The Roots “Rising Down”
Standouts - “Rising Down,” “75 Bars,” “Criminal,” “Singing Man,” “Lost Desire,” “Rising Up”

The ultimate rap band returns with their ninth CD, “Criminal,” and in my opinion, their best CD to date. I didn’t arrive at that conclusion easily, because the band’s eight previous albums have all been excellent, but “Criminal” just edges out 1999’s Grammy Award winning “Things Fall Apart,” which is widely considered the bands best CD prior to this one. This disc, like all The Roots’ albums, stays true to form and is the ultimate hip-hop disc. There probably won’t be any smash hits or number one singles off this disc. But what I can tell you is that it’s a disc that you can press play on your iPod and not feel the need to skip a track.