Welcome (album)

Infobox Album
Name = Welcome
Type = Album
Artist = Taproot


Released = October 15, 2002
Recorded = November 2001 - May 2002 in Los Angeles, California
Genre = Post-grunge
Nu metal
Length = 46:44
Label = Atlantic / Velvet Hammer
Producer = Toby Wright
Reviews =
*Allmusic Rating|2|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:blx8b5f4zsqg link]
*Blender Rating|2|5 [http://www.blender.com/guide/reviews.aspx?id=186 link]
*Rolling Stone Rating|3|5 [http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/taproot/albums/album/168093/review/6210228/welcome link]
Last album = "Gift"
(2000)
This album = "Welcome"
(2002)
Next album = "Blue-Sky Research"
(2005)

"Welcome" is the second major label album by the rock music group Taproot. It was released on October 15, 2002. "Poem" served as the album's the lead single and became a smash hit, propelling the group to stardom. A follow-up single, "Mine," was produced and its video was directed by System of a Down bassist Shavo Odadjian. The third single and video was announced for "Art," but curiously Atlantic pulled the plug soon after the announcement, further irking fans who claimed the label was holding Taproot back. "Welcome" remains Taproot's most successful record, selling around 450,000 copies. [ [http://investors.wmg.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=182480&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=708745&highlight= Taproot Gets Back To The Studio] Investors.WMG.com (2005). Retrieved on 9-21-08.]

The band performed on Music as a Weapon II in promotion of the album.

Production

During the early development of "Welcome", Taproot had given producer Toby Wright roughly 40 complete songs. Wright said that while they were good, the songs were not up to the band's potential, and he forced them to start from scratch. This was initially met with resentment from the band, but they ultimately wrote entirely new songs that they felt show greater maturity. [Wiederhorn, Jon [http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1458234/20021018/taproot.jhtml "Taproot's Second Album is Really Their Third ... Kind of"] MTV.com (October 21, 2002). Retrieved on June 3, 2008.] The only song written prior to this fresh batch was "Poem," which had seen prior success during concerts and went on to be arguably Taproot's most well known single. As with many Toby Wright productions, songs throughout "Welcome" are heavy on multi-tracked vocals and layered guitars.

Reception

Critical response to "Welcome" was largely mixed. Various prominent media critics considered the album too mediocre to stand out among current alternative and nu metal acts. However, melodic improvements from Taproot's prior effort were also cited. AllMusic's Brian O'Neill also compared the band's stylistic "idolatry" as a shift from Korn to Alice in Chains. Robert Cherry of "Rolling Stone" cited the "me, me, me" lyrics as evidence of needed maturity but added that "Welcome" "marks a self-preserving transition from new metal to art metal." The publication also cited Taproot as one of the "Bands to Watch in 2002." [ [http://investors.wmg.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=182480&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=708745&highlight= Taproot Gets Back To The Studio] Investors.WMG.com (2005). Retrieved on 9-21-08.]

Track listing

# "Mine" – 3:49
# "Poem" – 3:09
# "Everything" – 3:27
# "Art" – 4:42
# "Myself" – 3:47
# "When" – 4:04
# "Fault" – 3:19
# "Sumtimes" – 4:29
# "Breathe" – 4:17
# "Like" – 4:38
# "Dreams" – 3:43
# "Time" – 3:20

The band also recorded three additional songs during the "Welcome" sessions. Two of them, "Transparent" (4:23) and "Free" (3:23), can both be found on the "Poem" CD single as B-sides and on the Japanese pressing of "Welcome" as bonus tracks. The third track, "Remain," has yet to be released.

Charts

Album - Billboard (North America)

Singles - Billboard (North America)

References