Customer Reviews

Gift

5 star:		(83)
4 star:		(31)
3 star:		(9)
2 star:		(11)
1 star:		(12)

 

 

My first experience with taproot was one of their earlier discs, which i ripped mp3s off my friend. At the time when limp bizkit and korn were just beginning their stardom, i was sure this band was going to hit it big. Emotional lyrics, crunching riffs rolled over into a spellbinding package and thats what you get with taproot. Emocore at its best. The comparasins to staind and deftones will come up, but they are too vague to be clearly justified. These guys are the real deal, so go pick this disc up. My personal favorite songs are as follows:

Again and Again = different from the promo version, the vocals and the guitar have been tuned more to sound smoother and heavier, while and intro has been added to build intensity leading into the song. Request this on the radio guys, these guys deserve to be brought to the masses.

2. 1 Nite Stand - Amazing song, displaying vocalist steve richards rap creds, also his vocal range. This song starts out mellow, then explodes into mayheim. Perfect Mosh song.

3. I: One of their new studio cuts, definitely worth taking a listen to. Such a powerful message. Also reflects how steven needs his friends now more than ever, "I need support behind my back to help me spit it out, I need to win I cant afford to blow this one"

4. Comeback - My personal favorite song. Starts out really trancy, then periodically erupts , then tones down, then explodes. An old deftones trick, but these guys do it in style and with enough intensity.

Fred Durst must be kicking himself after hearing how good these guys are. They will take you by storm and leave you screaming for more. A sure fire hit.

OTHER BANDS TO CHECK OUT: Deftones, Staind, Glassjaw, Apartment 86, Finger Eleven, Chevelle, Boiler Room, Zao, Orange 9mm and The Deadlights.

...Because this one's truly a 'gift'. Now this is the type of debut that a lot of bands would wish for... I'd first heard about Taproot right here on amazon by merely thumbing through some of Robert L. Thompson III's reviews of various titles, not to mention a recommendation from a family member. Call it fate or something that the exact same day I so happen to stumble across 'Gift' in the music store the for 10 bucks. I bought it, popped it into the CD player and played it. First few listens weren't bad. First impressions of Taproot were just another angst ridden aggro' band in a market that's flooded with this style of music currently. However, after further listening, the group comes off as more than just `something special'. The lead singer (haven't learned his name yet) has a excellent ear hooking voice with an uncanny ability of combining screams of rage with melody in a loosely innovative style like none other. Which makes the band easily dismissed of the comparisons to Staind, and (pains me to even mention his name, Limp Bizkit front man Fred Durst. Along with the great voice work, another plus to 'Gift' are the lyrics. Well written, laced with emotion and superior to anything else of this genre. A simple equation for success that so many bands lack these days.

Nevertheless, as good Taproot's debut is, it's far from flawless. Their biggest shortcomings are found (not hard to notice) in their instruments. The drumming is well more than above average, which is good AND bad. Reason being, because the guitar work isn't quite up with it. The riffs that they crank out are slightly flat, lacking substance in progression and variation. In addition to that point, the licks are nearly identical in every song. Which might and already has brought about the argument that Taproot's songs in general all sound the same. Even for myself, the tracks didn't start to distinguish, and stand out from each other until after a few plays.

Needless to say, with just a couple of 'new band imperfections', Taproot is STILL a gem, nearly as good as the first by Slipknot. Listen to `Gift', it brings great difficulty when trying to remove it from the CD player. Already itching to see what these guys do next, if they polish up the rough edges, they will grow from being a really good band, to a great one.

Of all of the underground bands that I have had the pleasure of becoming exposed to, Taproot is one of the few bands to have really grabbed my attention and make me breathless. Needless to say, I was anxiously awaiting the major-label debut of Taproot's "Gift", after wearing out their demo CD "Upon Us". "Gift" is definitely one of the best albums to have come out in the new millennium destroying sound barriers within its wake.

To bestow labels upon Taproot's music would be a travesty since they do not fall under any certain genre. Inevitably they will be labeled as another rap-core band or the next in a long line of bands to follow on the heels of Korn or the Deftones, which in the end will not give credit to what Taproot has created. Their music is incredibly heavy and aggressive, yet infused with melody and emotional power, accented by enough experimentation within their sound to give the music a distinct edge. Driving riffs, devastating groove-oriented bass, ever changing drum effects, and a dash of programming creates a contrasting sound of light and dark, heavily induced tempo-laden journeys of sonic aggression. The flow and depth of the music is masterful with intelligent song structures that are constantly changing, yet never missing a step, taking the listener on a never-ending thrill ride.

As with any band in the music industry today, it is the presence and charisma of the lead singer that determines whether a band is just another wannabe or a band that is on a level of greatness. In Taproot's case, they are definitely a band on the verge of greatness as "Gift" unleashes the vocal talents of the gifted Stephen Richards. His ability to sing melodically, rap, and unleash some hardcore screams, switching gears seamlessly, is just simply amazing. He voices his lyrics in a very emotional manner that is touching, even frightening and in the end will simply leave the listener breathless. The interplay between the music and vocals is expertly handled while the lyrics themselves are simple, yet have an aura of mysticism about them. In the end, Richards will only mature into something even more astounding.

The album "Gift" is almost like a compilation CD containing tracks from their earliest demo, to their last demo, and also some new material. If you are new to Taproot, this will not be a problem, as every song will amaze you. However, if you have already heard of Taproot or own a demo, you may be disappointed, as this album does not contain enough new material. Nevertheless, every song on the CD is a lesson in what really amazing music is all about. Older songs like "Comeback", "Mirror's Reflection", "Believed" "Again & Again" and "Mentobe" have all been reworked, sounding tighter and louder than ever. You will also notice that the older songs are also the only songs that really have any rapping involved with the exception of "Again & Again", which is a radio-friendly song and ironically the first single. One good thing about the older songs is that they have all been reworked to sound heavier and darker, rather than lighter sounding and more mainstream to appease the masses, which is greatly appreciated. If you have been exposed to their older music you can definitely tell the differences compared to their new material. Songs like "Smile", "Emotional Times", "I" and all of the other newer material is much more melodic, yet edgier and darker, very heavy. The growth between their older material and newer material is astounding and leaves me expecting even greater accomplishments from Taproot within the coming future.

Taproot is a band that will soon become a household name. Not because of publicity or hype but mainly because they create amazing heartfelt music for the fans. Add to that an amazing live show that must be experienced to believe and their down to earth approach to their inevitable fame, Taproot is definitely headed in the right direction. In the end, "Gift" will astound you in more ways than one and leave you simply wanting more. Other emerging underground acts: Slaves On Dope, Professional Murder Music, Sicboy, Vent, Dredg, Perfect Nothing, LeFt, Trapt, and From Zero.

I had heard some Taproot before this on samplers and independent releases that I picked up on line to concerts but this CD was my first real chance to hear them shine.

The CD kicks off with a song called "Smile" which is strikingly similar to Korn when they were in their prime. The song is amazing and was a great choice for the first track.

"Again and Again" is the next song and this is Taproot's best known song. It will also be their first single. It was a bit different then the version I had heard. A new intro was put on it and it added a lot to the song. The lyrics were also far more professional sounding. It is another amazing song.

"Mirror's Reflection" is another remarkable song. It has also been touched up big time. It has a great new beginning and the vocals are touched up big time. Some of the lyrics from "Fear To See" (which is not on the CD) were also added to the song.

"Dragged Down" is a song unlike the rest of Taproot's. It is emotionally charged and to me sounds a lot like something that Staind would do. The lyrics are real good and this was my personal favorite song on the CD.

Another song that caught my eye was "Comeback". The vocals sound a lot like those of Limp Bizkit front man Fred Durst...a man who has had his problems with Taproot. I found that pretty interesting. This showed me how multi dimensional Steve Richard's (the lead singer) is.

The last track is called "Impact" and it is a great track. A real solid way to finish off a flawless CD.

This is one of the few CD's that I was able to listen to start to finish without thinking about hitting the fast forward button. None of the songs are "duds" but I was disappointed that they left out my favorite song; "Shine". I would have to recommend this CD strongly to fans of Tool, Deftones, Vision of Disorder, Staind, and Korn.

All I gotta say is, this band is awesome! I've had this CD since the day it was released, listen to it all the time and never get tired of it I've been a true Taproot fan ever since. Can't say that about many bands!. Their CD "Gift" is more than a 5 star CD. There is not one song that isn't good. They are awesome in show. I play guitar a lot, and for the first time, there are songs on a CD that i just can't figure out because they are so difficult (not to mention they kick total a$$). They have been my favorite band since i heard "Now". I can't even describe the energy you can get just by listening to it. The vocals are so awesome & very aggressive, I wish I could sing like Stephen Richards. I've seen Stephen sing Mirror's Reflection and it's incredible. Nothing is faked. His emotion is real. He is definitely the stand out on this album, its rare to see guys who can really carry a tune so well he rivals Aaron Lewis in my opinion (who is the best singer next to Maynard but no one will ever touch Maynard). Their sound is really heavy. As long as the band can keep the honesty in their music, they'll be around for a long time. The conveyance of strong emotions on either side is incredible and the music really gets through to you. Also check out Stephen Richards guest appearance on "Plastic" (Reveille's 2nd album "bleed the skY"). And Faith No More's Tribute album which will release on February 2002 featuring some of the greatest bands nowadays including Taproot. Taproot will be singing "Ricochet".

There are few things i wanna say about Stephen Richards, i saw his interview, he is very funny, he likes to play Duke Nukem, his favorite babe is Cindy Margolis, he hates Fred Durst, his favorite bands are Boy Hits Car, Vast, Quicksand, Snapcase & Primus. He is pretty much inspired by Deftones & KoRn. Other great bands to check out are Darwin's Waiting Room, Boy Hits Car, Primer 55, Corporate Avenger, Our Lady Peace, Matthew Good Band, Finger Eleven, Methods Of Mayhem, Pig & Snot.

I bought this album after hearing one track, again and again, and after reading various articles about the band and within a week i fell in love with the album. 'Gift' combines heavy riffs, melodic bass lines, nu metal beats and stephen richards heartfelt lyrics to create a fresh and unique sound. It may be put under the unfortunate catagory of 'nu metal' but dont write taproot off as another rap metal boy band as this album certainly suggests otherwise. 'Gift' contains fantastic mosh worthy tracks such as 'mentobe' and 'again and again', aswell as emotioal heartfelt tracks such as 'mirrors reflection' and 'now', a tribute to stephens girlfriend nikki. This album is a rollercoaster ride of happiness, sadness, anger and deceit. Standout tracks 'emotional times' and 'Smile' certainly have future single hopes. This a striking debut for any band and if you do not own this album already then I strongly advise it, you wont be disapointed. This is new age metal at its best.

When I first got word of Taproot, it was the fact that they were to be on the Ozzfest 2000 bill. I decided to look into them here on Amazon. I was skeptical at first. I gave in and bought it, and after one spin in the cd player i was still unsure.

After a few plays I was completely blown away. In my opinion they are pretty original. The singers emotional content is simply amazing. He can go from yelling and then quickly burst into actual singing.

If I was to compare the singing, I would say it most resembles my favorite band Staind. I think the guitars resemble that of Coal Chamber. Dont get me wrong, the last thing Taproot is, is a clone. My personal favorites are #4 Now, and I.

Just for references, my personal favorite bands are Staind, Static-X, Godsmack, Coal Chamber, Disturbed, and Tool.

Just give this cd a try, you wont be dissappointed.

I am a big fan of all music, but primarily heavier rock. I like Limp Bizkit, Korn, System of a Down, Spineshank, Slipknot, and mellower stuff like Incubus and 311. Taproot sound a lot like 311 meets Deftones... They have the heavy music style of Deftones, but the singer (Steve) has great vocals, so he sings and screams...

I bought this CD today and cannot stop listening to it. Again and Again and Mirror's Reflection are my two favorite songs as of right now.

By the way this is also the band that started the big controversy between Limp Bizkit and System of A Down on the Family Values Tour issue when Limp kicked SOAD off..IT was because Taproot signed with SOAD's label and not Fred's.. Anyways, I highly recommend the CD. They are a great new band and will only get bigger.

Enjoy

This year saw and will see a lot of debuts from Papa Roach, Disturbed, Linkin Park, Mudvayne and countless other nu-metal names, but this band is by far the most attention getting one out there.

Instead of sticking to the normal formula, this band uses a lot more atmospheric sounds in songs like "Believed" and "Smile." The first single, "Again & Again" contains what the band refers to as a "queef" at the beginning of it, which hints torwards the electronics that are mildly displayed through this album, the song is energetic, bold and is the perfect song to introduce Taproot to everyone. "Mirror's Reflection" is a more diverse song with a bit of rapping shown, but not so much as "Believed" does, where Steve Richards outdoes Fred Durst in anyway imaginable. My favorite however, is "Dragged Down" which undoubtedly has the best lyrics on the album, it is heavy, but still sensitive at the same time. "Impact" is the best way to end the album, with a high impact (no pun intended.)

The influences of this band are probably endless, I'm guessing Deftones, Tool, and a bit of NIN and maybe even a bit of Jon Davis' signature "whine" thrown in there. All in all a great GREAT album. You simply cannot go wrong with Taproot. Fred Durst was an idiot to let this band slip through his fingers.

When Gift was first released my friend got the CD and played it all the time....so much so that both of us got sick of it and he eventually threw it away. Fast forward to about three months ago and I'm sitting in the autitorium about to watch Staind (my favorite band) throw it down and Taproot gets up to open. I wasn't expecting much but they blew me away. The next day I went and bought all three of their CD's and I have to say that Gift is just as great the second time around. 'SMILE' opens things perfectly and 'IMPACT' closes out the same...but it was and still is the single 'AGAIN & AGAIN' that just gets my blood pumping. 'NOW' and 'I' and my personal favorite 'MENTOBE' just rock everytime...songs like 'EMOTIONAL TIMES' are a little too whiney for my taste's but '1 NITE STAND' makes up for it (killer song)...This album is just all around kick@$$ and will be on constant cycle in your CD changer...just take a hint from me and don't play it TOO much...savor it...it taste better that way.