Reviews (page 6 of 8)
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.
I like the idea of mixing in dialogue from a movie into a concept album. It’s a rap album, I really can’t say much about if I liked it or not. Pretty standard stuff.
With only passing familiarity with Wu Tang it felt right at home with the rap I heard tangentially during high school. Not a fan of all the movie clips/skits but not so much that it detracted from the album as a whole. Solid beats - no issues as background music if it's on.
Classic hiphop
Not a bad album, it just didn't connect with me as other rap albums from this era.
OK. I pasted over the dialogue.
vocals a little hard to hear on some tracks
Een hiphop album zoals vele andere. De teksten zijn wel wat dieper en poëtischer
It's a good enough album, but aside from a couple of tracks, I doubt I'll ever listen to it again.
Nice, I’m mot super into rap or any wu tang things but this is nice 3/5.
Good
I liked the overall sound and tone of the album.
Fine. Kinda blends into one song after a while.
Like most Wu-adjacent stuff, patchy.
Ik hou altijd wel van een beetje storylines in een album en vond dit best nice!!
I liked this. Kinda sounds like Madvillian/MF Doom with all the samples of old timey movies.
A bit too much for my taste, but a couple of tunes I recognised
I really enjoy how much GZA leans into the classic Kung Fu movie themes.
Not really my genre, so I'm not a fan, but it was a solidly good listen. Enjoyed it enough to listen to the end, so that's saying something.
I did enjoy to a point, but it was not quite my Tuesday morning vibe
Music was good, not my taste though
It's a good album and I enjoyed it, but I just don't understand it. I'll give it another listen at some point when I have a better grasp of Wu Tang in general.
Great listen, the depth and quality of the beats here are just fantastic - as in Swordsman (recalling Portishead) or Duel of the Iron Mic. The rapping is so dense it can sometimes pass you by but a good listen.
Good stuff here. Could be 3.5
I am admittedly not the biggest fan of hip hop. It’s one of the few genres that I don’t actively seek out or listen to. But it seemed like this album had a good flow and I didn’t actively dislike anything I heard. 3/5.
4th March 2023 Listened during the day while working from home. Busy day working, Rita rehearsals in the afternoon and chilled evening. Nice bit of 90s hip hop 3.5 if I could
Letkeä ja rento boogie koko levyn. Ei ole ollut omilla listoilla ennen, mutta hyvin voi kuunnella vielä lisempiäkin.
Tasokasta räpäytystä. Helppo kuunnella laatua, vaikkei iskiskään kovaa
Do I like this? I think so!
Typical Wu Tang...which isn't a terrible thing. 3/5
an interesting album! this is an album that was created with such purpose and a clear vision. i don't believe i know of another album that features so much dialogue from multiple movies! the dialogue is used in such a smart way to craft a story. the lyrics could do that on their own (and i do think the lyrics are strong), but using the dialogue strengthens gza's message with such ease. and while i can't pretend to be a hip hop aficionado, i can say that i found myself impressed with gza's lyrics. he rhymes well and the lyrics contain such a message. this was an album that impressed me and was good for what it was, but not something i'd probably put on again.
I have heard of the Wu Tang Clan, but have never heard their music, let alone the music of any of the individual members, so I was eager to dive in and give this a try. I was genuinely surprised by how easy this was to listen to. One thing that hit me about this album was the production quality; personally, based on my inexperienced hip hop ear, this genuinely sounds newer and more modern than 1994/95! Though I've not seen Shogun Assassin, I really did like how the snippets were incorporated into the album; they upped the dark, dramatic factor of the album overall.
Interesting rap, will probably revisit
No doubt he's got incredible skills but fuck it's so dark. Way too dark for a Monday anyway.
3.5/5. Good stuff, I enjoyed this.
Yea it good
Cool
Lacking Clan.
I feel like this album is trying to tell me a story but I'm not sure what it is. I did enjoy it and I think my fave track is B.I.B.L.E.
Definitely one of the better rap albums we’ve had so far
Guy who sounds like he’s cumming: Your… technique… is… magnificent…
Gritty East Coast boom-bap for your punk-ass. I find East Cost hip-hop of this era to be too grimy and gloomy at times, but this was decent. Not amazing, but decent
THE REALEST FROM THE CLAN. Great flow. Interesting. SOT Liquid Swords Gold Cold World 4th Chamber Hell’s Wind Staff / Killah Hills 10304 3/5
Nice flow, got me hyped
I could do without all the unnecessary dialogue. It just gets in the way. Would have graded higher if I'd have known to skip all of those parts. The songs themselves take you on a goddamn journey.
Favourite song: Swordsman
Undeniably stylish production, but when the Kung-Fu B-movie samples are more memorable than the verses, you should take some time to work on content. Killah Hills 10304 has the best narrative with its champagne bottle bomb specialist and drug mule that underwent surgery to smuggle a brick in his leg but it pales in comparison with the at once lucid, swift and impressionistic pen of prime Ghostface. Some musings on crime as product of environment on other tracks but pretty light compared to Nas or Public Enemy.
I was into it.
A few good songs but not really my style
Pretty average 90s hip hop. Not bad, but it's got that real minimalist drum and bass sound of the time that I find boring. It doesn't suck, but it doesn't stand out. Funnily enough, the last song was the best. 3/5.
Much better than I thought it might be.
Didn’t hate it, didn’t love it. Not really a rap gal, but sounded very 90s so enjoyed the nostalgia of it all.
Good album, fairly solid but rapping imo was a bit weak.
I didn’t have a chance to make it through the entire album, but I plan to go back to it.
I liked it
Hip hop tranquilo para amantes del género. En línea con el género de la época
I enjoyed a little more than I expected, but I'm still not blown away.
not bad
This was okay. I feel like many of the songs had great rhymes but at the expense of the song’s theme. I had a hard time understanding what certain songs were about. I liked 4th Chamber and Shadowboxin’ the best.
Nothing stood out as good or bad.
A solid hip hop album from a founder of the Wu-Tang Clan. I enjoyed it but it didn’t stand out. I might listen to it again
I dug what I heard of this, but I must confess, it wasn't enough to keep in my ears through that day. A solid 3 and I'll maybe go back to it.
Happy Thanksgiving! Could’ve used a liquid sword to carve that turkey. Maybe next year. And while I did not pass on having multiple desserts, I did pass on listening to this. But I’ll assume three stars. Excuse me, three STZAs.
Solid hip hop album. I had it on in the background and enjoyed it but didn't do a great job of writing down standout tracks cause I was busy. I don't know that I'll add it to my regular rotation or anything but it was good. Standout Tracks: Liquid Swords, 4th Chamber
L'intro i l'outro tenen força gràcia, amb tota la parafernàlia d'arts marcials i violència, si bé l'outro sembla treta més aviat d'un disc de King Diamond. 'Liquid Swords' és una altra de les suposades grans fites del hip hop als '90. I segurament ho és, l'àlbum sona molt musical, les bases són molt bones i l'emprempta Wu Tang és a tot arreu. Però el que se suposa és el gran què, les seves lletres, són complicades de desxifrar per un públic no anglo
NB
Again, another very popular and seminal (tangential?) act that I never gave the time of day to because I felt like I'd missed the boat. Very good hip-hop, I see why Wu-Tang and their offshoots remain popular to this day. Cerebral enough to be interesting, not crass to a cliche degree as to be off-putting. Standouts: Duel of the Iron Mic, Gold, 4th Chamber, Shadowboxin', Investigative Reports, B.I.B.L.E
Another Wu-Tang solo album that didn't quite live up to the legend and hype I had in my memory(see also: Method Man). Best track: Shadowboxin'
Sounds like wu tang but it’s same as Cuban links and I can’t really make a personal connection even though I can acknowledge its quality. I do not care about influence
La portada es goooood. Good beats y las intros son muy buenas. Un 6
like a 6
I really enjoy the cadence and vocals of east coast rap of this era. Great instrumentation. These dudes were also kings of sound bites. Solid album, but nothing really stood out to me.
3/13, 23%
Was pleasantly surprised by this one. Not big rap guy these days but this one was just hard and well put together. The interludes and general theme work really well with the dark and rough lyrics. A lyrical journey meshed incredibly well with the martial art theme.
Not my genre, thanks
On first listen I was impressed. Deserves another
This was a lot of fun, though after two albums from their members on here, I’m suspecting the generator’s not a good way to get oriented with Wu-Tang stuff.
I’d say it’s decent. Still a little grating by the end, but the beats are pretty sweet and GZA’s lyrics/flows aren’t bad. 6/10
I'm either missing the point/purpose of the movie snippets being placed at the start of a few songs and the meaning they hold, but I personally believe that they're more of a nuisance than anything else. Overall great flow, rhythm, beats and lyrics.
Really good flow and lyrical mastery, but the songs all tend to sound alike. Seems like it's the kind of album that you have to put in some effort to appreciate. I don't really feel like putting in that much work though. 3.5 stars.
The rapping is top level, the flow from all rappers is perfect with lyricism that is of substance and thought provoking, doesn’t get better than this. However, the instrumentals have the same percussion and tempo with minimal musical differences to differentiate the songs and make them stand out.
Decent Hip Hop but nothing to write home about
Interessant mis cultuur aansluiting om dit echt te kunnen waarderen
3.5 I enjoyed it more than I expected
Eerie and likably weird. One likes the understatement and minimalistic, almost downbeat feel of this.
Some nice melodies. Enjoyed "Cold World" a lot.
Its ok. Old school hip hop with cool skits. Nothing crazy for me
I saw Wu Tang Clan at the Enmore Theatre in August 2011. I was really there to see the support act, Daily Meds. The audience was so excited. It was a great night. This album was 15 years old at the time but 3 of the tracks were featured that night - Liquid Swords, Duel Of The Iron Mic & 4th Chamber. Two of them feature the hypnotic hammond organ sample from Willie Mitchell’s version of The Rascals’ Groovin. And the other uses the repetitive piano piece from a David Porter(as in Isaac Hayes/David Porter) track. I’d never heard this album before. I spent a lot of time listening to the many tracks sampled here & marvelling at how the samples were used. I enjoyed the film dialogue used. The album has an edge-of the-seat atmosphere that is maintained throughout. It sounds great. Shadowboxin, with the Ann Peebles sample was a standout for me. At times it was just a bit too repetitive. And in a post-ISIS world, I doubt if you’d open your album with a track in which a kid talks about his dad being a decapitator.
Good Really bothered thag Cold world singing is not in key with track until the end when the beat changes. I like the dark tone but this doesn't need to be an hour long there is not enough variety to keep it interesting.
As with a lot of hip-hop albums, this is interspersed with numerous skits, broadly themed on shogun culture and mostly tedious. The music is actually pretty good, as is the vocals.
Seems like a pretty decent hip-hop album, focused on high quality basics instead of fancy overcompensation for lack of skill. That said, I simply don't like hip-hop. Still giving it three stars though, because it's a rare case where I didn't feel an aggressive urge to skip tracks after the first few seconds and dismiss the whole thing after 5 tracks.
Знову репчина?
OMG I literally remember thinking when I first started listening to these albums "HMMM I wonder when will I get a rap album?" AND HERE IT ISSSS (I don't really like rap lol) It made my head bop but it wasn't that memorable
Ho hum.
I don’t like 90s rap style and production was pretty boring. I like BIBLE I think
After getting past the album cover i found a few redeeming tunes that move. in many ways this sounded like movie background music to me, with little identity. Fair.
Niet voor mij
Reading some of the reviews it looks like if you are a fan of hip hop then you would really like this. I’m not a fan myself so it’s a no for me.
I liked the samples, but the rest was just kind of meh
A bit too slow for me.
Það er ekkert launungarmál að ég fíla ekki rapp og það var nokkuð vitað að þetta myndi ekki slá í gegn hjá mér. Þetta var samt ekki ömurlegt. Bara ekki skemmtilegt. Sami takturinn og sama tilgerðin.
boring
I’m not into hip hop. I’ve tried so many times, but it just does not move me in any Way. I like his voice on here - it’s pretty cool.
Maybe I should have paid more attention to the lyrics
It seems like 80s and early 90s rap never gets a good rating from me. This era honestly doesn’t appeal to me all much. 5/10
All the songs started to merge together after a while. The album didn't do much for me but I can see why it's on here.
Album cover made me think it was thrasher music. Was surprised and it wasn't bad.
Sorry, not my type. The movie quotes were the most interesting part. 4/10
Ehh whatever. Disappointing. 2/5.
Panamanian dictator Noriega mention!!
I used to like long intros on albums. Now I don’t. Now that the song is going, I’m digging it. I doubt I have but track two sounds familiar. I know the keyboard loop for sure. Track three started. The loops changed but the drum loop seems the same. On track 10. I’m enjoying this one. If the whole album had songs like “B.I.B.L.E.” This album would have been amazing. The last track was killer.
no me gusta mucho el rap en gral, no lo terminé d escuchar
I need to start listening to the lyrics of these albums. There must be something in them.
more like background noise to me
5/10 - about too hardcore hip hop for me, appreciate the lyrical talent though
Definitely not for me.
Forgot I was even listening to music whilst listening to this.
Gran busqueda para la epoca, muy noventoso todo. Un tanto monotono, quizas porque estoy acostumbrado a otro tipo de rap hoy dia
Every couple of years I give Wu Tang another chance and I still don’t get it. Lyrically there are some shining moments but I’m not a fan of the production and lack of choruses.
Not my thing.
Some good beats, although a bit repetitive. Lyrics not very inclusive. And how do you pronounce his name anyway? Gee-zee-ay? Gerzaaaaaah? Geeezer? Jizzer? Ah who cares anyway.
2 out of 5. Other than wanting to know the films that were sampled there wasn't much here for me.
Wu Tang ripoff? I did not need to hear this before I died.
This album is certainly a concept album, I just don't really understand it. Anyway, this album had the same problem that just about every other hiphop album had, which is that almost every song sounds the same and I can't really enjoy it.
Yeah, you know I used to mix up GZA, RZA, and SZA. I've got SZA down now. And hopefully this will finally help figure out the other two. Hip hop has a serious problem with boring, same lyrics and tone. I understand there's technical skill to phrasing, rhyming, sampling, etc., but the genre is restrained by its limits. You hardly get any variety across artists, let alone an album. I mean four decades later rappers are still saying the exact same things the same way. And there's almost nothing thought-provoking or emotionally engaging in it. GZA's Swords doesn't seem interesting to me just because he rhymes about chess and being wise like Abraham.