Some Songs Considered

“Game Theory” – The Roots f/ Malik B.
(Words/music: Malik B., Khari Mateen, and The Roots, available on Game Theory, Def Jam 2006) 

No one will ever question the Roots’ chops as musicians, nor should they.  However, I wonder if their consistent prowess gets them taken for granted.  They always put meticulous thought into the performance and sequence of their albums, and now as Jimmy Fallon’s late night house band, they are on TV five nights a week backing musicians ranging from Christopher Cross to Public Enemy.  Even ?uestlove’s Twitter account reflects his immense understanding of music history and ear for tunes, as he constantly shares deep cuts many haven’t heard and offers off-the-cuff “lectures” ranging from production minutia to a thumbnail sketch of his band’s catalog.  Continued brilliance defines genius, but it also makes it easy to accept brilliance as commonplace and let appreciation lapse into acceptance. 

This thought ran through my head over the last week as I listened to the new Roots album How I Got Over at least a dozen times in a variety of settings.  It’s the same thing I’m hearing this afternoon, granted in a harder tone, as Game Theory fills the air.  Their recordings manage one of the trickiest balancing acts – minding the tiny details without sacrificing the song’s “big picture.”  Every bit of the track, whether the snap out of half time when the rhyming begins or the timbre and level of the organ peppered throughout the verses, feels perfectly positioned and performed.  Even with a band as good as the Roots, this isn’t a one-take track.  Still, this degree of attention to drum sounds and integrating samples might get in the way of the track’s overall feel, yet the Roots always manage to retain the same intensity they exude as a live band.  I can lose myself in the specific sounds in one of their tracks as easily as I can absorb the beat and bob my head along to it.  This versatility may seem effortless, but it’s also elusive, and few ever reach that level once, let alone at the frequency the Roots find it.

More on The Roots: Allmusic | Amazon MP3 | Emusic | Last.fm

“Go Crazy (Remix)” – Young Jeezy with Jay-Z
(Words/music: D. Cannon, J.L. Jenkins, B. Krass, C. Mayfield, available on Let’s Get It: Thug Motivation 101 – Deluxe Edition, Def Jam 2005)

Two things stand out in this remix of “Go Crazy.”  The first is the beat – built around a sample of Curtis Mayfield’s “(Man, Oh Man) I Want to Go Back,” this track feels like a lot of the soul based sampling from the middle of the decade.  The thing that makes it unique is the way the beat flows – it’s a half-time beat but those drum rolls make it feel like an off-centered washing machine.  It still moves in time, but half of the bar feels heavier than the other.  Between this odd beat and the hazy use of the sample, producer Don Cannon creates a surreal feel to the song.  Jeezy’s verse locks right into the beat, making the drums sound like they’re embellishing around his steadiness.  It works perfectly with Jeezy’s style – one that I’ve always felt works better rhythmically than it does lyrically.

Of course, the “Go Crazy” remix benefits from having Jeezy’s then boss Jay-Z on the track.  It’s not Jay’s best verse nor his best guest verse, but his presence commands attention.  I first heard this track on the radio and had no idea that Jay was on it, so when he emerged it almost sounded like a daydream.  Still, even if Jay sleepwalks slightly through the track, he still drops a few gems.  As a baseball fan, I’ve always loved the “more than the relief pitcher, I’m the closer / the Mariano of the Mariott” line.  If guest verses are like bringing in a relief pitcher to finish it off, bringing Jay-Z in for a verse would be like handing the ball to Mariano Rivera to close out the game.

More on Young Jeezy: Allmusic | Amazon MP3 | Emusic | Last.fm