Undun

Undun starts with the sound of a heart monitor flatlining before working backward to tell the troubled tale of fictional character Redford Stephens. Blending politics and the personal, this concept album details the circumstances and choices that led to a tragic end. It’s a heavy theme, but the strong and concise songs get the point across with bursts of brittle funk, hard rhythms, and slow-burning soul. The Roots’ live-band approach to hip-hop layers lush processed beats, tough guitar, soulful keyboards and bass, and the impeccable drumming of Ahmir “QuestLove” Thompson. Singer and rapper Tarik “Black Thought” Trotter is joined by regular Roots collaborators Dice Raw, Greg Porn, Phonte, and Bilal Oliver on vocals. The album’s emphasis on down- and midtempo grooves lets the words sink in, and there are some powerful lyrical moments here. Undun ends with an unexpected four-part suite, starting with Sufjan Stevens’ “Redford (For Yia-Yia and Pappou)” and moving through three instrumental passages to close on a reflective note.