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| Blue-Sky Research | 
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| Artist: Taproot
Label: Atlantic / Wea
Category: Music
List Price: $15.98
Buy New: $4.29
You Save: $11.69 (73%)
New (26) Used (20) from $2.89
Avg. Customer Rating:  86 reviews
Sales Rank: 56648
Media: Audio CD
Discs: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 5.6 x 5 x 0.5
MPN: 83720
UPC: 075678372025
EAN: 0075678372025
ASIN: B0009U5CWW
Release Date: August 16, 2005
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Tracks:
| • | I Will Not Fall For You | | • | Violent Seas | | • | Birthday | | • | Facepeeler | | • | Calling | | • | Forever Endeavor | | • | April Suits | | • | Lost In the Woods | | • | So Eager | | • | She | | • | Promise | | • | Nightmare | | • | Blue-Sky Research/What's Left |
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| Editorial Reviews:
Album Description
Taproot returns to the scene with Blue-Sky Research, their melodic yet hard-hitting follow-up to the critically acclaimed Welcome. Studio wiz Toby Wright (Alice in Chains, Kiss, Korn) pushed the band to write over 80 songs for this record. The hard work has paid off handsomely, as Blue-Sky Research delivers not only on every song, but as a cohesive album.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 81 more reviews...
 Not The Taproot You Once Knew, But... September 5, 2005
17 out of 19 found this review helpful
...Damn, this album is great!
It takes a little while to catch on, but Taproot's third album, "Blue Sky Research" really gets under your skin. On my first listen, it sounded like a mess of ideas compiled onto an album. But the more I listened, the more it creeped into my head. I would find myself, hours after having listened, having these sick melodies stuck in my head, courtesy of Taproot.
For starters, this album is a huge departure from the sound of 2000's "Gift" and their 2002 so-so follow-up, "Welcome." Their sound definitely moves farther from the nu-metal label (although, they were always above that) and focuses more on catchy riffs and better songwriting. Don't get me wrong, the band is still here. Songs such as the dark opener "I Will Not Fall For You" and "Facepeeler" are instant classics among the Taproot song-book. But then you have songs that, with a little help from some high-profile people, will shock more than a few ears. The first single, "Calling" alone is worth the purchase of this album, and it was even co-written by Jonah Matranga (Gratitude, Far), which is odd when you consider the music this man has made in his own career. The song is a perfect example of Taproot making an edgy, dark song into something very catchy and very addictive. The first day I had this album, I must've repeated this song a dozen times. A more well known collaborator in Billy Corgan helps out on three songs, "Violent Seas," "Lost In the Woods" and "Promise." Just like the songs he worked on for Breaking Benjamin's "We Are Not Alone," these tracks have the classic 'Pumpkins stamp on them, and yet, sound just right when filtered through a completely different band. Despite the collaborations (which also include legendary producer Bob Marlette), Taproot still manage to keep their identity through the course of the album. "April Suits, "Facepeeler" and "I Will Not Fall For You" are just as good as anything else on this album, and the band did it themselves. Usually I hate it when groups use outside people to help write songs (the upcoming Korn album has me worried), as it takes away from the authenticity of the music, but I think Taproot have proven themselves before, and on this album, therefore, it's just not an issue.
I was very disappointed with "Welcome," as I was a huge fan of "Gift," and I must say, "Blue Sky Research" gets the group back on track. It may be a bit hard to swallow at first, but it's a very interesting listen, and I'm sure I will still be listening to this in the years to follow (just like I still do with "Gift"). Just give it a chance. Don't be turned off by the change. If you're close-minded enough to shut yourself out by their style, then maybe Taproot just weren't the band for you in the first place.
 Another step away from nu-metal August 16, 2005
8 out of 11 found this review helpful
With 'Blue-Sky Research' Taproot takes another step away from the nu-metal stuff that they did in their beginning. If 2002's 'Welcome' was a more rock oriented, Alice in Chains influenced record than their previous ones, with just simple and distorted guitar riffs, this new work is even more in that vein. They now seem closer to alt-rock acts like Incubus or Foo Fighters than to pseudo-metal bands like LimpBizkit, Disturbed or KoRn.
They had also drop out their almost trademark loud-then soft-then loud-then soft again style which they were using in almost all their songs and that became just a little annoying.
In short, this new album from Michigan rockers Taproot is maybe their best overall effort, more mature, more complex, and at the sime time more different from anything they have done. 4 stars.
 Does anyone else think they've changed for the worse? August 20, 2005
5 out of 8 found this review helpful
To be honest, I really am trying to like this cd. I'm listening to calling right now to double check that it still sucks.
I don't understand why everyone is praising this album. I can get over the fact they left behind their screaming and metal guitar... even the odd metered rhythms i can get over. However, that is why I liked them before, that is what made them unique and stick out of this crowd of pop rock on the radio. But to switch to four chord progressions unanimously throughout the album? I'm pissed that I even spent 10 bucks on this cd. They've lost their talent. I hear more emotion in Leonard Nimoy's sings the blues. The drums are no more intricate than the bands i saw back in high school at battle of the bands. i can't pick out what the bass player is doing because he's doing exactly the same thing as the guitar.
Change is not always a good thing.
 Blue Sky...A Welcome Gift? September 8, 2005
4 out of 11 found this review helpful
While I found Blue Sky Research to be somewhat listenable, there is definitely a different sound to Blue Sky Research than the sound of Welcome, Taproot's Sophomore effort. I was a huge fan of Welcome, so the lack of that familiar, Welcome sound is disappointing to me. There is a big difference between growing musically and simply changing style. With Blue Sky it's definitely the latter.
Blue Sky has a few tracks that are very similar to the type that were predominant on Welcome...you know, those off-time beats most clearly heard in songs like Everything, Fault and Sumtimes. There were different styles and sounds to the tunes on Welcome; the tunes on Blue Sky are a bit homogenized. Kind of like Taproot meets Smashing Pumpkins. And indeed, Taproot tapped Billy Corgan to collaborate on some of the disk's writing and recording. And I think that Billy has brought Blue Sky a much more radio friendly sound than Taproot's Welcome fans will be used to.
So to me, Welcome was really cool because it was clearly influenced by Alice in Chains, but it was really Taproot. But Blue Sky seems to emulate radio-friendly Smashing Pumpkins, and with Billy C actually in the studio, it technically really is Smashing Pumpkins....Get what I'm saying?
Anyway, the familiar sound that Stephen Richards projects is still loud and clear. He has one of those unmistakably unique voices like Ozzy, Robert Plant or....Layne Staley!
I think Taproot has lost some of their unique sound with Blue Sky, but they are still superior to all the punk metal bands that sound the same. The big difference between most of the rock out there and Taproot is that too many of the rock bands out there are producing the exact same music...all the punk metal bands are trying to sound like Blink 182 and too many of the nu metal bands want to sound like Nikelback. Taproot still have their own metal sound...it's just that on Blue Sky they've gone a bit too monochromatic for me.
All in all, fairly listenable. The off-time beats of old are mostly replaced by well-sung, toe tapping beats. Kudos to drummer Jarrod Montague for some great not-over-the-top drumming that keeps all of the songs rocking along instead of simply moving along.
I would have Welcomed back a more Welcome sounding Taproot. But I guess I'll have to be satisfied with the Gift of having them back with some more decent music.
Great album from melodic metal kings August 16, 2005
3 out of 5 found this review helpful
2 years on since welcome taproot present blue-sky research a vast improvement on both previous albums. the new album takes the heaviness of there doubt gift and the melody from welcome and meld them perfectly making an album that is not only more accessable for everyone it's full of great songs and should be purchesed regarless if you are a fan or not. Stand out tracks are I Will Not Fall For You, Violent Seas, Birthday, Facepeeler, Lost In The Woods, So Eager, Promise and the instrumental album title track which then fades in to What's Left probably the heavist song on the album. This album is a good introduction to people who like a little bit of melody with there metal. Overall the boys are on to a winner with this one which will hopefully give them the huge fanbase they deserve!!
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