Gift (Taproot album)

2025-11-03T02:29:21Z

2603:6080:1300:33B:EC5F:EC69:6357:7401: Fixed grammar

{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2025}}
{{Infobox album
| name = Gift
| type = Album
| artist = [[Taproot (band)|Taproot]]
| cover = taproot_gift.jpg
| alt =
| released = June 27, 2000
| recorded = January–March 2000
| venue =
| studio = {{flatlist|
*Master Control Recording in [[Burbank, Los Angeles County, California|Burbank, Los Angeles, California]] <br />[[Larrabee Sound Studios]] in [[North Hollywood, Los Angeles|North Hollywood, California]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XyxCXShc97Q&t=134s|title=Taproot - Gift (Behind the Scenes)|website=[[YouTube]] |date=11 April 2020 }}</ref>
}}
| genre = [[Nu metal]]
| length = 43:22
| label = {{flatlist|
*[[Atlantic Records|Atlantic]]
*Velvet Hammer}}
| producer = [[Ulrich Wild]]<br />David Benveniste
| prev_title = [[Upon Us]]
| prev_year = 1999
| next_title = [[Welcome (Taproot album)|Welcome]]
| next_year = 2002
| misc = {{Singles
| name = Gift
| type = studio
| single1 = [[Again & Again (Taproot song)|Again & Again]]
| single1date = April 28, 2000
| single2 = [[I (Taproot song)|I]]
| single2date = January 20, 2001
}}
}}
'''''Gift''''' is the debut studio album by American [[alternative metal]] band [[Taproot (band)|Taproot]]. It was released on June 27, 2000. The singles "[[Again & Again (Taproot song)|Again & Again]]" and "[[I (Taproot song)|I]]" reached No. 39 and No. 34 on the [[Mainstream Rock (chart)|Mainstream Rock]] chart. The album has sold over 250,000 copies.<ref name="CMJ" />

==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''.<ref name="CMJ" />

==Music and lyrics==
Described as a [[nu metal]] album,<ref name="CMJ">{{cite magazine |title=Artist Spotlight: Taproot |number=6 |magazine=CMJ New Music Report |publisher=CMJ Network, Inc. |volume=73 |page=23 |issn=0890-0795 |date=October 21, 2002 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://crypticrock.com/interview-mike-dewolf-of-taproot/ |title=Interview:Mike DeWolf of Taproot Cryptic Rock |date=3 July 2013 |publisher=Cryptic Rock}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.loudersound.com/features/the-50-best-nu-metal-albums-of-all-time|title = The 50 best nu metal albums of all time|date = April 2022}}</ref> the album's lyrical themes are primarily about topics such as depression and disliking life.<ref name="Allmusic" /><ref name="CMJ" /> 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]].<ref name="Allmusic" /><ref name="RS" /><ref name="CMJ" /> The album consists of vocal styles such as singing, rapping, growling and screaming.<ref name="Allmusic" /><ref name="Drowned" /><ref name="CMJ" />

==Reception==
{{Music ratings
| rev1 = [[AllMusic]]
| rev1score = {{Rating|2.5|5}}<ref name="Allmusic">[{{AllMusic|class=album|id=r486316/review|pure_url=yes}} Allmusic review]</ref>
| rev2 = ''[[Alternative Press (music magazine)|Alternative Press]]''
| rev2score = {{Rating|3|5}}<ref>[http://www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.asp?pid=1098049&style=music Album reviews at CD Universe]</ref>
| rev3 = ''[[Blabbermouth]]''
| rev3score = 8/10<ref name="Blabbermouth">{{cite news |url=http://www.blabbermouth.net/cdreviews/gift/ |title=CD Reviews - Gift Taproot |work=[[Blabbermouth]] |author=Borivoj Krgin}}</ref>
| rev4 = ''[[Drowned in Sound]]''
| rev4score = 10/10<ref name="Drowned">{{Cite web |url=http://drownedinsound.com/releases/2445/reviews/189-taproot-gift |title=Drowned in Sound review |access-date=2012-11-19 |archive-date=2012-11-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121125043718/http://drownedinsound.com/releases/2445/reviews/189-taproot-gift |url-status=dead }}</ref>
| rev5 = ''[[Kerrang!]]''
| rev5score = {{Rating|5|5}}<ref name="google">{{cite book|title=The Essential Rock Discography|author=Strong, M.C.|date=2006|publisher=Canongate|isbn=9781841958606|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CsooY_e1w8kC|page=421|accessdate=2014-10-05}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Griffiths |first=Mark |date=August 5, 2000 |title=Albums |journal=[[Kerrang!]] |publisher=[[EMAP]] |issue=813 |page=46}}</ref>
| rev6 = ''[[Metal Hammer]]''
| rev6score = 6/10<ref name="MetalHammerRev">{{Cite journal |last=Sadler |first=Darren |date=October 2000 |title=Under the Hammer |journal=[[Metal Hammer]] |publisher=[[Future plc]] |issue=79 |page=77 |issn=0955-1190}}</ref>
| rev7 = ''[[PopMatters]]''
| rev7score = (average)<ref name="PopMatters">[http://www.popmatters.com/pm/review/taproot-gift/ PopMatters review]</ref>
| rev8 = ''[[Rolling Stone]]''
| rev8score = {{Rating|3|5}}<ref name="RS">[https://web.archive.org/web/20071112110847/http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/taproot/albums/album/115338/review/6067913/gift Rolling Stone review]</ref>
}}
[[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."<ref name="Allmusic" /> In June 2000, ''[[CMJ New Music Monthly]]'' called the music "blistering melodic metal" and compared the vocals to [[Incubus (band)|Incubus]] and [[Faith No More]].<ref>{{cite book |title=CMJ New Music Report |date=June 19, 2000 |url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/CMJ/2000/CMJ-2000-06-19.pdf |access-date=25 October 2023}}</ref> In her July 2000 review, ''[[CMJ New Music Report]]'''s Amy Sciarretto wrote that it "sounds like Faith No More engorged with programming or Incubus spiked with more guitar grit."<ref>https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/CMJ/2000/CMJ-2000-07-10.pdf {{Bare URL PDF|date=July 2025}}</ref> In October 2000, Ben Raynor of ''[[Drowned in Sound]]'' gave the album a positive review, and praised the vocals of Stephen Richards, writing that, "Taproot are the perfect antidote to [[rap metal]] at a time when music needs them."<ref name="Drowned"/>

==Track listing==
{{Track listing
| title1 = Smile
| length1 = 3:34
| title2 = [[Again & Again (Taproot song)|Again & Again]]
| length2 = 3:55
| title3 = Emotional Times
| length3 = 3:03
| title4 = Now
| length4 = 3:21
| title5 = 1 Nite Stand
| length5 = 3:39
| title6 = Believed
| length6 = 4:02
| title7 = Mentobe
| length7 = 3:39
| title8 = [[I (Taproot song)|I]]
| length8 = 4:15
| title9 = Mirror's Reflection
| length9 = 3:10
| title10 = Dragged Down
| length10 = 3:30
| title11 = Comeback
| length11 = 4:25 
| title12 = Impact
| length12 = 2:49
| total_length = 43:22
}}
{{Track listing
| headline = Japanese edition bonus track
| title13 = Day By Day
| length13 = 3:21
| total_length = 46:43
}}

==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 "Thriftwhore", "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''.<ref name="PRP">{{cite web |last1=Wookubus (2018-10-26) |title=Taproot Detail Extensive 8 CD Rarities Set "Besides" |url=https://www.theprp.com/2018/10/16/news/taproot-detail-extensive-8-cd-rarities-set-besides/ |website=PRP |date=16 October 2018 |publisher=The PRP |accessdate=2020-08-16}}</ref>

==Credits==
'''Taproot'''
*Stephen Richards - Vocals, Rhythm Guitar
*Mike DeWolf - Lead Guitar
*Phil Lipscomb - Bass
*Jared Montague - Drums
'''Production'''
*Tom Baker - Digital editing, mastering<ref name="Allmusic. Credits">[http://www.allmusic.com/album/gift-r486316/credits Gift - Taproot - Credits]. Allmusic. Retrieved March 19th, 2011</ref>
*[[Frank Gryner]] - Assistant engineer<ref name="Allmusic. Credits"/>
*[[Scott Humphrey]] - Mixing<ref name="Allmusic. Credits"/>
*Ted Reiger - Assistant engineer<ref name="Allmusic. Credits"/>
*Stephen Richards - Programming, vocals<ref name="Allmusic. Credits"/>
*Edward Smith - Photography<ref name="Allmusic. Credits"/>
*[[Ulrich Wild]] - Engineer, mixing, producer<ref name="Allmusic. Credits"/>

==Charts==
'''Album'''
{| class="wikitable"
! Chart (2000)
! Peak{{break}}position
|-
| US ''Billboard'' 200<ref name="Allmusic. Billboard albums"/>
|align="center"|160
|-
| US Heatseekers<ref name="Allmusic. Billboard albums">[http://www.allmusic.com/album/gift-r486316/charts-awards/billboard-album Gift - Taproot - Billboard Albums]. Allmusic. Retrieved March 19, 2011</ref>
|align="center"|6
|-
|}

'''Singles''' - Billboard (United States)
{| class="wikitable"
! Year
! Single
! Chart
! Position
|-
| 2000
| "Again & Again"
| Mainstream Rock Tracks<ref name="Allmusic. Billboard singles">[http://www.allmusic.com/album/gift-r486316/charts-awards/billboard-single Gift - Taproot - Billboard Singles]. Allmusic. Retrieved March 19, 2011</ref>
|align="center"|39
|-
| 2001
| "I"
| Mainstream Rock Tracks<ref name="Allmusic. Billboard singles"/>
|align="center"|34
|-
|}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Taproot}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gift (Taproot Album)}}
[[Category:2000 debut albums]]
[[Category:Atlantic Records albums]]
[[Category:Taproot (band) albums]]
[[Category:Albums produced by Ulrich Wild]]

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Gift (Taproot album)