Phrenology (album)  

From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia

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Phrenology (released November 26, 2002) is the sixth album from The Roots. Immediately following the breakthrough success of Things Fall Apart, its release was highly anticipated and highly delayed, as recording took two years. The album includes guest appearances from artists including Nelly Furtado, Cody ChesnuTT, Musiq, Talib Kweli, and Jill Scott. Phrenology did not chart as high as Things Fall Apart, reaching #28 on the Billboard 200 in comparison to Things Fall Apart's eventual peak of #4. However, like The Roots' previous album, Phrenology sold steadily and was eventually certified gold, signifying sales of at least 500,000 units.

The album was named for the discredited pseudoscience of phrenology, the study of head shapes to determine intelligence and character. Phrenology was sometimes used to justify racism in the past.

Track listing

1. "Phrentrow" (featuring Ursula Rucker) – 0:18
2. "Rock You" – 3:12
3. "!!!!!!!" – 0:24
4. "Sacrifice" (featuring Nelly Furtado) – 4:44
5. "Rolling with Heat" (featuring Talib Kweli) – 3:42
6. "WAOK (Ay) Rollcall" (featuring Ursula Rucker) – 1:00
7. "Thought @ Work" – 4:58
   • contains elements of "Apache" by The Sugarhill Gang, "Jam On The Groove" by Ralph McDonald and "Human Beat Box" by The Fat Boys
8. "The Seed (2.0)" (featuring Cody ChesnuTT) – 4:27
9. "Break You Off" (featuring Musiq) – 7:27
10. "Water" – 10:24
    • contains elements of "Her Story" by The Flying Lizards and "Come Out" by Steve Reich
11. "Quills" – 4:22
    • contains elements of "Breakout" by The Swingout Sisters
12. "Pussy Galore" – 4:29
    • contains elements of "Because I Got It Like That" by The Jungle Brothers
13. "Complexity" (featuring Jill Scott) – 4:47
14. "Something in the Way of Things (In Town)" (featuring Amiri Baraka) – 7:16
15. Untitled (hidden track, silent) – 0:20
16. Untitled (hidden track, silent) – 0:20
17. "Rhymes and Ammo/Thirsty!" (featuring Talib Kweli,Dice Raw) (hidden track, silent until 2:00) – 7:59
18. Untitled (hidden track, silent) – 0:05