11. Hol' It Up

It should be easier to review good albums. But unfortunately it isn't. Either it's hard to find the right words, that represent the bliss that the album is giving you, the pleasure, or the almost present tears of joy, a record is able to instill in you. So you struggle over the computer or a blank piece of paper, and nothing seems right, and everything seems very untempting. It's just too obvious for you that this album is good, or even great, and that makes it hard for you to understand how others still have to be convinced.

Now the Roots Manuva album "Run Come Save Me" is such a case. We got it a whole while ago, and from the first few times that we cranked it in the urbansmarts.com offices, it was clear that we had something special in our hands. We were hyped, we were impressed, we felt the beauty of the music created, we had found a strong contender for the album of the year title. And we let the world know, posting about it on message boards, chasing down Roots to interview him, just feeling blessed to have Roots share this music with us. But the words we were able to post were just short, they however boiled it down to the essential: "The album is great. You need to get it". It was appropriate to share the information in such a condensed way with our friends, but strangers are more doubtful, and so a review can't be just reduced to such a simple statement.

That's why I am sitting here now, listening to this album for quite possibly the 70th time. And about half the time "Dreamy Days" ends up in repeat, it playing one time after the other, for many times in a row. And while I consider this to be the best song on the album, I know that waxfactor (the guy that interviewed Roots Manuva) disagrees. But as said, we both think very highly of this record, and I'm pretty sure we both have a hard time to communicate this fact. We are being drawn into a quiet square, and stuck there, where we'd rather listen than write.

As already "No Strings (Intro)" is a moment that is giving us an awkward feeling of knowing that this might just be more than the regular. With strings being pulled down from the gifted hands of miracles, the sound is rich, and the quality is pure. It's almost like we have been listening to tab water and are now enjoying Evian. And while the vibe is quickly changing, with sonic adventures like "Bashment Boogie", Roots is progressing from plush environments to do hyped and mashing efforts like "Witness (One Hope)" (don't miss the enormously funny video too), the first single, that's giving us an incredible beat, along with Roots typical riddim rhyming. And teaming up with the reversed mirror image Chali 2na, "Join The Dots" is an effort that sounds like these two people are meant to rhyme together. So when we return to another pillow track, it being "Ital", we are in desperate need for the adrenaline to decrease some notches. The intense lyrical content about unseen hands of influence, make it impossible for this to be a relaxing track. And then the pace is already picking up on "Kicking The Cack".

On the more obscure tip we get "Dub Styles", where a marching beat is pushing forward the eclectic offering. This features an almost Biz Markie chorus, with the rest of the track being equally comical. This even gets a sequel, as "Trim Body" is an elaboration, with babbled words taking this concept an entity further. Also "Artical" sounds like a second interpretation of same thoughts, as this is done in the Roots Manuva V2.0 style, with the sonic booms and bips. Things then get rather odd, with a bleepy sound playing a simple key line, a bass that could've been lifted off some electronic dub, it providing the background for "Hol' It Up", a track that features some UK brethren, mingling well with Roots' smoke clouds, an occurrence, that is also opted to be talked about. Church keyboard organs and an interesting drum pattern are the elements that "Stone The Crows" is building much of its duration on. Here Roots is addressing the inner demons, rethinking happenings, adjusting his opinion and attitude. This track then is followed by the right, and the most personal track "Sinny Sin Sins", where the relationship of Roots and his father is discussed. The honesty and personal deepness is putting him very out there into the open and easy to attack from 360 angles. And there's little protection coming from the beat, that is moving like mist, providing little to hide behind, but much to add a mystical dimension.

"Evil Rabbit" is continuing the sub chapter of this album, as there's the third to a triple effort of tracks touching upon related topics. The guitar is making this sound like someone redeeming, or being punished for not doing it quick enough. With "Swords In The Dirt" we are somewhat returning to a straighter talking style though, as the beat is still insane, but the lyrics seem less essentialist, and the song is shared with guests, taking it beyond a single person exhibition. The second to last track is "Highest Grade", where the stuffing of their paper turkey is discussed, and the effects it has on the consuming person. And well, then we get to "Dreamy Days", the second single, and the track that is the last nail in the coffin of all those that didn't wanna like this album. Again very honest in what it talks about, speaking about everyday, common troublings, it's not even just the beat that makes this the enormous song that it is. The beat that features all those strings, the simply, but somewhat so much depth having singing, just doesn't get much better than this.

And so we still managed to review this album, were able to put some praise in words, and forwarding them to you, hoping they fall on ground that believes in these sentences.