Gift (Taproot album)
Template:Use mdy dates Script error: No such module "Unsubst-infobox".Script error: No such module "Check for conflicting parameters". Gift is the debut studio album by American alternative metal band Taproot. It was released on June 27, 2000. The singles "Again & Again" and "I" reached No. 39 and No. 34 on the Mainstream Rock chart. The album has sold over 250,000 copies.[1]
Background, writing and recording
Taproot singer Stephen Richards told CMJ New Music Report that the songs on Gift were written in 1997, playing the songs for a few years. He claimed that "Dragged Down" and "Now" were the only songs written specifically for Gift. Taproot spent six weeks working on Gift.[1]
Music and lyrics
Described as a nu metal album,[1][2][3] the album's lyrical themes are primarily about topics such as depression and disliking life.[4][1] Taproot's vocalist Stephen Richards' vocals on the album Gift have been compared to vocalists such as Chino Moreno, Trent Reznor, Jonathan Davis and Mike Patton.[4][5][1] The album consists of vocal styles such as singing, rapping, growling and screaming.[4][6][1]
Reception
Template:Music ratings AllMusic's Brian Musich stated "dropping in a time when rap-rock is all the rage, as it sells albums like mad, garners instant publicity from MTV, and packs stadiums in a new generation of concert festivals, Taproot is guaranteed media exposure and a large built-in fan base." He added, "If they had dropped Gift two years earlier, Taproot would be pioneers. Instead, they are adequate followers."[4] In June 2000, CMJ New Music Monthly called the music "blistering melodic metal" and compared the vocals to Incubus and Faith No More.[7] In her July 2000 review, CMJ New Music Report's Amy Sciarretto wrote that it "sounds like Faith No More engorged with programming or Incubus spiked with more guitar grit."[8] In October 2000, Ben Raynor of Drowned in Sound gave the album a positive review, and praised the vocals of Stephen Richards, writing that, "Taproot are the perfect antidote to rap metal at a time when music needs them."[6]
Track listing
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Notes
- Tracks 2, 6, 7, 9 and 11 are re-recordings of early songs the appeared on the demos, "...Something More Than Nothing" and "Upon Us". Both were released in 1998 and 1999.
- A b-side, "Day By Day", can be found on the Dracula 2000 soundtrack, CD single for "Again & Again" and the Japanese release of "Gift". It would later be released as a digital single in 2020 as part of the Warner Bros. Archive series.
- Other b-sides entitled "Thriftwhore", "Strive", and "Get Me" can be found through file-sharing networks. These recordings, along with "Day By Day", would later be officially released on the 2018 boxset Besides.[9]
Credits
Taproot
- Stephen Richards - Vocals, Rhythm Guitar
- Mike DeWolf - Lead Guitar
- Phil Lipscomb - Bass
- Jared Montague - Drums
Production
- Tom Baker - Digital editing, mastering[10]
- Frank Gryner - Assistant engineer[10]
- Scott Humphrey - Mixing[10]
- Ted Reiger - Assistant engineer[10]
- Stephen Richards - Programming, vocals[10]
- Edward Smith - Photography[10]
- Ulrich Wild - Engineer, mixing, producer[10]
Charts
Album
| Chart (2000) | PeakScript error: No such module "string".position |
|---|---|
| US Billboard 200[11] | 160 |
| US Heatseekers[11] | 6 |
Singles - Billboard (United States)
| Year | Single | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | "Again & Again" | Mainstream Rock Tracks[12] | 39 |
| 2001 | "I" | Mainstream Rock Tracks[12] | 34 |
References
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- ↑ https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/CMJ/2000/CMJ-2000-07-10.pdf Template:Bare URL PDF
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ a b c d e f g Gift - Taproot - Credits. Allmusic. Retrieved March 19th, 2011
- ↑ a b Gift - Taproot - Billboard Albums. Allmusic. Retrieved March 19, 2011
- ↑ a b Gift - Taproot - Billboard Singles. Allmusic. Retrieved March 19, 2011
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