Gift (Taproot album) explained

Gift
Type:	Album
Artist:	Taproot
Cover:	taproot_gift.jpg
Released:	June 27, 2000
Recorded:	January–March 2000
Genre:	Nu metal
Length:	43:22
Producer:	Ulrich Wild David Benveniste
Prev Title:	Upon Us
Prev Year:	1999
Next Title:	Welcome
Next Year:	2002

Gift is the third studio album and major label debut by American alternative metal band Taproot. It was released on June 27, 2000. The singles "Again & Again" and "I" reached No. 39 and No. 34 on the Mainstream Rock chart. The album has sold over 250,000 copies.

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.

Music and lyrics

Described as a nu metal album,^{[1] [2] [3]} the album's lyrical themes are primarily about topics such as depression and disliking life. 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. The album consists of vocal styles such as singing, rapping, growling and screaming.

Reception

AllMusic's Brian Musich stated "dropping in a time when rap-rock is all the rage, as it sells albums like mad, garners instant publicity from MTV, and packs stadiums in a new generation of concert festivals, Taproot is guaranteed media exposure and a large built-in fan base." He added, "If they had dropped Gift two years earlier, Taproot would be pioneers. Instead, they are adequate followers." In June 2000, CMJ New Music Monthly called the music "blistering melodic metal" and compared the vocals to Incubus and Faith No More.^[4]

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.^[5]

Credits

Taproot

• Stephen Richards - Vocals, Rhythm Guitar
• Mike DeWolf - Lead Guitar
• Phil Lipscomb - Bass
• Jared Montague - Drums

Production

• Tom Baker - Digital editing, mastering^[6]
• Frank Gryner - Assistant engineer^[6]
• Scott Humphrey - Mixing^[6]
• Ted Reiger - Assistant engineer^[6]
• Stephen Richards - Programming, vocals^[6]
• Edward Smith - Photography^[6]
• Ulrich Wild - Engineer, mixing, producer^[6]

Charts

Album

Chart (2000)	Peakposition
US Billboard 200	160
US Heatseekers^[7]	6

Singles - Billboard (United States)

Year	Single	Chart	Position
2000	"Again & Again"	Mainstream Rock Tracks^[8]	39
2001	"I"	Mainstream Rock Tracks	34

Notes and References

1. Artist Spotlight: Taproot . 6 . CMJ New Music Report . CMJ Network, Inc. . 73 . 23 . 0890-0795 . October 21, 2002 .
2. Web site: Interview:Mike DeWolf of Taproot Cryptic Rock . Cryptic Rock.
3. Web site: The 50 best nu metal albums of all time. April 2022.
4. Book: CMJ New Music Report . June 19, 2000 . 25 October 2023.
5. Web site: Wookubus (2018-10-26) . Taproot Detail Extensive 8 CD Rarities Set "Besides" . PRP . The PRP . 2020-08-16.
6. http://www.allmusic.com/album/gift-r486316/credits Gift - Taproot - Credits
7. http://www.allmusic.com/album/gift-r486316/charts-awards/billboard-album Gift - Taproot - Billboard Albums
8. http://www.allmusic.com/album/gift-r486316/charts-awards/billboard-single Gift - Taproot - Billboard Singles