Customer Reviews

Our Long Road Home

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I was wondering how Taproot was going to follow up their best release, the amazingly varied "Blue-Sky Research," and I must say this new album is a pleasant surprise. The majority of the album is filled with mid-tempo songs that have more melody than they ever have used before. Sure there are still a few songs like the jaw dropping first song, "Path Less Taken" which shows that they can still be heavy if they want to, but songs like the amazing first single, "Wherever I Stand" set the tone for the album. Another highlight is "As One" which has one of the catchiest choruses you will ever hear from this band. Personally, I think that the band is much better now than they were when they first started out. They have risen above their nu-metal pasts and become an excellent melodic hard rock band. I think that "Blue-Sky Research" was their crowning jewel so far because it balanced out their heavy songs with their melodic songs almost perfectly, but this album is quickly winning me over. Just a refreshing listen overall.

I became a huge fan of Taproot after seeing the Poem video and buying Welcome. Welcome is one of my favorite albums of all time, with Myself topping the list of my favorite songs of all time. Blue Sky Research shocked me at first but turned out to be a fantastic album once I gave it some time and really got a chance to digest it. I've listened to it almost as much as Welcome and would put it in my top 10 albums of all time.

I just picked up Our Long Road Home and was, again, shocked. However, the more I listen to it the more I like it, much in the same way that Blue Sky Research won me over. I am absolutely blown away by It's Natural, a track featuring a female vocalist with Stephen. The same blown away I was when I first heard Myself, a track so different from anything I'd heard before that it became something special. The style of Stephen's vocals and the way they're mixed in this track is first rate. To be honest with you, I had goosebumps listening to it this morning driving to work when they have a duet at the end. Yes, it's THAT good. (Listening to it right now on my headphones!)

Now, don't get me wrong, the album isn't perfect but it's still a fantastic album. There are things I wish Taproot would do more of (a few heavier tracks and not sounding so commercial at times) but they've matured over the years and I think they're going to appeal to a much larger crowd with this release than they did with Blue Sky Research. Selling out, not at all. Making great music that a lot of people will love, yes.

Keep making great music, guys. Looking forward to seeing you on tour soon!

I have been a fan since Welcome. Then I backtracked to Gift, which by the way, is a great album. "Smile" and "Again and Again" are two of the best songs I've ever seen live. I saw these guys once on the Welcome tour and twice on the Blue Sky Research tour. I've seen over 50 bands live, ranging from Rage Against the Machine to the Beastie Boys(actually that was the same show and it was killer!!), but my favorite is Taproot. The energy simply can't be matched and Stephen has the least forced scream I've witnessed in person. I was a huge fan of Blue Sky Research. Easily their most diverse record, the tempo shifted from heavy to melodic and back seamlessly throughout the entire album.

That brings us to Our Long Road Home. Recorded in a remodeled barn near Stephen's home in Michigan, the band created it's first independent album since pre-Gift, giving them the freedom to do whatever they wanted. Unfortunately on some tracks, it's easy to understand why. Don't get me wrong, there are some killer cuts here. Old school fans will still dig the hell out of "Path Less Taken" and "Take It." "Karmaway" may be the highlight of the whole album. With its lazy, soaring guitar riff, it has a very un-Taproot vibe to it, almost epic in a way. The single "Wherever I Stand" is pretty catchy, but not in the same realm as past singles like "Poem" or "Calling." "Be the 1" grows on you and "Stethoscope" is a beautiful instrumental that seems like it could've been better off as an intro to an actual song.

With the good however, come the bad. "Run to" is the definition of cheesy nu-metal rock, even more so than "Promise" from BSR. The chorus just feels forced and would've been more appropriately sung by Chris Daughtry. It's just not very good. "It's Natural" features the first time use of female vocals by the band, with lackluster results. The remaining tracks here are just average.

Our Long Road Home in a nutshell isn't a bad effort from Taproot, just not what I've come to expect from a band that has never ceased to amaze over the years. I guess it's basically what I expected: some really killer jams, and some effortless pop songs. While not as balanced as BSR, it's a decent effort and will surely find its niche within both diehard fans as well as new ones.

I'm a huge fan of Taproot, since Gift. I've seen them live at least 5 or 6 times. Now, I understand a band has to evolve... I LOVED Blue Sky Research. I actually thought that was their best album. 2nd best is definitely Gift. I just really liked what they did on Blue Sky Research. So I was excited about Our Long Road Home.... but it just doesn't deliver. The songs, for the most part, are stock and just mediocre. I could see it doing well on the radio, but for fans it just doesn't deliver. However, a handful of songs are really good, those being 1. Path Less Taken, 3. Be The 1, and my favorite 7. As One. Everything else is supremely average. And the single Wherever I Stand is like a rehash of Calling, which was a song I never cared for.

Anyway, that's my quick review.

Eight years since their debut and Taproot still don't know what kind of band they are. Nu-Metal? Rap-rock? Hardcore? Melodic hard-rock? In the past, they blended these styles almost seamlessly, for better or for worse, in three very diverse albums. Coming off of the superb "Blue-Sky Research," Taproot severed ties with their record label and recorded "Our Long Road Home" on their own dime and the results are less than breath-taking. Instead of being as fresh and fun as 2000's "Gift" or as mature and diverse as the aformentioned 2005 album, Taproot's fourth falls more in line with the colorless, so-so "Welcome."

But you can forgive them. Afterall, without the safety net of the producers and songwriters that helped craft their last album, it's no wonder they are struggling. And while they struggle, they do manage to eek out a few solid tunes. Radio-rock "Wherever I Stand" and "You're Not Home Tonight" are instantly enjoyable, catchy and different. "Path Less Taken," "Karmaway" and "Take It" take a more old-school approach and hold up finely amongst previous material. Heck, there's even the synth-heavy interlude, "Stethoscope," to change things up. Actually, this less-than two minute-long song is a highlight and had they incorporated this style into the rest of the album, they may of had something. But I digress.

However, the rest of the album pales. "Run To" sounds like a really bad b-side from "Blue-Sky Research" and should never have been put to tape, let alone included on this album. You wanna talk cheese? How about "Be The 1." It's not dated enough that they used a number instead of the word (trying to recall the "Gift" days?) but the lyrics are truly cringe worthy. "It's Natural" brings out the vocals of Kristen Von Burthal and while it's intriguing to hear a female voice on a Taproot song for the first time, it's a wasted opportunity. Had they trimmed off the fat a bit, this album would have played a little better. Cut the three songs I just mentioned and "Our Long Road Home" would have been a fair, solid addition to Taproot's career. However, the lack of experimentation, creative growth and dumbed-down songwriting plagues this album to the point where it is close to being their worst effort to date. In all fairness, the band still sounds great and even Stephen has stepped his game up on the vocal end, but for half of the album, the songs just aren't there. So take the good songs for what they are worth, because there's probably a long road to their next album ahead.

Well I know some people will be quick to bash this album as it does see Taproot taking quite a mainstream sound on some of the songs despite going "indie" again, but let's think about this for a min. "Gift" came out 8 years ago. That was a pretty long time ago. I was in high school when it came out, and of course that type of heavier music was right up my alley back then. Well since then, I grew up, and so did Taproot. They have matured as artists. Yes, the choruses are catchy. In fact, these are probably the catchiest choruses in any TR album to date, even more so than the ones in BSR. While "Welcome" is still my favorite cd (due to some awesome vocal harmonies and melodies like the ones found in the song Fault), this album is another great achievement for the band. Even in the songs with the catchy choruses, there are some great parts if you have the patience to get to them. I wasn't too fond of footprints at first (the chorus is pretty dull), but then I got to the bridge of the song, and I was floored. Sometimes you need to sit back and give songs a chance. Obviously "Path Less Taken" is amazing, and I absolutely love the song "Karmaway." Now, truth be told, I'd like to have given this 4 1/2 stars as opposed to 5 because of a couple of boring choruses in a few songs, but overall I think this is another solid disc from a band that I hope continues to create great music for years to come.

Each Taproot release improves upon the other in terms of song-writing and musical proficiency. These guys know how to write great songs and play their instruments very well. Looks like Taproot will be around for awhile...

Most Taproot fans were expecting them not to change (due to their nu-metal origins)? Whatever.

I say keep changing, improving and writing great music.

I like Taproot and I own all their albums.I didn't dislike this album I just couldn't find any song I really like either.This album comes off like when bands don't release old stuff and put it together and call it a album.It's worth a listen but don't expect to be blown away.If you are new to this band, I would buy any other album before this one.I will still buy their next album when it comes out.

This album wasn't really worth the bother. I could've just waited till it came out so I could find some songs from it posted up online before I determined it wasn't, but I couldn't resist adding this to my collection of Taproot's discography. Honestly, it was a bit of a disappointment as the songs seem to be much more mellow and happy than they used to be. Taproot made randomly loud work; their rap phase was impressive, and got me dancing. They used to be nu metal... now they aren't even metal, save Karmaway and maybe 2 or 3 others off this album, but Taproot has obviously been progressively losing touch with their roots which made them... well... Taproot. Hopefully their next album will fix this, there is still hope at least.

I liked the album, but that doesn't really help you. As with any other online music purchase, take advantage of the previews and listen to part of all the songs before you decide to buy it.