This is the newest Wu-Tang compilation album with a who's who of guest appearances in the same vein as that Wu-Tang Chamber Music album that dropped a few years back. I've already heard a few of these songs, but I'm still interested to see how it is as a whole. Will this be the next great Wu-Tang release or a weak, 2011 version of Wu-Tang Collective?
1. Start The Show (Feat. Raekwon & RZA)
A great way to kick off the album. Street Radio lends his only beat on here that features a live guitar and bass that sounds pretty tight. I was never a fan of RZA the rapper but he and Rae come correct on this.
2. Laced Cheeba (Feat. Ghostface Killah, Sean Price, & Trife)
This beat has a heavy bassline and hard drums that give it a grimy feel that isn't all that different from the first track or every great Wu-Tang song ever, come to think of it. You can't go wrong with a lineup like Ghost, P, and Trife, either. Two for two so far.
3. Diesel Fluid (Feat. Method Man, Trife, & Cappadonna)
It's clear that the producers on this album (Fizzy Womack and some weed carriers according to Discogs), were shooting for this dark, dirty production style for this album. This one has a sick bass but is a little more boring than the first two. Nothing special lyrically on here either, especially from Cappadonna who hasn't dropped a good rap since "Independence Day".
4. The Black Diamonds (Feat. Ghostface, Roc Marciano, & Killa Sin)
This beat is aight, nothing special, but Ghostface, Roc Marci, and Killa Sin on the same shit? Sign me the fuck up!
5. Played By The Game (Interlude)
Nothing to review here.
6. Legendary Weapons (Feat. Ghostface, AZ, & M.O.P.)
This is fucking nails and I'm not just saying that because I'm a stan for just about everyone involved. This beat is one of the best yet, Ghostface and AZ kill it, and you can always count on M.O.P. to add some excitement to a song. Definitely worthy of the title track.
7. Never Feel This Pain (Feat. Inspectah Deck, U-God, & Tre Williams)
This isn't terrible, but it's pretty underwhelming compared to the rest of this which is appropriate since U-God and Tre Williams are on it. Even Deck, formerly a masterful verse writer, has basically lost his edge at this point.
8. Drunk Tongue (Feat. Killa Sin)
Every Wu-Tang album from here out should be produced by Fizzy Womack and executive produced by RZA. These are the dirtiest, most Wu-sounding collection of tracks I've heard in years and this in particular has some of that Asian music influence. This one is a Killa Sin solo which is cool to hear since he's a great MC who's always a part of a group or a guest rapper or something.
9. The Business (Interlude)
10. 225 Rounds (Feat. U-God, Cappadonna, Bronze Nazareth, & RZA)
I kinda like this beat and the intro is cool but I'm not a fan of any of these guys as rappers. At least they consolidated them all onto the same track rather than letting U-God or Cappadonna drag down some of the better shit.
11. Meteor Hammer (Feat. Ghostface Killah, Action Bronson, & Termanology)
This is one of the tracks I had heard previously, and it's definitely tight. They should scrap the Ghostface/DOOM project for one with Action Bronson since he's basically the white Ghostface and it's sick hearing them rhyme on the same track. Termanology lends the third verse and sounds very weak by comparison.
12. Live Through Death (Interlude)
13. Only The Rugged Survive (Feat. RZA)
Another grimy beat with live instrumentation to cap off the album, but this doesn't change my opinion on RZA as a rapper.
14. Outro
At least those interludes had beats and movie samples and shit...
Comments:
Nails from start to finish. I think had they replaced U-God and Cappadonna with GZA and Masta Killa, who were entirely absent from this album (maybe the hung it up), this could have been the best album this year. I sort of have the feeling that this is the kind of shit that sounds great on the first listen but lacks replay value. I guess I'll find out in the coming weeks. Still, I encourage you to check it out and cop it when it drops 7/26.
Best Songs: "Legendary Weapons", "Meteor Hammer", "Laced Cheeba"
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