Roots Manuva Albums (5)
What The Critics Say
Roots Manuva has never lacked for critical respect from his British public -- a MOBO award for his debut, a Mercury nomination (and heavily favored to win) for his second -- but if he ever wished to crash the charts from Brooklyn to Bengal, 2005 was the year to do it. The success of British rap in general, and grime or Dizzee Rascal in particular, appeared to grant him the perfect point of entry into the greater world of pop music. The concept was even more perfect considering that the bashment style pioneered by Roots and his alter ego, producer Lord Gosh, was a natural fit for any Dizzee fans unaware of his hard-hitting, dubwise, digitalic work (which must have been an influence on a few grime producers). Instead, Roots Manuva decided to pull way back and record an introverted, questioning, occasionally angry album, one that studiously avoids the monster productions that propelled Run Come Save Me into the canon of great hip-hop albums. Early on, he proclaims what a term like British rap means to him: "I'm just a U.K. black making U.K. tracks/I've got love for every one of those scenes/and them pigeonholes will have nothing to hold me." Fans who see him squandering all of the inertia created by British rap's quick ascent to worldwide respect won't be excited by what they hear, but a few tracks do stand out. "A Haunting" conjures up the ghosts of his West Indies and African roots with a spectral horn line and nyahbinghi rhythms underneath a near-spoken-word reading. And in the closest track to his patented bashment style, "Chin High" rides a brutal tech bassline and stuttering electro effects to support a rap about the absurdity of machismo. Overall, Roots Manuva may have a lot to say during the verses, but when his choruses consist of little more than a repeated line shouted over and over ("Awfully Deep," "Too Cold"), listeners won't be hanging around long enough to decipher his rhymes. ~ John Bush, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
The perfect candidates for a dub album, rapper Roots Manuva and his alter-ego, producer Lord Gosh, prove they've got plenty of incredible productions up their sleeves, barely a year after Run Come Save Me earned plaudits as the best British LP of the year. Dub Come Save Me balances remixes of tracks from the album with altogether new songs, leading off with "Man Fi Cool," a glittering electro dub that's as impressive as anything he's done in the past. Shortly after comes "Revolution 5," yet another track it's hard to believe was ever left behind, the supernatural pairing of Roots Manuva with another of the deepest rhythmatic rappers in the business, Chali 2na from Jurassic 5. The dub versions are just as incredible, with a parade of speaker-rattling productions ("Highest Grade," "Styles") and a rubbery remix of "Dreamy Days" by another top British iconoclast, Super Furry Animals. Roots Manuva comes roaring back, though, with a synth-monster named "The Lynch," the perfect bed for another great performance. Fans of the single "Witness (I Manifest)" can rest assured that it's present here as well, in a suitably deconstructed dub that closes out the album. It's the rare dub/remix album that even comes close to the original; Dub Come Save Me nearly trumps the last one. ~ John Bush, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Just when the British hip-hop community seemed on its last legs, the victim of an over-powerful American marketing machine, Roots Manuva hit the stratosphere with his second record, the nearly Mercury prize-winning Run Come Save Me. A stunning record, it balanced the stark digital soul of British ragga with lurching beats, and Rodney Smith's star-making delivery and wide-ranging repertoire. "Witness (1 Hope)" earned its place as the best British rap single since Tricky's "Aftermath," while "Bashment Boogie," "Hol' It Up," and "Artical" were distinctive, hard-hitting, surprisingly groovy performances. As on his LP debut, Brand New Second Hand, Smith also spent time reflecting on his religious upbringing, with a distinctly unhumorous track ("Sinny Sin Sins," never mind the title) that dealt with his heavily disciplinarian father. And where the productions on debut sounded thin and tame, for Run Come Save Me he hit another level entirely with tracks by either Bennett or RM himself, whose Blow's Yard Studio quickly took its place next to New York's legendary D&D Studios as a home to distinctive underground rap. Roots Manuva handled every type of song with flowing confidence and a bemused air, whether it was a club jam or a message track. ~ John Bush, All Music Guide
'Brand New Second Hand'
Release Date 3/1/1999
Tracks 17
Label Big Dada
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
A bright moment for British rap, the debut album from Roots Manuva introduced a hip-hop chameleon boasting dark productions and a distinct style, plus much more to say than most rappers. Both his raps and his productions rely on ragga as a bed, but instead of leading the party, Roots Manuva used it to reflect on the world ("Strange Behaviour") and his religious background ("Baptism"), as well as play the usual game of the dozens ("Dem Phonies"). Also of interest is the devastating "Clockwork", originally released on the Ninja Tune label compilation Funkungfusion. If anything, these low-key , bass-heavy productions (some by the rapper himself) aren't able to convey Roots Manuva's lyrical finesse and thematic complexity. ~ John Bush, All Music Guide
