Those of you who have read "Hip Hop Comes Alive" (check the Features section) already know my feelings about this album - and The Roots, in general. Historically, The Roots have had the hip hop equivalent of the Midas touch. This is undoubtedly due to their dedication to their music, and not to be attributed to luck or to hype videos. They have also been able to avoid criticisms that newly released albums are not "up-to-par" with past product. With the release of their first live full-album, I'm convinced this trend will continue.

The Roots Come Alive contains live music from shows in Philidelphia, New York, France, and Switzerland. The playlist contains tracks from Organix to Things Fall Apart. However, unlike many of their hip hop counterparts, The Roots spend the majority of their time on tour. Consequently, this album avoids the feel of a "Greatest Hits" collection. Rather, the songs are reworked and improvised so that the listener really is getting something new. Also, The Roots persistence in rocking shows shines through and makes the live performances LIVE.

The album contains vocals by Black Thought, Malik B., Dice Raw, Common, Jaguar, Scratch, and, of course, Rahzel "The Godather of Noyze". B.R.O.THER.? and Leonard Hubbard keep the drum and bass rocking, while Scott Storch, Kamal, and James Poyser take care of the keyboards and piano. Noteable appearances include Jill Scott for singing and writing on "You Got Me" (check for her coming out solo), DJ Cash Money on the 1&2's, and Craig Harris on trombone and didjeridoo (yes... I said didjeridoo!!!).

Although I could choose any number of tracks to check for, I think this would take away from the feel of this album. The songs are taken from a number of different shows, but the album is mixed down to give the impression of one continuous flow. Instead of fading out to silence, the songs seem to fade in and out from an underlying groove maintained adeptly by the band members.

The final verdict: Too many hip hop artists spend more time on marketing than in the studio, and more time in the studio than on stage. Thus, their marketing scheme is better than their product, and their live show is uninspired. For The Roots, their most inspired performances seem to be live. This album is a definite necessity in your hip hop collection.

Oh yeah ... Make sure that you pick up the limited release version of this album on CD. It contains five extra tracks (three of which are live), and a couple of surprises in EnhancedCD format. A hint ... How else do you bring The Roots live to your PC?