Livin' In The New World evoking the nerdy funk of Beck and the Beastie Boys and the languid Atonement built around a sample from Radiohead's You and Whose Army.

All in all, a beautiful and powerful album from hip hop's finest.

They're back
Anyone who knows their hip-hop knows that The Roots are a cornerstone of the genre in its most pure form. From their early days with Organix and Do You Want More? they established themselves as a truly homegrown, organic hip hop band and since have only put out quality records. Some fans criticised them with the release of their Phrenology album, saying they had begun to sound too commercial and polished, but really we know these Roots were and still are pushing boundaries and making the music they wanna make.

On that note, I'll just say: this album is killer. Their first album on DefJam (one of the founding father labels of hiphop) and in my opinion it at least matches any of their best works. The tracks flow together like a mixtape and showcase a great diversity between songs. My favourite songs on the album are In The Music (Malik B is back!!) and Long Time, but they're all so consistent it would be hard not to list the whole tracklist. A special mention goes to Atonement (track 12), because it samples 'You And Whose Army?' by Radiohead; my favourite band next to The Roots themselves.

In short, if you like music, go and buy this album. If you like real hip hop, well, you should have it already.