Gift (Taproot album)

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, 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.

Credits
Taproot Production
 * Stephen Richards - Vocals, Rhythm Guitar
 * Mike DeWolf - Lead Guitar
 * Phil Lipscomb - Bass
 * Jared Montague - Drums
 * Tom Baker - Digital editing, mastering
 * Frank Gryner -	Assistant engineer
 * Scott Humphrey - Mixing
 * Ted Reiger - Assistant engineer
 * Stephen Richards - Programming, vocals
 * Edward Smith - Photography
 * Ulrich Wild - Engineer, mixing, producer

Charts
Album

Singles - Billboard (United States)