Phrenology

I do like some Rap/Hip-Hop, but this just wasn't for me, didn't really like it much at all. 5/10

I'm definitely not the audience for this album.

poco hip hopera...

Hip Hop style.

No Aesop Rock

No thank you

Ett par låtar jättebra, men hela albumet passar inte mig.

the seed + meh

It's rap...again...

Respect the artistry and talent with words but just couldn't get into it.

Een paar leuke nummers, maar niet goed genoeg voor 3 sterren. Sommige nummers lijken haast van die gare jazznummers, maar dan nog erger.

Not a fan.

Eric Clapton???? Why did he have to come for bro like that. During the interlude she says “prepare for 2 hours of ad free music” are you dumb? Album is an hour bud. Break you off sounds great, it’s a shame it’s about a guy trying to get a woman to cheat on her boyfriend. For me, that makes the song worse. Raping eric imminently.

I don’t like you get to be The Tonight Show band and pretend your hard

1. Phrentrow (★☆☆☆☆) 2. Rock You (★⯨☆☆☆) -Yiia nigga, yi, yi, yia... yi-yi-yiia, yiayiayia... 3. !!!!!!! (⯨☆☆☆☆) 4. Sacrifice (★⯨☆☆☆) -Se me hizo eterna... 5. Rolling With Heat (★⯨☆☆☆) 6. Thought @ Work (⯨☆☆☆☆) 7. Thought @ Work (★★★⯨☆) 8. The Seed (2.0) (★★★⯨☆) 9. Break You Off (★★⯨☆☆) 10. Water (★★⯨☆☆) -Larguísima, insoportablemente larga, aunque interesante, parece vacía, con más pretensión de lo que logra, quizás la marihuana le pegó mal y dejó grabando por 10 minutos, y se olvidó de editar, lo que explicaría este álbum de mierda para variar... 11. Quills (★⯨☆☆☆) -Yiia, yi-yi-yiia... 12. Pussy Galore (★☆☆☆☆) -Pusi, yia yia, yi-yi-yiia, mo mo, momo pu, momomomo pupu, pusipusipusipusi... yi-yi yiiiaaa niggaaa 13. Complexity (★⯨☆☆☆) 14. Something In The Way Of Things (In Town) (★☆☆☆☆) 15. Rhymes And Ammo (★☆☆☆☆) 16. Thirsty! (★⯨☆☆☆) -TOTAL = ★⯨☆☆☆ (1,6) -Es un 1, uno-uno-uno, YI-YI-YI YIIIAA NIGGGAA

way too long and a lot of it felt irrelevant to me

Maybe 25 years ago, but not today

Not really for me. Not something I would normally listen to. Quite monotonous in delivery. Sparse musically. Thanks for trying. I gave up 3/4 of the way through

As I have said before I don't mind a bit of rap done well, as in not like this. This was that special type of (c)rap spelt with a silent 'c'. Didn't enjoy it really 1

Another 70 minutes of hip-hop. Just because of "The Seed", "Complexity" and "Rhymes And Ammo" I wanted to give it the two stars, but "Water", "Something In The Way Of Things" and "Thirsty!" destroy it completely for me. 1,5

Nope. Not for me. Also, if your album is in this list, but it's mostly collaborations with other artists, you'll get marked down. This was almost entirely collaborations, and was still shit.

Not for me.

Not a fan of this style of rap. The album started ok and then it headed down real quick, not to mention way too long.

Hoppar över...

rap album? crap album!

I would like to say this was good but it wasn’t. It was actually awful, musically. I felt annoyed listening to this.

Shit

Didn't enjoy.

Never liked this one.

dot

headache inducing, how people can like this stuff is way beyond me. I think as a genre its over represented on this list. I seem to get this crap at least once a week

Before: I don't think I've ever heard of the album or the artist. I'm wondering if it's going to be rap. I'm apprehensive. During: Yep, it's rap or I guess more accurately, hip-hop or neo-soul?. "!!!!!!!" is ok, but it's not rap. After: I found three tracks to be OK: "!!!!!!!" , "Thought @ Work", and "The Seed (2.0)". I might rate them a 2 or 3, the rest I would rate a 1. I could not relate to most of the lyrics and most of the music was not enjoyable or interesting to me. I give it a solid 1.

Built on sharp live band instrumentation that shifts between *hip-hop*, rock-inflected riffs, neo-soul smoothness, and experimental detours, **Phrenology** reaches for innovation but frequently unravels into muddled ambition; the vocal delivery remains confident, yet the lyrical focus slips through uneven transitions. Experiencing this hip-hop album felt like tracing a cranial bump and being assured it reveals artistic genius—only to realize it’s merely the bruise of overextension rather than a true sign of brilliance, a misread impact dressed up as insight.

Definitely feels early 2000s, I never liked this era of music. I can't tell if it's because it doesn't sound quality (well-done/well-recorded) or if it's just the vibe of how the music was then. Especially as it relates to rap and hip-hop music. Not for me.

Very ordinary. Nothing surprising, rewarding, or innovative. Drums too loud.

Meh

There's like 2 songs that I kinda enjoyed, but that doesn't make up for the other songs that are all kinda trash

You've gotta be kidding me with this crap.

1.5

*No music, just noise and RAP

It's almost like a punk album in how the tracks are laid out. I generally like the Roots but this album is not one of their works I like.

Still don't like rap

Says nothing to me about my life, Weapons, violence, drugs, wealth, expensive cars, parties, beautiful young women and lots of sex. 😭

I came in with high hopes and an open mind. This album is an hour-long snooze fest with most tracks being twice as long as they should be. Water drags on for almost 11 minutes, seriously!?? Thirsty is a decent, tight, and energetic closer after the auditory swamp I’d just finished wading through. From an objective point of view, the album is quite well arranged. However, there are certainly better conscious rap albums out there, and I have heard good things about The Roots previous album Things Fall Apart, but Phrenology just isn’t it for me. 2/10

Not enough changes within songs.its less than fine but not bad, per se

Hip hop again. When I heard the scratching in the first track, I thought it might be different this time. But that idea was quickly disproved. I listened to two more tracks. It was the usual hip hop crap. I don't need it. 1/5

Really not my vibe, but it's also way too long. Would never listen to what I did again, nor would I come back to finish the rest.

garbage

Not available on Apple Music

This is not for me.

someone pls tell men that anger is also an emotion

I dont really like this song. When i think of hiphop this isint really what i imagined. Its mostly the lyrics throwing me off.

Song: the seed this song is very weird i do not really like it Song: Water this song is okay i have no idea what it is talking about but i guess it is good i really do not recommend this song Song: break you off this is very weird and i dont really like this album and this album is to long i think it is like a 1 star

I don't like this album because its not a song I would listen too and I just don't like it the lyrics are kinda weird I wouldn't listen to it on a Dailey basics the second song I kinda like it it has a nice vibe to it so I kinda like it its somthing I would listen too the third song I don't like becasue it sounds weird and its not something I would listen too

the first song was bad I didn't like the music or anything the lyrics were bad oms like hello what r these songs when are the good songs gonna come on. the second song is alr the beat is okay ig n the lyrics r weird like oms I do not like these. the last song weird to I do not like it I don like da beat or the instruments or anything 0

Not my type of music. Some of the instrumental sections and singing was nice, but overall the rap ruined anything good about it for me.

Mülltonne kann gleich offen bleiben! Weg damit!

Das zweite Rapalbum in Reihe. Ich bin wirklich kein Fan davon.

No to Rap. I try to listen, but just can’t.

The Good: Who doesn’t like a nice bit of phrenology? The Bad: Turns out that, according to phrenology, I don’t like rap… The Ugly: Just like phrenology is considered a pseudoscience, this album contains pseudomusic!!! Dear diary, what have I done to deserve this? my last 6 albums were, in order from oldest to newest reviewed, 1* 1* 1* 1* 2* 1*, and now I get this… I really tried finding stuff that I would like on the album, yet most of the time I could only think “why are they trying so hard to be something, instead of just being something?” I heard some almost blatant Prince rip-off, go listen to the song The Ladder (from the album Around the World In a Day) Then there’s the obvious “we’re from the hood too” shit that I just can’t stand Plus, I keep seeing that stupid Jimmy Fallon bobbin’ his head in line with the beat to show he’s got street credit too! Also, I HATE DRUM MACHINES… So, here’s to me praying for some actual music to show up tomorrow… even if it’s Taylor Swift… 1*

Garbage

Why?

My main takeaway was that this album is repetitive, monotone, bland. The bass synth + electronic percussion combo in Rock You, hitting beats 1 and 2 of every bar for three minutes, gets old really fast. Not my thing. Many of the tracks can be described in an extremely similar fashion, including Thought @ Work, Water, and Quills. Then there are complete flop songs like Pussy Galore (what?), Rock You, and the weak album closer Thirsty. I think it's pretty telling that the most popular tracks on the album (by Spotify listens) are those with clear-cut vocal melodies, instrumental hooks, strong backing vocals, and less focus on monotone, clichéd rap delivery. It's obvious what listeners want, and The Roots seemingly covers their ears and sings (raps) "la-la-la, I can't hear you" after their first four studio albums to arrive at this mild train wreck with a couple of scattered gems. One thing I'll give props for: the track transitions, particularly between an interlude and the following track, are darn smooth. I also find it pretty funny that The Roots brought in Ursula Rucker for the 20-second opening track, and she doesn't appear anywhere else on the 67-minute record. I'm stealing a comment from another reviewer because it sums up most of my view about this album (and many other 90s/00s hip-hop records): "This was a real slog. Overlong, half acerbic and irritating rap, half bland nu-soul, neither very good. Black Thought's voice and lyrics are pretty uninteresting, and the "it's a real band" conceit leaves little room for innovative (or even catchy) samples or effects." 1/5 Key tracks: Sacrifice, The Seed (2.0), Break You Off

Horrible

p889. 2002. 1 star. Pretentious, foul mouthed obnoxious (c)rap.

Not for me

It's an odd collection of songs, with discord and crackpot tinkering that's not often explored this much on rap records. Some of the featured artists bring a bit of character to it. It's an album that I think struggles to know what it is. Just as Mowgli could hang with the wolf pack, but was better off in the man village, The Roots definitely have impressive Hip Hop credentials, but in my opinion, are better off as Jimmy Fallon's house band. I can hear Goodie Mob, Outkast, Saul Williams, it's kind of cool, but ultimately too busy, and a bit too long. I want to like The Roots, but their USP of experimentation, an ever-evolving lineup, and multiple instruments, just never turns into anything I enjoy. I'm hoping their earlier albums pop up in this list and pleasantly surprise me.

Not really much. Not so terribly boring. But also not really interesting

деградация.

It's The Roots! And ... I didn't like it. There may be a couple of songs that actually sound like songs on here, but I just don't like or understand rap. I know - but they are on The Tonight Show. Maybe I like 'em there because it's Mostly just the band?

Eugh

Some "songs" (what do you call it when it's a repetitive beat with someone talking over the top with little relationship to the music) consist of a beat with someone talking in that earnest, angry fashion. Some of them have a bit of tinkling over the repetitive beat while someone talks earnestly. Some of them even have a background singer, which is so wimpy it gets lost. All of it is soul-numbingly boring. Oh yes. He likes saying that word because he's obviously cool. There is plenty of hip-hop with variation and musicality that deserves to be on this list. This doesn't.

1/5

Skipped through it.

Das ist unerträglich

Every single song had an E next to it

Nicht meine Musik

noisy crap. 1 ok song. skipped everything.

I really shouldn’t read reviews of albums before I listen to them. Did that with this and knew it would be rubbish to my ears. It didn’t disappoint - utter crap! Nothing at all in it of interest to me.

Not for me. Not into angry rap

I still hate Rap and Hip Hop! It’s terrible. Total shit.

Überhaupt nicht mein Geschmack... nur Rhytmus und sinnfreier Spechgesang ... laaaaaangweilig

lyrics at times were very crude. The sound was pretty decent, but hard to rate very high in my view.

Not a fan of the genre. Didn't like this.

Minimal talent here.

pass

Hip Hop. 1/5

All rap artists seemed to evolve in the early 2000s into something I do not enjoy. The roots in the 90s are a group I love, sad to see that they fell to the pop inspired rap that became the norm in that era.

Hann bara lyssna på dom första två låtarna o det var icke bra

Bad!!!

Volkomen kudt

Soft Hip-Hop? Boring.

God this one was tiresome. Too boring and repetitive. “Rock You” was just the same 1-second beat repeated for 3 minutes. A couple songs had good hooks, but they got old before the song was over. Sometimes I can tolerate hip hop but man was this one a chore for me 1.5

I fear I didn't give this one as fair of a shake as I should have, since I'm rushing a bit trying to catch up by doing two a day. I didn't really vibe with it as is common with hip hop albums for me. I'm trying! Just need to find one with interesting music in the background.

1 - Porquería

Not for me thanks.

Nup

no rap pls

Not a rap fan, and this album did nothing to change that

don't like the style, but is a good album

Just really not my thing very nostalgic sound

nope

Wow I hate this a lot and I'm only writing this whilst listening to track 2. Track 1 is probably my fave as it's only 20s long and a considerable part of that is silence. Thoughts @ Work is sampling the incredible bongo band, which I only know because of this 1001 albums list and that made me chuckle!

Nope!!!! F

"The Seed" had a nice musical hook to it: the only thing that will get me to listen to crap like this.

Experimental and incoherent. Tried this a few times but very little memorable or remarkable.

I wasn't a fan of rap before this and I certainly didn't leave this album with any more of a desire to explore the genre. I mean I enjoyed the 20-second intro which fades into the first song but after that, these songs just seem to be the same beat over and over. Would really listen again...

lol

couldn't do it. Don't see the attraction.

“The album is named after the discredited pseudoscience of phrenology, the study of head shapes.” Excluding the recently discovered “pammy” head.

Nah

I listened to a bit and it wasn't my thing. Sometimes I can appreciate rap when the background music is more interesting and I can better understand what they're actually saying, but this didn't really have that.

awful

got to the third track. Not for me.

Not for me

Parece conceptual, no me he parado a entender la letra...

ble stressa og agitated

No

Not a fan of the music

the roots. rap. enough said.. 1 stjärna

Hip hop, rap Y Así me dan harta hueva

Not bad, but nothing great. Definitely forgettable to me, a not-so-fan of rap. Didn't finish.

2/10

Up tempo. Good to workout to (specifically Thought @ Work).

Ingen stor The Roots-fan

.

Continua super atual. Super bem produzido, do início ao fim. Dá pra colocar pra tocar quando tiver visita ou tiver que impressionar alguém. Reconheci "The Seed" da época de adolescente.