Reviews (page 6 of 8)
Guilty, had deze plaat nog nooit geluisterd. Op één of andere manier ook de andere dingen van WTC nooit echt tot me genomen. Voel daar niet perse heel veel nieuwsgierigheid naar. Maar toegegeven, Liquid Swords heeft echt een hele dikke flow. Ik kan dit niet goed genoeg plaatsen in genre of tijd, dus meer woorden kan ik er niet aan wijden. Wel ben ik blijf dat ik dit eens heb gecheckt. 7,5/10
Pretty sick. Wu-tang forever
I really wanted to like this more than I did! Because this album actually has a vibe I love, real 90s East Coast hip-hop, with old samurai and martial arts movie samples. Often slightly discordant piano or synths, punches of brass. I really enjoy it playing in the background. But I suppose that's part of the issue. Most of the songs tend to blend together. And it's a bit too long. Fav tracks: Liquid Swords, Duel of the Iron Mic, Hell's Wind Staff / Killah Hills 10304, I Gotcha Back
Intricate raps, tough beats and kung fu movie samples. Everything you expect from a Wu Tang album. As with other Wu Tang albums, I find the technical skills more impressive than engaging. GZA is an excellent rapper but he’s so level-headed in his delivery that I can almost tune him out and let the music sit in the background. I’ll always prefer a rapper with a little more charisma who grabs you and shakes you every few lines to make sure you’re paying attention. But nothing wrong with demanding a little extra attention when the rhymes and flows are stellar. “4th Chamber” stood out as a highlight. Great beat.
I've heard a bunch of Wu-Tang but not so much of their solo work so this was pretty cool to see on the list. It definitely sounded like the full group, and tracks like "Shadowboxin'" that have Method Man on it really sounded familiar, but maybe I'm not just versed enough in the nuance of the differences between these solo releases and the full outfit. I do like Wu-Tang so this was definitely a nice listen. I read somewhere that GZA is "precise" and I think that's pretty apt after hearing this record. His diction is crisp, and it feels like every lyric exists for a reason without any unnecessary clutter or fluff. The only downside is that his voice sits a little bit too much in the middle; it doesn't often feel aggressive or passive, and because of this it kind of feels a little flat and uninspired. I really like all of the spoken / diagetic speech moments that are randomly scattered throughout the album. Nice to set a scene.
Het was al weer een tijdje geleden dat we een hiphopplaat hadden, dus het zat er wel aan te komen. Blijkbaar is dit een van de wu-tang dudes, ze zijn niet allemaal even bekend geworden, althans niet voor mij. Zijn killa-vrienden doen zo te zien veelvuldig mee op dit 'solo'-album, helemaal alleen kon hij het niet. Volgens de wiki zou GZA de grootste woordenschat hebben van alle wu-tang en zouden de teksten filosofischer zijn. Tja, ik luister niet zo naar de teksten, maar als ik wat voorbij hoor komen terwijl ik aan het werk ben, is het toch vaak genoeg shooting hier, m*therf**** daar of het n-woord. Ach ja, het zal er wel bij horen. Ik stoor me er vandaag niet aan, de doorgaans kinderachtigheid van de teksten blijft redelijk beperkt hoop ik. Qua muziek vind ik bij hiphop het fijnste als het lekker flowt. Dat doet dit wel. Er zit een prima beatje in en het wordt opgeluisterd met een baslijn, een tingelpiano of een gitaarriffje. Zoals bij veel 90s hiphop is het redelijk kaal, maar dat is prima. Ik kon het goed aanhoren op de achtergrond en het duurde een keer minder dan een uur (al voelde het gewoon wel als meer dan een uur). Een vergeetbare 3.
already listened to it, pretty decent. big fan of b.i.b.l.e
Anfang interessant
I get this might offer more on relistens, parts of it I enjoyed - mostly the beats and the flow of the lyrics, but each track became boring after a while. It seems most of the solo Wu Tang projects suffer from an overly ambitious run time.
Wu Tang in perpetuity
Yet another Hip-Hop album. At first I quite liked it, but after the first few tracks I started to get bored.
One note minor key so it wears thin
Not bad, I kinda liked it. 90s rap all the way. Reminds me of MF Doom a bit especially with the use of clips from cartoons/movies
Vibede ret fint med det, men teksterne fangede mig ikke så meget og ikke noget der giver et varigt indtryk
I think that all the albums on the list from WuTang members never catch me. I usually like them, but only in a very standard way. It's a good album, but it's a bit outdated. It also sounds influential in the same way.
I thought the beats were fairly boring
This is pretty bonkers. If I especially liked either of the elements (kung fu, wu tang) I would probably absolutely love it. But I don't so I don't, but I can respect it. I did get sucked into the groove a few times.
Interesting at best!
I enjoyed this, I liked the smooth vibe. I'd say it's better than a 3, but I'm stuck on the fact (at least, for me) that there wasn't a ton of variety in the music or delivery. So while it struck a cool note, it never really varied much and for that I'm not inclined to go higher than a 3. Another that's better than the rating in terms of my level of engagement and enjoyment.
7/10. Too same-y
Meh, smells like Wu-Tang spin-off. Nothing special going on here.
3-4
This one feels like a cold walk through the city. The beats are sparse but sharp, with hard edges that remind me of early Nas, though less soulful. The verses are focused, almost clinical, cutting through each track with precision. It’s not flashy or loud, more of a slow burn, like it’s daring you to keep up. The mood stays steady, heavy with the weight of careful wordplay and dark tones. It’s good for when you’re in the mood for something thoughtful, but it doesn’t reach the warmth of some other works in its style.
Not my type of music
I listened to it three times in a row and I still don’t think I got 50% of the lyrical references. This thing is an encyclopedic hip-hop thesis. I liked most of the beats but I found some of the singing a bit off-tune - perhaps on purpose?
Okay, so I never really got all the kung fu stuff with these guys, but from a strictly technical standpoint, it's great rap and it has terrific flow. I really don't consider it hip hop, primarily because of the heavy use of the n word and the constant swearing. Hip Hop to me, does not really on this, but instead relies on instrumental samples to make its point. Really good album and it's about the 5th time I've listened to it through. It has grown on me.
Cold World is a standout for me. Too much forgettable filler.
I feel your flow GZA.
This has been a weird music week. It may be "just me" or perhaps it is just coincidental. GZA is OK. I really like the whole Shaw Brothers shout out thing, and they have solid hip hop beats going on. Even the lyrics are raw and well done. Nevertheless maybe what it is is that I like hip hop so I have favorites, not only bands specifically, but beats and vibes. So I find that GZA is somewhere in the room but not really my go to band. It is no fault of theirs, just my own aesthetic.
Nice for my workout
First hip-hop album ever listen to, just soso
Heavy rap. Not bad, just not for me.
good but not really my thing
I realize when I listen to music I don't really listen to lyrics and it's really to my detriment when listening to this type of music. I think I need to listen to it again.
показался более интересным чем остальные реп-альбомы с первого раза, надо потом вернуться
Liked the lo-fi. 3/5
Exciting blend of samples and vocals -- very cleverly produced.
adoro rap, bem vibes rap 90s é um album de rap relativamente calminho, pra um dia que vc ta afim de ouvir o genero mas n quer explodir ouvi ate a metade, n tava na vibe :')
Good beats, not loud, easy to play as background music. Head bopping, not boring. Doesn’t sound dated either. 3/5
Not enough variation to be interesting to listen to in one session
This overall was a fun listen but I didn't enjoy the dissonant harmonies chosen. It grated on me. Understand whatever creative decision that may have been but it became repetitive and a bit annoying.
This was fine, had some good beats and enjoyable but nothing special for me
Mm, I'unno. For me, it was all just a bit too low-key. What mean is, I just didn't find the beats terribly interesting, and being the "melody first" kind of person I am, if I'm not interested in the beats, then I'm probably not gonna be able to pay much mind to the lyrics. I figure GZA's a good lyricist—this album wouldn't be one of the big two solo Wu-Tang albums otherwise—but overall... I'unno. It just caused me to zone out too much, and not because the flows were hypnotic or whatever.
Done before, obviously forgettable...
Nice vibe, smooth but also treacks blend into one. some deep lyrics I probably didn't pick up on.
pretty good, like the sound on a lot of the songs
Not my thing but it had its moments. 2.5
I recognized the style of a Wu Tang Clan member during the first song! That wouldn't have happened before I started this exercise, so that was cool. I feel like I should know the Wu Tang Clan better than I do, so I was happy to listen to this album. This felt like classic rap, solid music but nothing too impressive I thought. Liquid Swords was my favourite track, also a pretty sick name
I went into this one blind as I had never heard of GZA before. It started out with a voice over about an assassin and I got excited thinking it was going to be a concept album of some sort, then the rap started and I felt blue balled. Also I'm not sure how GZA is pronounced, but my brain insists that it's Geezer. I had to come back to this one after a while to listen to it for what it is, rather than what I wanted it to be. The guy is a talented rapper, but I found the lyrics a bit too much "I'm the greatest, look at me, I'm a badass." style. Overall I found the album lacking.
The beat was cool but would not add any of these songs to my playlist. The all kinda sounded the same to me.
I found this faded into background music remarkably well, so I don't really have that many more opinions about it. When I was reading his Wikipedia page it said that in 2015 he was planning on releasing an album about space so I was sad that that doesn't seem to have materialised.
Okay. I get bored by very short loops. However, I also, really appreciate the lyricality and poetry here. I can't say I fully grasp what they're saying, but it sure flows with the beat!
Pretty good rap, although it mostly ran together for me
I love the concept of the Wu-Tang Universe but I think all the albums just fall slightly flat for me
I’ve been digging the Wu-Tang/Wu-Tang adjacent records I’ve gotten so far. This didn’t disappoint. GZA’s lyrics over RZA’s beats are great. I was a big fan of all of the Shogun Assassin sampling.
The amount of lyrics is incredible and I can see why he is called the spiritual leader. The rhythm, especially the bass, aligns seamlessly with the stride of a long run, when everything else disappears, leaving just the rhythm and the sway. Mesmerizing.
Less misogynistic and braggadocious than most rap. But it's verbose - I like it when rap conveys meaning without quite so many words. Simple beats throughout, except for the last track, BIBLE, which is by far the best one.
It was OK - samurai movie quotes seemed hokey, and music seemed a bit generic to me.
This was fine but it definitely didn't stand out much for me.
Fun unique 90s hip hop album. A classic.
Best Song: 4th Chamber Worst Song: I gotcha back
Killah Rap.
Pretty decent old school rap
Ace sounds from our favourite hip hop swordsman
Proper old school hip hop. Not too braggadocios or misogynistic. Needs a banger, with a fine hook though.
I enjoyed the general vibe and Shogun Assassin references. 3.5
Hip hop, un poco rollo, pero bueno, bien.
some great beats from RZA but that's about all that's ever appealed to me about this project...GZA just isn't that unique or compelling of a solo performer or writer, honestly Ghostface is the only Wu-Tang alum that's ever managed to strike me...boom bap classic that never hits my ears as any greater than enjoyable 6/10
Interesting rap. Soft and easy sounds often introduced with attention driven recorded intros.
Liquid Swords has great gansta rap cuts. GZA is a solid rapper. However, I struggle to identify why this album is on the list. We already have the perfect Enter the 36 Chambers. This one seems like an appendix. Not a bad one, but it’s like a branch of it. What is special?
-not too bad. sort of similar to the raekwon album I guess, but with its own unique style -Favorites are Duel Of The Iron Mic, Gold, and 4th Chamber
It was fine. I didn't play too close of attention to the lyrics. But musically it was enjoyable. The samurai themed interludes don't really work for me, but they aren't as bad as a lot of the other sketches in this era of hip hop.
I thought GZA was such a poetical lyricist. He's talking about dark stuff, but because it's creative and more about the emotion and intent than the graphic imagery it works way better than Tical, which is the only other WTC member's album we've had so far in this project. At the end of the day, the beats and subject matter weren't super captivating to me, but I'd consider giving this album another listen from time to time to catch clever lyrics I missed this time around.
Above average WuTang related rap album with the Kung fu samples.
Quite chill hip-hop
An interesting album with a storyline. I quite enjoyed it despite it not being my usual style of music.
i enjoyed this but it never got beyond background vibes for me
Found this one to be repetitive and boring. Wasn't bad as such, just not my thing. Also didn't like the talking at the start of songs 3 ⭐️
Seems fun
3.5
Lyrically nimble, with an compelling flow and a substantial, ominous vibe. Fave Songs: Liquid Swords, Cold World, Duel of the Iron Mic
ICH BIN READY SAMURAI s chind isch en guete storyteller wnl hahahaha okay de beat nervtmi chli hahahah au wenni cool findt dass es so simpel/reduziert isch ja liquid swords au wenn funny titel hetmi nanig überzügt omg scho wieder en skit ich schwör ich bin froh gits das nümme so krass, aber wenigstens sinds kreativi skits living in the world today findi en richtig geile, ominöse beat, und sin flow hetmi auchli meh packt ah und s albumcover gaht hard UHH COLD WORLD wichtige hate uf labels poah das intro und natürlich de beat gaht dumm bi 4th chamber METHOD MAN hey chegge scho wiso s beliebtiste lied isch SKIT nachane beat uhuere geil und weird bible riese bop, find s album het ener schwach ahgfange, bzw. han nöd so vill chönne ahfange aber han gad momentsn sehr freud ich glaub wegem ener schwache ahfang mussi es 3 geh vlt gits no es 4i? who knows
The regular show of 90s hip hop
I liked this at the start, but it wore thin after a while - too much of the same thing. Better than Method Man's album that we got earlier.
Ok Album.
Okaish East Coast HipHop.
good not amazing
Very cool flow and great beats. Well produced and great rapping. Rap's not my genre, but I enjoyed it. Three stars.
I don't usually listen to this sort of hip-hop. The opening of the album isn't bad, but they're kind of losing me with Cold World... The instrumentation and the vocals sound like they're in two different keys and the dissonance isn't doing it for me.
Cool samples, good beats and verses
This is a cool album. I dig the vibe, and the raps and lyrics were pretty great.
I listened multiply times. Not my Jam
Lyrically very creative. Love Shogun Assassin. WU-TANG.
3+
Heerlijke beats. Kom verder moeilijk in old school rap
alright beats but boring rapping to back it up leaves it to not give me the best time with this.
I liked this, I’d give it a 3.5 if I could
3.2 Enjoyed it with one go-through
Decent
The beats are surprisingly catchy and engaging. The lengthy excerpts from Shogun Assassin are rather tedious.
I like it. I really enjoyed the music. The talking, not so much. 3
I like this style of rap better than most. it almost feels like indie rap.
B- Liquid Swords 3 Duel Of The Iron Mic 4 Living In The World Today 4 Gold 3 Cold World 3 Labels 3 4th Chamber 3 Shadowboxin' 3 Killah Hills 10304 3 Investigative Reports 3 Swordsman 3 I Gotcha Back 3 Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth 4 This was pretty good. I thought this was SZA until just now. Oops.
I'm never going to choose to listen to this, but I enjoyed parts of it.
The title track is great. "Cold World" is also worth a listen. The real star, per usual, is RZA's beats and production work. Though the album is a little too heavy on rather long samples from Shogun Assassin (1980). 3.2 stars rounded down.
I enjoyed the film / video game aspect of the album.
Never realized how many hip hop records have spoken word interludes. Don’t hate, but don’t love. Overall, this is pretty good. Good beats, not loud, easy to play as background music. Head bopping, not boring. Doesn’t sound dated either.
Cool rap, not totally for me
undarground... mitä vittua tarkoittaa maanalainen? aina olluvar kuuluisia.. luulin tarkoittaa epä suosittu ja harvempi henkilö kuuntelee esim richie guerrero 400 monthly listeners. noh tota hyvä albumi tässå, wu tang jäsen jatkaa samankaltaista hip hop musiikin tuotantoa.. pakko antaa vähäisempi arvosana kuin cuban links joka oli jo heikompi kuin,36 kammiota. ryhmänä niin paljon versaliteettia että se toimii paljon oaremmin, vaikka tässä toki featureja. lyrisismi toki mahtavaa, mutta se on odotettuakin, ei mikään yllätys siinä.. neste miekat... huhhuh... killah hills 10304
This is probably my favorite album by a former Wu-Tang Clan member. I’ve enjoyed some Raekwon and Ghostface Killah albums as well and they’re pretty close, but I think Liquid Swords is on par with Enter the Wu-Tang. Usually I don’t love skits in the midst of songs, but I think GZA accomplished this way better than any other rapper I’ve heard, mostly using dialogue from the film Shogun Assassin (which I should probably check out). The production for this album is incredible, especially considering it was recorded and produced in RZA’s basement. I’m unclear how advanced RZA’s home studio was, but I can’t imagine it rivaled The Firehouse or The Hit Studio where Enter the Wu-Tang was recorded and mastered (respectively). RZA and GZA made miracles on this album, it sounds over a decade advanced. Ghostface Killah’s Fishscale from 2006 and Raekwon’s Only Built 4 Cuban Linx… Pt. II are of similar quality, but they’re both over 10 years later and were recorded at more developed studios.
Higher end 3
Gets ya nodding dog noddin
So Wu already on the list? GZA boi ur ass dismissed Liquid swords may be filled with bars But u just scrape by with soft 3 stars
3.
Interesting concept. Personal enjoyment: 2/5 Relevance to this list: 3/5
I liked this much more than I expected to and would probably place it close to the top relative to the other very famous rap albums on this list. However I’m still not really a fan of this because none of the songs really stuck out. I’ll have to re-listen to this sometime.
HipHop als schönes Konzeptalbum.
Why do people have such an ick for 90’s rap? I love the Instrumentals here, such wonky and non traditional beats are so fun. NY Hip-Hop was so fire back in the day, bring it back. This is another album that’s deff gonna grow on me as I reslisten. Living in the world today; 4th chamber, Investigative reports.. gah there’s too many bangers bro
Albumet var helt okej. Jag gillar den. Lite old school. Det är nice. Ganska samma sound genom hela skivan. Bra flow. Glad att jag fick höra den. Andra lyssningen blev den bättre. Coola filmklipp.
Det är bra. Men lite för enformigt. Det är rätt "enkla" beats. Inget extra. Antar att texten är en viktig del. Kan inte riktigt ta in den. Skönt flow, men lågmält. Det är inte dåligt men inte heller svinbra. Lite tjatigt med alla ninjatjafs. Det var säkert ballt en gång. Men det håller inte i längden. Shadowboxin är bäst.
Stone hard NY hip hop. From the source to the next step in the 90s. Could have had a bit more soul or funk as a criticism.
Fiko
VERY NY 90's boom-bap hip hop album. The Wu Tang Clan members are all good lyricists so its fun to hear them all here. I do wish the actual songs were stronger though. None of them really stuck out to me after multiple listens aside from B.I.B.L.E, which stood out to me more for GZA's political lyrics than anything else. While this does create a "vibe" for the album, I don't find it to be super memorable. RZA's production is very good and must have been great to hear at the time when most production was simpler than what we hear here.
Pretty meh here. A couple catchy tracks but not a lot to keep my interest.
Very coherent hip hop album with an extremely gloomy atmosphere. I appreciate it but would not listen to it again.
Disappointingly mid. Wasn't anything lyrically or musically groundbreaking. Artwork is great and some cool tracks but had higher hopes for it.
As far as rap goes, this was lyrically next-level but it’s another case of appreciating something I don’t relate to and musically didn’t really inspire me. Listens: 1 1/2 Fave Track: I think I liked the collaborative tracks better in general. Rating: 3 (for the rap quality, prob 2 for enjoyment)
Nice, I should read the lyrics to give a much accurate review
Heavy and poetic, a genre I know little of. Each song is poetry, a saga, a story. I couldn't possibly relate with what GZA is putting down and yet, you can't help but feel it. Impressive style and lyrical mastery. Shadowboxing and 4th Chamber in particular struck a chord of a kind.
Some pretty cool experimental hip hop from one of the Wu Tang members. Some sick samples and beats, but hasn't stuck in my mind really. Still dope tho. Fav songs: - Liquid Swords - Duel of the Iron Mic - 4th Chamber - Shadowboxing
Not sure how this differs from Wu Tang, but it's good.
Very unique in the way they sampled the movie into this. I didn’t think I’d like it but it grew on me.
Just okay
felt ok to listen to but not super memorable. maybe a high 3 but doesn't feel like a 4
Favorite was "B.I.B.L.E"
According to my brother this is the best of the WuTang solo records, but I've never really understood that statement
Moody and atmospheric. Suited the day I spent driving around Montreal in the rain. Still long though.
Ascoltabile, ma senza nulla che spicchi particolarmente.
Another wu tang member’s solo album 2 days later… again middle of the road listen, again it’s not something I mind but wouldn’t listen to often
I've listened to this album for years and have always thought it's alright. That perception continues on this listen. Some really stand out tracks on the first half of the album, but it fades by the end to just ok. 3/5.
It was alright, nothing special
Not my favorite genre but an enjoyable listen. 6/10 (3/5)
Liquid Swords is the second solo album by the American rapper and Wu-Tang Clan member GZA. The East Coast hip hop album contains dark themes on crime, philosophy, and chess, while sampling dialogue from the martial arts film Shogun Assassin. It's a sophisticated production with awesome beats and snazzy rhymes that has been considered as one of the best hip hop albums of its time. It has been certified platinum in the US. Liquid Swords is a deadly-sharp assassination executed flawlessly. Its dark and mysterious raps cut deep with layered lyrics that are complimented by the creepy string melodies and heavy bass beats. This was an awesome hip hop album and one of the best solo albums in Wu-Tang's collection. I do recommend.
Really enjoyed the beat throughout this album, but I’m not the target audience for the lyrics and what these songs are about so I didn’t connect with it.
There's definitely beats that get my head bopping throughout. Flow is good too. Nothing really exciting here for me though. Just a rap album with a cool album cover. Nothing earth shattering here either good or bad.
Pretty middle of the road hip-hop album for me. It was ok to listen to in the background with repetitive beats but thats about it
Creative
Didn't do anything for me.
New one for me
Best song: Killah Hills Vibes: epic/cinematic lyrical NY rap Themes: Kung fu, fighting
Wasn’t for me but I still appreciate these guys love of Tony Stark
Yer was alright this, few good tracks
Heard it a few times now and is a solid one with a ton of clever rhymes. No outstanding tracks so I dont think I'll revisit, so I have to give it a 3.5
Liquid Swords Duel Of The Iron Mic 4th Chamber Shadowboxin'
1995, East Coast hip hop, hardcore hip hop Definitely not my 'go-to' music genre....Contains three top 10 US Rap singles. Singles: I Gotcha' Back, Liquid Swords, Cold World, Shadowboxin' Standouts: Liquid Swords 3/5
GZA and WuTang were a bit before my time. The verses on “4th Chamber” were impressive.
Prefer Wutang, but this was pretty good.
Saturday Afternoon Classic Hip Hop Listening Party second entry of the day after Run D.M.C. I can't say I was paying a huge amount of attention to the lyrics, as I was puttering around doing chores, but I enjoyed the production, pacing, and consistency. It has a dark, mellow sound palette that I was not expecting.
I guess this is how other people felt listening to Berlin by Lou Reed. A lot of the music was really enjoyable and I liked a lot of the songs but sometimes I'd suddenly realize the content of the lyrics and be bummed out and uncomfortable. It also just seemed like a lot for one sitting.
5 / 10 Rap clásico, no va conmigo.
Not at a Method level album. No song stood out, though I was fine with the album as a whole.
I enjoyed the beats. Heard some clever lyrical combinations. Mostly faded into the background. In a good way?
it's alright
Pas mal pour du rap, surtout d’un membre du Wu-Tang
La barrera del idioma me impide disfrutarlo en su maximo esplendor. Aun asi, buen disco, la poesia se transmite aunque no sepa tanto el idioma y no esté muy metido en el tema de hip hop estadounidense
Beats niet zo funky als gedacht. Leuk thema
Great samples and strong rap.
Interesting rap album. Liked most of the tracks.
Classic 90s hip hop, scary beats. Flow was smooth, but not my style.
Not my jam, but good.
The epic audio samples between the tracks really elevate the album.
Pretty chill album.
Interesting album. Not sure where they got the intercut samples....but it gave it an interesting vibe. Not a bad listen.
Ok
Favourite Song: Cold World Not my usual type of music, but the album feels very cinematic at time which is always appealing to me.
3 Not really getting the hype surrounding this one. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a fine rap album, and I had a decent time listening to it, but nothing about it felt particularly noteworthy or special. I mean, the guy has good flow, but beats and lyrics-wise it all seemed pretty average and not like anything I haven’t already heard before. Really the only two tracks that stood out to me were Cold World and Shadowboxin’, which I will say have probably contained the best two beats on the album, but they also weren’t anything that imparted any kind of lasting impression or that I found myself missing when they were gone. Supposedly there’s a large following for this album online, so I’m clearly missing something. I’m not overly familiar with Wu-Tang Clan, so maybe I’m just lacking some context there? I do know there is some praise thrown onto the album for its “cinematic” qualities, which I’m assuming refer to the B-movie-esque interstitials. I did think those were kind of neat, but at the same time, I also don’t really feel like they paired with any of the songs or created any kind of overarching connection in any sort of meaningful way. If you’re a huge fan of this album, please let me know what I’m missing! I will say, the album cover is dope as hell and probably a 5/5 in my books if we were grading solely based on that.
I liked it, but it feels like a hard album to love. It's very heady. It's got a dark feel, almost like listening to a comic or graphic novel. Which is cool and lots of respect to the concept album and to GZA's lyrics. But similar to Method Man's debut album that was released around the same time and that I just listened to, when the album is over I'm struggling to remember what was so cool or what will keep me coming back for more. Feels like a 3.5.
Yes
Genre: R&B Rap (90s) Instruments: 3/5 Modern Translation: 2/5 Dance Potential: 1/5 Listening Location: commute to work Heard it before: No Favourite Song: Cold World, 4th Chamber and Investigative Reports Made me feel: I didn’t listen to the lyrics much, but this album felt like a classic 90’s rap album. I thought it had variety and it was well-made.
This one wasn't as annoying to me as some other 90s rap.
Some great bars here, even if the accompanying production felt a bit uninspired compared to the vocals’ energy. Prime example of an LP that could’ve benefitted from getting out of its own way - the sampling gets a bit excessive, and the last track feels so heavy-handed and tacked-on that the flow/finale of the album is tainted.
old hip hop <3333 3.5/5
Blind album and artist. Know him from Wu Tang, and the album is interesting and cool, but not a top tier for me that I feel myself coming back to. Sorry GZA.
3 Stars (8/15)
fun, funky, i liked it
Ooft, first Wu-Tang affiliated album
Super inégal. Liquid swords c'est un de mes morceaux préféré de cette époque mais il y a plein de morceaux qui ont mal vieilli
Quelques titres sympa. J'aime bien les intros parlées.
another fine album that i probably wouldn't have sought out on my own. i like the martial arts movie clips/theme running throughout the album, that was pretty neat. the songs kinda blend together for me but the lyrics seemed well crafted. i might listen to a handful of these tracks again but it wasn't my favorite 90s rap/hip-hop. favorites: liquid swords, 4th chamber, shadowboxin'
Cool production.
was ok, kinda passed me by, although a couple of songs defo jumped out more than others
Decent - good rapping, good beats, but I need my hip hop to have a good hook and be a little more upbeat.
Fire as fuck. Real raw rhymes I like it I don’t really listen to GZA like that old school rappin. Imma probably start listening to more tho. Investigative reports is one of the most fire tracks I’ve heard from this era.
Loved the samples, but tbh it wasn’t my style. Like I appreciate it and all, but can’t see myself putting this on on the subway. TBD.
Good. I enjoyed this album, although I’m not as familiar with hip-hop as I should be.
I liked this OK and can see why GZA is held in such high regard. This just didn’t catch me in the way some other rap albums we’ve listened to have.
Not using my style, but I did enjoy this and I learned a surprising amount about 90s rap
Meh, it was fine.
Solid rap, but did not leave a strong impression. 3.5
For me, as far as rap goes, Liquid Swords is palatable. Unique and stylish production kept me interested, but the songs overall didn't get through to me.
Well crafted album, I must say. Just not type of music that I particularly enjoy
Not really a fan of Dr Suess music. Kind of amusing though
As a rap skeptic, this is the second day in a row of rap albums that have me second-guessing my biases. This was a fine listen, with some fun sampling (the intro in particular caught my attention) and some solid energy. It didn't quite blow me away, but even at 50+ minutes, I never found myself growing overly tired of it. This is a 3.5 star album for me, if I'm being honest, but without half stars at my disposal, I don't quite know if I consider this a 4.
Liquid Swords, Genius/GZA Liquid Swords - rap with musical beat, catch few words of lyric Duel of the Iron Mic - inventive story intro, otherwise ditto Living in the World Today - ditto - melody is short loop repeated ~ Gold - ditto Cold World - ditto Labels - ditto 4th chamber - ditto Shadowboxin' - ditto Hell's Wind Staff - mixed conversations over segue to melody + rap lyric Investigative Reports -- rap over background conv. intro, ditto style Swordsman -- ditto I Gotcha Back - ditto - sick throat-slit ending B.I.B.L.E. - ditto
Paar nummers
When I started listening to this, I didn’t much care for it. But as it went on, the production, lyrics, and concept continued to build, and I got really into it. The haunting style and atmosphere are really unique to this record. Parts of it were almost… creepy… but I liked that a lot.
This album is really good at creating a dark and dense atmosphere with its beats and production, but GZA himself sounds like he's reciting the fable of the three little piggies. Man has no energy in his delivery - it's like he's reading off a piece of paper while sitting on a lawn chair in the studio. It works occasionally, but he gets overshadowed by almost every feature, and the whole thing started getting a bit stale near the end. More variety wouldn't hurt. "4th Chamber" and "Shadowboxin'" go hard as hell though. Maybe this is a grower, I'll see.
cool old R&B album
3,5 weil besser als Queen
Was good, not much my thing though
I like it.
The cover is terrible lol. So. Is it enjoyable? Yes. Does it sound a lot like MF Doom? Also yes. Which is fine, but at some point this specific type of rap sort of becomes a genre unto itself? Like with THAT type of beat and structure and whatnot. It’s not bad, it’s just not all that interesting anymore. Like it just didn’t age well.
It was cool, not really my cup of tea but I enjoyed it
2ème album solo du boy du wu-tang clan GZA. Thug life. Dark atmosphere. Y'a des grosses lyrics (barsssss)! J'ai pas capoté autant je l'aurais voulu.
Really see how the band influenced so much of the ‘80s and what followed
Kinda like MF DOOM's sound but more gangsta and less trippy.
good os hip hop. Reminds of chill WTC songs
didnt get through all yet but enjoyed it
Not groundbreaking like 36 Chambers, not a classic solo effort like Only Built 4 Cuban Linx, but still a strong addition to the overall Wu-Tang canon. Production is really strong, builds on the dark soundscapes of 36 Chambers. Some really clever and vivid lyricism. A few truly notable/memorable tracks.
Smooth. Interesting concept, good rhymes. This is a case of "if i liked this, this would be exactly the kind I'd like" but it's not for me.
Interesting rap, not to bad, 3 stars
once again, really not my mood so i didn’t listen. when im feeling a bit better ill listen to all again
Notable track: Shadowboxin’
Didn't know this album. Turns out it perfectly serviceable 90's wrap. No complaints.
Not sure I’m a fan
Standouts: Liquid Swords, I Gotcha Back 3/5
Good hip hop
kivaa vaihteluu ja oli kyl ihan mukava kokemus! ujosti epäilin oisko mun juttu mut kyl tää huttas very nice
Not really my kind of music.
Not something I put on but I see why its on this list. But the 90s flow isnt it for me. Its clear and concise but repetitive. But great beats and lyrics and overall cadence and flow is good
A plethora of samples and top beats but failed to pack a lyrical punch
Really solid rap, and I really liked the framing with the samurai story.
Kinda torn. Some stuff I liked, some I didn't care for. Not a terrible album.
Opzich prima rap, niks op tegen denk ik
GZA isn't my go-to Wu-Tang member but a solo outing from any of them rarely disappoints
GZA’s lyrics are interesting and varied. The through-line of scenes from “Shogun Assassin” certainly tied the album together, through I don’t know if I understood the reasoning behind its inclusion. Perhaps an unpopular opinion, but I didn’t love most of the beats—or at least, I grew tired of them quickly as so many of them were so repetitive. I think that is what ultimately kept me from enjoying the album more. But I do feel like perhaps I need more time with this one than a single day. I could see this album growing on me.
2.5/5 - don't really get gza or wu-tang, overrated if you ask me. Fave tracks: Gold, B.I.B.L.E.
Overall, not for me, but I did enjoy the tracks B.I.B.L.E. and I Gotcha Back. Had honestly never heard of GZA, but that's one me.
um pouco datado
decent
Im not into rap but I can appreciate lyrics that make you think about something you don’t know anything about. This isn’t really something I’ll ever listen to again but I can’t say it’s bad. I loved that it used shitty overdubbed martial arts movies as skits between tracks. I feel like this was the template for a lot of rap music to follow.
Ugh, I just really was not in the mood for this and could not concentrate on it but that doesn’t mean it’s bad so it’s getting a 3
5/10. I think this was pretty good, and the movie sampling sounding stuff is always fun, but I didn't really feel like the music itself was much my style.
yoooo
Interesting. Different. Started to enjoy the later tracks.
Strong start. Tails off towards the end. Dungeon hip hop gets a bit depressing after a while?
Kinda cool - not really my thing but I can see why its in the collection.
Not at all familiar with this album. It's quintessential 90s hip hop, though. Full disclosure, my appreciation for hip hop only began in the naughts (00s). I'm still learning about this genre of music. I love the sampling throughout the album. Great wordsmithing too, albeit not safe for work in the slightest. "I leave 'em split like ass cheeks [...]"
Typical of 90s hiphop, samples and scratchy vocals. Not my preferred genre but I benchmark everything against Ready to Die from this era and it holds it own despite not worrying the top spot
Loved the intro to the album. My head is nodding
Good
Started off strong then got kinda boring
If it was my sort of thing I’d probably love it, but it’s not so I don’t
beat un peu lassant comme tous vieux hip hop. still solid 7/10
After having listened to it only once, no songs specifically stick out in my head as memorable. But I enjoyed it and it was s good listen.
I didn't expect to like Liquid Swords as much as I did. GZA, being a member of the Wu-Tang Clan, really knows how to tell a story, and with a concept of Shogun Assassins, it was a match made in heaven. The way GZA was able to weave in and out of taking you all the way from the martial arts world and into the gritty, dark reality of the world in today's terms. Best: Liquid Swords Worst: I Gotcha Back
Decen
Shadowboxing is a great song. Investigative Reports is another one. I'm not super into the first half of the album, but I'm vibing more with the end of it.
J'ai trouvé ça bien, mais ça ne m'a pas accrochée. La chose que je retiens le plus est le débit bien cadencé et l'utilisation des samples de film, qui rappelle Wu-Tang en général
Pretty average hip hop
Mid 90s hip hop. Not my forte. I was listening to a lot of hard rock and grunge and totally missed this album at the time, although I think this guy is part of the Wu Tang Clan?? Anyways not bad for hip hop. Booming bass and cool backgrounds and the rap is really solid and almost melodic.
Litt skuffende
I like it but there is a time and a place for hip hop
I dunno...maybe I was expecting something a bit harder from an ex Wu-Tang member, but this didn't stand out to me at any level.
Consistent and there’s much to like.
Wu Tang for life
Ok
🥃
Hard to get into this... Not a good holiday soundtrack
Aight
pretty good not bad
V different but i enjoyed a lot of it
Definitely an album I'd like to go through again once I'm more familiar with the genre. I liked the overall atmosphere of the album and how the clips from the other media helped build it. Still, it at times was too easy to 'check out' and have all of the songs blend together- again, probably mostly a result of not being super familiar with the genre. Would like to revisit after growing a little more familiar with rap overall.
Sounds like a good album, just not exactly my style
I have never listened to a GZA solo album. This was pretty good and is very much the type of rap that I have always enjoyed listening to. I put a few of these songs in my collection I keep, but am not sure I would revisit the album too often.
An all-around good Wu-Tang album. All members appear as far as I can tell. RZA and GZA doing the production on all. Opening dialogue clip can get lengthy, probably turns some people off. But Killah Hills, BIBLE, Labels, all good stuff.
I actually liked this album even though Rap is not my favorite type of music.
De l'ice-cube rap tout ce qu'il y a de plus glacé et cubique en somme, ces gars-là n'ont rien inventé.
ça faisait longtemps un bon alubm d'ice cube rap d'1 heure, ça nous avait pas manqué.
sounds like MF doom but shit
It was alright. Not huge on it, but had some good old-school sounds on it. Fave tracks: Shadowboxin', 4th Chamber
This is a very interesting album. I love the overall theme/vibe and incorporation of old samurai move samples. The beats are excellent and the flow is very relaxing. Personally I felt like I could not concentrate on this album well enough to fully appreciate all of the lyrical themes and ideas that are being explored here. Which may be my loss, because according to some write-ups there's a lot to unpack. Perhaps I will need to take some time to come back to it in the future. Fav Tracks: Duel Of The Iron Mic, 4th Chamber, B.I.B.L.E (Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth)
Hip hop, un poco rollo, pero bueno, bien
Lower end of a 3/5 for me. It was ok
Dark work with intricate rhymes, can’t help that all 90s hip hop has the same vibe
Yeah it's a vibe. Sounds like something Ken Roy would listen to unironically.
Underwhelming
Clever lyrics, good beats. Not the best rap I've heard, but good enough to listen to again.
3.8 - If I'm honest, the "Shogun Assassin" samples are my favorite part of this album, and while I like the rhymes and flow, this feels more of a record for true hip hop-heads, of which I'm not. GZA has a heady, laid back delivery, which I like. RZA gets praise for the production but I find some of the beats distracting (e.g. "Cold World", "4th Chamber"). I wish I was more familiar with each individual MC on Wu-Tang because I'd appreciate their cameos as much as I probably should.
This will likely be the most 90's thing I hear this week. I hadn't heard this before and really enjoyed it. Though as with a lot of rap albums from the 90's, I could have done without all the skits. But, it's a tradition and I won't dock points for it.
Some decent songs but I just struggle to get into older hip hop/rap music as a whole
Did I want to listen to this album again? No Do I respect the album and appreciate the songs? Kind of. 3
At first it was good but unfortunately not enough for whloe album
I definitely prefer this the Raekwon album I got on this list a few weeks ago. This album has the right balance of dirty hoodlum and grooves. My only negative is that it feels like an adjunct to the Wu-Tang sound rather than a stand alone
Decent refreshing hip hop
This was fun but not remarkable for me compared to some of the other rap from this era we’ve had so far
EI enjoyed the GZA
Pretty solid, deserves a relisten with lyrics.
This sounds really good in the background but the individual tracks don't have much for me that stands out. And again with the Tony Stark references - grow up dudes
Pretty good I guess. Tried to make it epic. Maybe got close. I enjoyed the ninja movie dialogue.