Gift (Taproot album)
Gift is the third studio album and major label debut album by American alternative metal band Taproot. It was released on June 27, 2000. "I" and "Again & Again" were minor Mainstream Rock singles. The album has sold at least 250,000 copies.[12]
Gift | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | June 27, 2000 | |||
Recorded | January–March 2000 | |||
Studio |
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Genre | ||||
Length | 43:22 | |||
Label |
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Producer | Ulrich Wild David Benveniste | |||
Taproot chronology | ||||
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Singles from Gift | ||||
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Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [3] |
Alternative Press | [4] |
Blabbermouth | 8/10[5] |
Drowned in Sound | 10/10[6] |
Kerrang! | [7][8] |
Metal Hammer | 6/10[9] |
PopMatters | (average)[10] |
Rolling Stone | [11] |
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.[12]
Music and lyrics
Described as a nu metal album,[12][13] the album's lyrical themes are primarily about topics such as depression and disliking life.[3][12] 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.[3][11][12] The album consists of vocal styles such as singing, rapping, growling and screaming.[3][6][12]
Track listing
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Smile" | 3:34 |
2. | "Again & Again" | 3:55 |
3. | "Emotional Times" | 3:03 |
4. | "Now" | 3:21 |
5. | "1 Nite Stand" | 3:39 |
6. | "Believed" | 4:02 |
7. | "Mentobe" | 3:39 |
8. | "I" | 4:15 |
9. | "Mirror's Reflection" | 3:10 |
10. | "Dragged Down" | 3:30 |
11. | "Comeback" | 4:25 |
12. | "Impact" | 2:49 |
Total length: | 43:22 |
No. | Title | Length |
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13. | "Day By Day" | 3:21 |
Total length: | 46:43 |
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 "Thrift Whore", "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.[14]
Credits
- Stephen Richards - Vocals, Rhythm Guitar
- Mike DeWolf - Lead Guitar
- Phil Lipscomb - Bass
- Jared Montague - Drums
- Tom Baker - Digital editing, mastering[15]
- Frank Gryner - Assistant engineer[15]
- Scott Humphrey - Mixing[15]
- Ted Reiger - Assistant engineer[15]
- Stephen Richards - Programming, vocals[15]
- Edward Smith - Photography[15]
- Ulrich Wild - Engineer, mixing, producer[15]
Charts
Album
Chart (2000) | Peak position |
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US Billboard 200[16] | 160 |
US Heatseekers[16] | 6 |
Singles - Billboard (United States)
Year | Single | Chart | Position |
---|---|---|---|
2000 | "Again & Again" | Mainstream Rock Tracks[17] | 39 |
2001 | "I" | Mainstream Rock Tracks[17] | 34 |
References
- "Taproot - Gift (Behind the Scenes)".
- "The 50 best nu metal albums of all time". April 2022.
- Allmusic review
- Album reviews at CD Universe
- Borivoj Krgin. "CD Reviews - Gift Taproot". Blabbermouth.
- "Drowned in Sound review". Archived from the original on 2012-11-25. Retrieved 2012-11-19.
- Strong, M.C. (2006). The Essential Rock Discography. Canongate. p. 421. ISBN 9781841958606. Retrieved 2014-10-05.
- Griffiths, Mark (August 5, 2000). "Albums". Kerrang!. EMAP (813): 46.
- Sadler, Darren (October 2000). "Under the Hammer". Metal Hammer. Future plc (79): 77. ISSN 0955-1190.
- PopMatters review
- Rolling Stone review
- "Artist Spotlight: Taproot". CMJ New Music Report. Vol. 73, no. 6. CMJ Network, Inc. October 21, 2002. p. 23. ISSN 0890-0795.
- "Interview:Mike DeWolf of Taproot Cryptic Rock". Cryptic Rock.
- Wookubus (2018-10-26). "Taproot Detail Extensive 8 CD Rarities Set "Besides"". PRP. The PRP. Retrieved 2020-08-16.
- Gift - Taproot - Credits. Allmusic. Retrieved March 19th, 2011
- Gift - Taproot - Billboard Albums. Allmusic. Retrieved March 19, 2011
- Gift - Taproot - Billboard Singles. Allmusic. Retrieved March 19, 2011