Phrenology is an ancient psychological theory that claims that individual qualities and properties can be traced back to the shape of the skull. For the hip-hop band The Roots it is a handy coat rack to hang the many musical and textual ideas on. The band is not only distinguished by unusual album titles. By concentrating on performances, instead of relying on production techniques, the band, fifteen
… years after its foundation in 1987, is still considered an outsider in the hip-hop scene. This album, their sixth already, sounds like a normal hip-hop album when you listen briefly. On closer inspection, The Roots again appears to be able to give this type of music, originally based on samples and drum computers, a certain added value. Unfortunately, these nicely played grooves do not always give rise to memorable songs, which means that despite prominent guest appearances from Jill Scott, Nelly Furtado and Talib Kweli, Phrenology is not able to captivate the full length. (MS)more
