THE ROOTS
UNDUN
There is no rap group as consistent and as universally appreciated by critics and hip-hop aficionados as The Roots. Formed in Philadelphia under the name The Square Roots, the group has been putting together some of the best genre-bending music for over 15 years. Formed by Black Thought and ?uestlove, the group has seen an ever-changing roster of musicians help fill out the band’s sound.

Undun is the band’s 13th album and contains some of their best-orchestrated music. The album details the story of a character named Redford Stephens, named after Sufjan Steven’s song “Redford.” The Roots seem to get better with every album, and this is no exception.

If not for the powerful lyrics, this album needs to be heard for beautiful arrangements alone.

The strings and haunting key strokes amplify the album’s somber tones. Black Thought’s deep voice has a booming effect that allows every word to not only be heard but also felt. From the opening track “Dun,” it’s obvious this album will be an emotional adventure, not your standard hip hop album. The guest features on this album are almost too long to list, but the regular Roots collaborators are all present: Truck North, Malik B, Dice Raw and Bilal. New face Big K.R.I.T., who seems to be taking rap by storm this year, makes an appearance on the powerful “Make My.”

JÓNSI
WE BOUGHT A ZOO OFFICIAL SOUNDTRACK
The name Jónsi might not ring a bell, but his work as guitarist and vocalist for the post-rock band Sigur Rós should at least sound familiar. The Icelandic music maker is back creating the soundtrack to the soon-to-be released film We Bought A Zoo. Jónsi is no stranger to making songs for movies. He was the man behind “Sticks and Stones” from the movie How To Train Your Dragon. In fact, it was the accolades he gained on that project that prompted his signing on to this entire soundtrack.

The music is very hard to classify; it’s a post-rock ambient mix that makes for a great soundtrack to anyone’s day. Listen to a song like “Brambles” in the morning and you will feel like you stepped right out of a movie. The use of the voice as an instrument, not just a vehicle for lyrics, gives the album an extremely rich and layered sound. It isn’t easy to create an entire soundtrack, but Jónsi does it with ease and makes it feel more like an album than some soundtrack to a movie, making it a pure delight to listen to.

ANDREW BIRD
FAKE CONVERSATIONS
Andrew Bird is one of the most talented musicians around, and his work is practically the definition of what indie rock is. His lyrics are simple and pure: easy to understand but tell a story to keep the listener fully entertained. This EP is only five songs, but they’ll bring a smile to anyone’s face, and with the way things are playing out in the country, everyone could use something to smile about. On the song “Effigy,” the simple addition of Bird’s whistling reminds you how much a small thing can really take music to that next level, much like the whistling on Maroon 5’s “Moves Like Jagger.” The intro to each song is a slow buildup featuring strings, delicate guitar plucking and the odd piano. This album will be a warm addition to any cold winter night. et