Rising Down will be the tenth album from Philadelphia-based hip-hop band The Roots. It is set to be released on Def Jam, their second with the label, following 2006’s Game Theory. The album will feature roughly the same lineup as Game Theory ; the band’s members remain, with guest appearances by Peedi Peedi and Malik B., the latter reportedly even more so than on the group’s previous album, as well as conceivable appearances and/or production by Dice Raw.

According to band leader ?uestlove, Rising Down, “is an electric record, more synthy. The darks are darker and the lights are lighter, but all I know is making quality hip-hop stylistically. We tried to do something we never did before. Kamal had to be the sacrificial lamb this time. The one instrument that has defined the Roots has been the Fender Rhodes. This is the first year he‚Äôs had to change his instrumentation and try other sounds out. We have a bunch of keyboards and synthesizers we‚Äôre using on this record. It feels like the musical equivalent of ‘Blade Runner’ sometimes. We‚Äôve also added a horn section has divulged that while the album‚Äôs direction is as yet uncertain, keyboardist Kamal Gray is utilizing more synthesizers than Fender Rhodes in his playing this time around.” Tracks in the mix for the album include the afro-beat infused “I Will Not Apologize” and the pop-ish “Birthday Girl.” The current release date for the album is set for April 29, 2008.

Official Track Listing :

1.) The Pow Wow
2.) Rising Down (Feat. Mos Def and Styles P)
3.) Get Busy (Feat. Dice Raw and Peedi Peedi)
4.) @15
5.) 75 Bars (Black’s Reconstruction)
6.) Becoming Unwritten
7.) Criminal (Feat. Truck North and Saigon)
8.) I Will Not Apologize (Feat. Porn and Dice Raw)
9.) I Can’t Help It (Feat. Malik B., Porn, Mercedes Martinez and Dice Raw)
10.) Singing Man (Feat. Porn, Truck North and Dice Raw)
11.) Unwritten
12.) Lost Desire (Feat. Malik B. and Talib Kweli)
13.) The Show (Feat. Common and Dice Raw)
14.) Rising Up (Feat. Wale and Chrisette Michele)
15.) Birthday Girl
16.) Bonus Track

I recently had a dream about this crazy phenomenon, but a search through the Slice archives left me speechless. The thing at left is a slice of pizza topped with mac and cheese. It’s sold‚Äîwhere else?‚Äîin the Dairy State, Wisconsin, Madison, to be exact. At a joint called Ian’s Pizza.

The University of Wisconsin’s Daily Cardinal gives some insight into the founder Ian Gurfield’s motives: “Gurfield, a graduate from the University of Massachusetts, opened his first Ian‚Äôs location on Frances Street in 2001‚Äîwhen he was only 21 years old. He said his hope was to find a college town that had a late night scene, admitting his ‘target market is drunk college students.’

That sounds about right. I bet this thing would taste pretty damn good about three sheets in.

Ian’s Pizza:
319 North Frances Street, Madison WI 53703; 608-257-0597
115 State Street, Madison WI; 608-442-3535

Shout out to Slice.