Taproots – The Resonance Within (Album Review)

The uncontainable force of joy that is Taproots triumph on their second album with a delightful celebration of life and spirituality.

Releasing their first music in 2018, the Massachusetts band, led by multi-instrumentalist Matthew King and often comprised of up to 30 musicians, champions a sunny blend of Afrobeat, rock, funk and numerous other musical influences through a cheerful chorus of vocals, horns, percussion and many other instruments.

The first of the album’s powerhouse ten tracks is the epic ‘Song For The Ocean’; an almost nine minute introductory journey into the colourful world of Taproots. Beginning with a reggae beat and a soaring guitar solo, main vocalist Matthew King kicks off the track by addressing “Yemaya”, the ocean goddess in the Yoruba religion, and asks her to “Take away all that brings harm”. Listeners will soon learn that love and praise for nature plays a massive role in the band’s music, with King’s lyrics and arrangements beautifully showcasing an appreciation for all living things through uplifting lyrics and genre-bending compositions. Indeed, this addictive track flows seamlessly from gorgeous vocal harmonies to jubilant salsa rhythms and guitar solos while keeping the listener in rapt euphoria.

A funky bass line leads into the groovy ‘Nature’s Law’, in which horns, syncopated beats and King’s vocals marry harmoniously in a chorus of pure, undiluted bliss. A spunky keyboard solo later breathes even more vitality into the already busy instrumental, however despite the multitude of musicians involved, the tracks never seem even remotely chaotic. This is just part of the magic that Taproots weave through their joyous, larger than life sound.

The airy appeal of the gentle beat, horns and acoustic guitar in ‘Resonance’ will rush into listeners like a refreshing beach wave, as King encourages listeners to “Let the rhythm wake you, dance and you’ll be whole”. The faultless transition to rousing salsa beats takes this party to completely new heights, ensuring there’s no way for listeners to sit still through this exhilarating track.

The suave ‘Gumbo’ and the breezy ‘Forgotten Ghost’ celebrate the power of community and making the most of our time here on Earth, while remembering to be good people in the process. Both tracks also showcase the incredible versatility and genius of King’s compositions; ‘Gumbo’ mixing in verses by hip-hop artists Force and Catalyst, and ‘Forgotten Ghost’ including a stunning Cuban-tinged flute-led interlude that echoes King’s sorrow for those suffering hardship, war or marginalisation around the world.

The stimulating opening rhythms of ‘Everything is Rumba’ will leave audiences entranced as King’s lyrics target the heavy oppressiveness that the Covid pandemic had on the planet (“Everything is la rumba, Everything is lock-down”). The fading vocal calls that close this track run smoothly into the next song ‘Obatala’, named after the Yoruba deity of peace and wisdom. Batá drums open the track, which utilises a hypnotic call and answer vocal style that benefits greatly from the stellar chorus of singers involved in the album. Traditional Afrobeat elements are combined with jazzy saxophone and keyboard to amazing effect – everything contributing to a lush soundscape that is without compare.

The band cover renowned Cuban singer Silvio Rodriguez’s song ‘Ojala’, whose lyrics are sung entirely in Spanish, and which includes amazing guest singer Yaya, whose voice lends the track an extremely soulful ambience. As the tenderness of Yaya’s voice reaches its climax, the band mirror her passion in traditional Cuban drum patterns and melodic guitar parts. It’s a magnificent thing to behold.

The atmospheric bass notes of ‘Remembering’ meld with lyrics that focus upon the opportunities given to each human being to change the world through the choices they make (“Build it up or tear it down, Will you crawl in mud or wear the crown?”). Musically, the horns return to the forefront of the instrumental to bombastic effect, while a later guitar section adds an irrepressible rock infusion to the mix. It’s a busy and spiritually stirring track cleverly interwoven with plenty of quieter, more introspective moments, which allow audiences the time to digest its themes through groovy musical interludes.

The album appropriately ends with ‘Song For The Ocean (Traditional)’, which is beautiful in its minimalistic musical arrangement. Carried by the impressive chorus of Taproots’ vocalists and the distant lulling beat of the Shekere drum – again utilising authentic aspects of West African music culture to serenade listeners with praises towards the Goddess Yemaya; allowing this album to come full circle in its celebration of all things living and thriving in our world.

Score/Outstanding: This isn’t just an album, it’s an experience. Led by an ensemble of incredibly talented musicians who contribute toward an emotionally raw and culturally rich sound, Taproots will get listeners on their feet singing and dancing to their music full of splendour and joy.

[We rank singles, EPs and albums on a scale of Poor, Mediocre, Good, Excellent, Outstanding]

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