In an era of overdone rap meets rock, Taproot’s debut, Gift, is a refreshing take on the whole scene. Shying away from the standard format of rhyming on top of thick grooves, Taproot has instead opted to blend the Adrenaline-era Deftones’ sound with a youthful vocal style that leans more toward the melodic than the aggressive. It’s an enticing combination that got Fred Durst’s attention a while back, but the sellout guru has since changed his mind on this exciting foursome’s future. They signed on with Atlantic and have since landed a spot on Ozzfest, where their sound will reach the masses among the many fine groups on this year’s lineup.
The album’s first track, “Smile”, has a pounding groove that quickly evaporates into a whirling combo of fury and urgency. It’s emotionally driven aggro that sways between the serenity of Steve Richards’ vocals and a smooth and rounded heavy sound. “Emotional Times” is as atmospheric as it is punishing. The transitions between thick riffs and elegantly twisted noodling come easy for the band. “Now” starts off happy with lyrics like “I’m so me around you,” but quickly turns into a pummeling barrage of noise and anger demanding attention ‘Now!’. “Mirror’s Reflection” is up and down hysterics that fall into the rap pattern, but it quickly turns the corner to the pseudo-pop sound that vocalist Steve Richards seems to be so bent on. It’s heavy alternative rock that stands out from the Limp-Korn-Roach genre, and offers a quality vision of what a steady progression through the times will do to any band willing to try.
Although Taproot will get lumped in with all the others, they definitely have a more alternative appeal, kind of like the Deftones’ latest album. Gift is not the standard formatted album that many are putting out today; they’re looking to break the mold of monotony in the rap’n’rock arena. And just like the Deftones did, Taproot may have found their niche just outside of it.
+ rick hinkson
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.