Search - Taproot :: Plead the Fifth

EPIC.

Lee E. Strohe | Bangor, PA USA | 05/11/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This album punches you in the face from the very first song, and hardly let's up. The boys from Taproot have been here for quite some time, and I highly recommend buying all of their albums. "Plead the Fifth" is going to do some serious damage in the music industry, and Taproot deserves it. Better yet, their live show is legendary, and is as entertainingly energetic, and dynamic as this album.



The lead track, "Now Rise" comes right at you with the Drop A sound and returns the longtime Taproot fan to the glory days of the album "Gift". This track is already worth the price of admission.



"Game Over" does not let up in the least. Baritone guitars in your ears, with witty timechanges giving you that characteristic Taproot sound.



"Fractured" is the lead single off this album, and doesn't stray far from prior singles "Calling" & "Wherever I Stand". A crunching riff with incredible lyrics that everyone can relate to. And worry not, the Stephen Richards scream awaits you on this melodic rollercoaster.



"Release Me" has that hook that you will not stop singing. This seems to be the fullest and most balanced track on the album. It shows off Stephen Richards vocal range in a big way, and you will be moving your head to the crunching beat in no time. Have fun singing this one! "ah whyyy yi yi yi"



"Stolage" is the best song on the album. I should end it there. This will be Taproots hugest hit to date. Something very well deserved. A smash hit that I feel could easily be nominated for "Rock Song of the Year". Your neck is going to hurt after this cruncher!



"91lost" gives your ears a break and Taproot shows off their versatility. A melodic journey with quite the message. This song has characteristics of some prior songs on "Our Long Road Home". Some cool lead guitar action going on here, but no worries, the heaviness lies underneath the entire time.



"Trophy WiFi" again takes you on that newly quicker Taproot beat and then breaks you down to the definitive heavy chorus. Once again, Taproot doesn't let up with the intricate drumming distorted guitaring.



"Words Don't Mean a Thing" is a song that could also be on their former album "BLUE SKY RESEARCH". (my personal fav) A solid, solid rock song that once again is filled with the Stephen Richards versatility. He truly hits vocal ranges that are amazingly not normal. This song will be another great single, with the incredible bridge and overlaying thick guitars.



"Left Behind" brings you back to the thrashing early days of Taproot once again. Another mosh pit basher that reminds me a lot of the heavy track "myself" off of "WELCOME". And this is the greatest live song in the history of Taproot. This is a very dynamic track and starts off musically innocent but gets evil in a hurry.



"No View is True" is possibly the best lyrical track on the album. "i've found no religion, but I still have faith" This is another song that shows off the melodic side of Taproot, with Stephen Richards growls awaiting you. I would say this is my least favorite track on the album, but still pretty decent.



"Stares" summarizes the entire journey of this album in one bashing song. This is my personal favorite, and it is downright epic. It will make you shake with the heavy basslines. This song has everything: incredible timechanges, the heaviest bridge i've heard on any album in some time, while the harmonic sounds of Stephen Richards voice are singing and screaming the entire time. "We are nothing but cheap wine, in the rush to become so fine" are some incredible lyrics on this song. This song is leaves you in awe.



Good things are in store for Taproot my friends. This album combines the baritone sounds of "GIFT", the heavy timechanges of "WELCOME", the dynamic song writing of "BLUE SKY RESEARCH", and the uniqueness of "OUR LONG ROAD HOME". This is and easy buy, and you will be recommending it to friends.











"

Still going strong

Alex Burch | Portland, Or | 05/15/2010

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I have been a fan of Taproot ever since 2002 - when I first saw "Poem" on MTV. After purchasing "Welcome," I took an interest in the band and proceeded to buy "Gift," which is their strongest album in my opinion- pretty much flawless. "Blue Sky Research" came out in 2005, which was a great mixture of "Welcome's" strongest melodic ideas and some metal tinges from "Gift." "Our Long Road Home" followed in 2008 and had a more experimental sound, which was not the style that people loved. While I admired the fact they took a risk, I still hoped on the next record they would return to where they left off on "Blue Sky Research." Now it's 2010, and "Plead the Fifth" has exceeded my expectations; rivaling the heaviness of "Gift," but bringing forth the sound of an experienced band.



I have read reviews of this album on other sites that rate it 2-3/5 stars, and because they are probably written by non-Taproot fans I can understand that. Some of this stuff is directed to a specific headbanger audience and I think that is exactly what Taproot wanted to do - write music for their committed fans. Anyways, here's a song by song breakdown:



The first track, "Now Rise", really surprised me. I was expecting a semi-heavy opener on this album reminiscent of the opening tracks of "Blue Sky Research" and "Our Long Road Home," but was knocked out of my seat from what I heard! This track hits you at full force when you press play with the baritone guitars and screaming vocals bludgeoning the listener in the first few seconds. The only hang-up I have is the ending which I think is an attempt for a choppy time signature but sounds a little odd. Still great. 4.5/5



The second track, "Game Over", continues in the same vein. The main opening riff breaks into a choppy time signature and Stephen Richards attacks with screaming in the verses and a beautiful melodic chorus. I wouldn't say this song has the potential to be a single, but I bet it will be played repeatedly for any oldschool Taproot fan. 5/5



"Fractured" returns to the "Welcome/Blue Sky Research" years, and is the album's first single. This song rivals "Poem" as one of the catchiest choruses I have heard them pull off. One thing that bothered me at first was the shouted vocals in the verses (like in "Take It" from OLRH) that seem to be a new style for Steve, but they've kind of grown on me. Overall, this track is probably the most accessible mainstream track. 5/5



"Release Me" is arguably the strongest on the album with a great hook and awesome combination of heavy riffs against Stephen's excellent singing. This song feels like a throwback to the "Welcome" years but 10 times better. This is one of the best tracks I have heard from them. 6/5



"Stolage" is a newer sound for Taproot with a faster uptempo beat. The chorus is decent but I can't get into this one as much as the others. 3/5



"911ost" goes back into an alternative rock sound and is another accessible mainstream track with soft verses and an explosive melodic chorus. 4/5



"Trophy Wifi" sounds similar to "911ost" on the chorus but provides a darker heavier sound all around. The message and music are both very strong on this song and it could be a single. 5/5



"Words Don't Mean A Thing" is a more mainstream song that has more interesting verses than the chorus in my opinion. A newer direction for the band. 4/5



"Left Behind" is a bit odd with the changing between heavy and clean, but has some interesting experimental parts. Probably the weakest track on the album. 2/5



"No View Is True" has a great chorus. This song goes back to their mainstream rock approach again. Decent track. 3/5



"Stares" is a culimination of the "Blue Sky Research" and "Gift/Welcome" metal sound in the bridge. Great ending track. 5/5



Overall, 4/5. There are a few of my favorite Taproot songs on here that are some of their strongest material. As a longtime fan I am glad they decided to go back to their original roots and bring back heavy baritones against great melodies like on the first three records. The main difference with this album is it shows the journey the band has had since its inception and highlights the strongest parts of its sound.



In a ranking of their albums, for me it would go (Best to worst):



1. Gift (flawless) 5/5

2. Welcome (awesome) 4.5/5

3. Plead the Fifth (great) 4/5

4. Blue Sky Research (good) 3.5/5

5. OLRH (okay) 2.5/5



Best tracks on this album-



Now Rise

Game Over

Release Me

Trophy Wifi

Stares

Fractured"

Full circle: A rare case of a valid return-to-roots claim..

Hostile Apostle | Midwestern Somewhere, USA | 05/14/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Taproot's fifth album -- aptly-titled Plead the Fifth -- is a return to form for the Michigan-based four-piece. This will surely satisfy MOST of the fans that have been complaining of the band's lack of edge since Welcome, but the melodic feel from Blue-Sky Research and Our Long Road Home is clearly still evident, which may still turn some off. That does not say that this effort does not rock; it does rock -- pretty hard actually! The boys of Taproot have thrown in the collective sound from the past ten years or so, brought back the baritone guitars, tightened the production, sprinkled in some clever lyrics, and quite possibly released their most articulate and balanced overall effort to date.



The album opens with "Now Rise," which makes no waste of the album's introduction. Despite past works' overall feel, Taproot has consistently made the best of managing the opening slot over each one of their albums, and this is no exception. From the start, vocalist Stephen Richards beckons the listener to "join us" as "together we'll fall, you make the call," suggesting that Taproot is back with a vengeance. The bridge here is as heavy as you can imagine Taproot to be and sounds somewhat similar to Three Dollar Bill-era Limp Bizkit...except better and heavier. "Game Over" follows in what is one of the most complete tracks on Plead the Fifth -- heavy screaming and guitars out of the gate, a melodic and catchy chorus, and completed by a heavy exit. Ex-drummer, Jarrod Montague, states the intro and guitars on this track reminded him of a self-titled Korn track, and I concur.



The album's first two singles make up tracks 3 and 4, "Fractured" and "Release Me," respectively. The former has a little heavier, yet similar vibe to Our Long Road Home, while "Release Me" sounds like a lost track from Welcome. As solid as these two tracks may be, they merely scratch the surface of the collective quality of Plead the Fifth.



"Stolage" is the brightest spot on the album. This song simply rocks and it never sits still for a moment. The tempo bounces around frequently before entering a soaring chorus and submerging back into the heavy riff of the second verse, unrelenting the rest of the way. This is new territory for Taproot; it really can't be compared to much of anything they've done and serves as a prime example of the album's melting pot theme. There's a little bit of everything thrown into this one. The outro is a nice touch too, which echoes a cooing Predator-like effect...capping off the biggest and most bad-@$$ Taproot jam in recent memory.



While the first act of the Plead the Fifth evokes more directly to Taproot's first two albums, the second act flows into a sound that can be compared more to the band's mature and experimental sound expressed through BSR and OLRH. "911ost" recalls scattered hints of Deftones throughout its verses and set the stage for a few slower, mid-tempo tracks. While these tracks aren't ballads by any means (there are no "Run To" or "Promise" songs here), they do bring the listener back to Earth, calming the nerves a bit from the first act's adrenaline rush. "Trophy WiFi" begins with a heavy riff, before settling into a nice lazy guitar lick provided by lead Mike DeWolf. Tinges of early Staind appear throughout this track, particularly with Richards's growling/screaming technique. The guy is just a monster on this album! "Words Don't Mean a Thing" and "Left Behind" follow and provide the audience with something that sounds somewhere between Welcome and Blue Sky Research -- dark, haunting, with crunching guitars and a catchy chorus to boot.



While "Left Behind" resurrects the album's intensity, the final two songs -- "No View Is True" and "Stares" -- sustain this energy and close out the album. The former track is a bit more melodic and is ultimately upstaged by the heavier, darker, and more staccato-laced album closer, "Stares." The bridge of this track is insanely heavy -- firing at all cylinders, blowing out the speakers, and completing a very satisfying listen for any Taproot fan. Those who disagree certainly have the right, but if you can't appreciate this album for what it is, that's just too bad. Taproot clearly came into this album with the intent of making a 'heavy' effort FOR THE FANS and, in my opinion, has succeeded on all levels.



Fans that were disappointed by the previous effort(s) -- by all means, give this a shot! Plead The Fifth is a grower. Play it once, and then put it away. Come back and play it again, then put it away. By the fourth or fifth spin, these songs will begin to take on their own, unique identity, molding themselves into an enjoyable fortress of emotion and turmoil. As a major proponent of Blue-Sky Research, I feel this album is right up there with the band's greatest works. By the way, to get the true Taproot experience -- SEE THEM LIVE! The energy is simply unmatched and they put a lot of work into their shows, so support them! Most bands that profess a return to form simply can't walk the talk, but this is indeed a rare case of an act doing just that. Congrats on a success boys! To loosely quote Richards on the final thoughts of this album, Taproot has "made reality their bi*** this time..."



Final grade: 4.5 / 5 stars



Highlights:



Now Rise

Game Over

Release Me

Stolace

Trophy WiFi

Left Behind

No View Is True

Stares"