''on their sixth album, the roots backslide a bit on the creative promise they showed with 2002's 'phrenology'. instead of expanding into more ambitious and experimental areas--the way outkast has, for example--the roots tend to fall back to basics with vigorous, but ultimately conventional, lyricism.
there are definitely some truly great moments here: the album opens with near-magic on ''star,'' a mesmerizing song that is one of the finest of the group's career, and black thought is a one-man tour de force on ''boom!'' where he mimics big daddy kane and kool g rap down to their velour sweats.
but 'the tipping point' also has some of their blandest production ever, and, at 10 tracks (plus two hidden cuts), the compactness of the album makes the problem spots stand out more than usual. ''i don't care'' and ''duck down!'' in particular seem derivative and commercially tailored. the main thing missing here is an overall guiding concept, something the roots have never lacked before.'' - oliver wang
tracklist:
star/pointro 01
i don't care 02
don't say nuthin' 03
guns are drawn 04
stay cool 05
web 06
boom! 07
somebody's gotta do it 08
duck down! 09
why (what's goin on?) 10
your choice: get it easy/support the artist.
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