Tical

Day 33 of Album You Must Hear... Today, a lot of the younger generation see Wu-Tang Clan as a brand and mostly recognize the big golden W more than they would the artists or music they created from 1993 on. When I first heard Protect Ya Neck when I was a kid, I was intrigued with the mysterious group of NY MC’s. They were so different from anything else at the time. How many members were there? Are they some kind of Kung-Fu masters? Without the internet, all of us kids would speculate endlessly about the Wu-Tang Clan. Some kids would claim that the clan consisted of thousands of members, some would even try to convince others that they were members of this secret society. With Mortal Kombat, the explicit, bloody martial arts arcade game exploding around the same time as Wu-Tang Clan’s debut, it was perfect timing for the group that took heavy influence from Kung-Fu B movies of the Seventies just as much as they did street life. With the direction of the The Scientist, RZA (Prince Rakeem), Wu-Tang went viral before there was viral. Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) would soon be in every hip-hop head’s collection. In an unorthodox deal at the time, the collective were signed to Loud Records, while individually, the members were allowed to pursue solo deals with other labels. While RZA was the first to follow up 36 Chambers with his project group, Gravediggaz, Method Man was the first to release a solo album, Tical, in 1994. While RZA was the producer and quarterback of the Wu, Method Man was the star of the group in the early years. As the youngest of the clan, he even had a self titled song on 36 Chambers that was a huge single. On Tical, Method Man would keep the momentum going with his slick bars and cooler than cool style. On the opening track, Tical, you’re instantly greeted with the familiar production of RZA, with Kung-Fu movie samples, the sounds of Shaolin swords and eerie underground strings. Bring the Pain is a faster paced bravado song where Method Man flexes for any other rapper that wants the ruckus. All I Need is the first song from any of the Wu-Tang Clan collective to approach the topic of love. It’s sentimental nature paid of ten-fold, especially when Mary J. Blige would feature on the remix with the sweet sample of Marvin Gaye’s You’re All I Need To Get By, and won the duo a Grammy Award. (Heads up, this version isn’t on the original LP). Meth Vs. Chef is a great show-and-tell of two great wordsmiths, Method Man and Raekwon. Release Yo Delf, my favorite song from Tical, is upbeat, has triumphant horns blaring that have me feeling like I’m about to go into battle, and has an interpolation of the 1978 song I Will Survive by Gloria Gaynor. Method Man also channels his inner Ol’ Dirty Bastard towards the end of the song. Method Man (Remix) closes out Tical with great fashion, with his ability to harmonize and rap at the same time. In my opinion, there are a couple of filler tracks on Tical that don’t exactly match the quality of others, but it doesn’t keep this from being a definite Must Hear, especially for any Hip-Hop fan of any age. Method Man had a very unique style. In between bars, instead of just taking a breath, he would suck air through his teeth and cheeks in a audible way that was almost like an ad lib. In the music videos, he wears sharp fanged gold fronts, an all white contact in his left eye, wrapped philly blunts tucked into his visor, and his trademark black gloves. As dark as the themes usually were, Method Man was also known to dance a bit while performing. In closing, I recently complimented a young lady on her dope Wu-Tang Clan mask and matching shirt. When I jokingly asked if she could name any of the members, or even a song, she couldn’t. Not even one. So, this one is for all my 80’s and 90’s babies out there! Either way, WU-TANG IS FOREVER! Please share your thoughts, memories and opinions!!

A little downbeat, a little understated, and quite a bit gritty and lean. The mid-tempo vibes fade out or just break down in a way that feels both quiet and slightly ominous. The tinny shuffling drum beat links the track and one like the grace notes and chime-y bells that toll across cuts. No huge standouts, just a murky, sometimes menacing mood, like SI on a grey day, one supposes. And of course the Mussorgsky opening is a nifty touch. One feels inspired to log a bit more time in some Chambers with the WTC.

I keep trying to like Wu-Tang because I feel that someone who digs hip hop should like them. And I kind of do, but not for a whole album. At the end of the day, though, I like my hip-hop with hooks. Must be the pop guy in me. Also, for all the talk about what a genius producer RZA is, I often feel like his records lack depth. And on this album there were several tracks where I couldn't clearly hear the rappers. i didn't hate this. and at least this one mostly avoids all the long chattery intros that plague so much of Wu-Tang albums from this era. If one of these songs came on in a mix, I'd be excited to hear it. But a whole album just wears me down.

I need to listen to a few more times as it's super layered. The flow is great of course, but there is so much going on in the background that deserves to be heard. There's a tinge of darkness and moodiness to this album that is really intriguing. An excellent addition to the mystique of the Wu Tang Clan

Out of all the first solo outputs of the Wu-Tang Clan members, this is the one that too many critics and listeners have always criminally *underrated* in my humble opinion. And it's happening again, on this app: OK, there are very few 5/5 grades, but if you pay attention to the 4/5 and even 3/5 reviews, the vast majority of those reviewers seem to have really, *really* enjoyed listening to this record (3/5 reviews are usually not that positive overall). Not taking into account the 2/5 and 1/5 marks here, where it's obvious that those other reviewers can't enjoy or even understand good hip hop. Since most of those complainers were quite candid about this lack of understanding on their part, I can still respect their honesty at least. Always better than the few bad faith takes here and there, like that one reviewer trying to explain how late nineties "gangster rap" was better, and then putting east coast Wu-Tang (as a whole unit) and west coast Dré, Snoop Dog or 2Pac under that *same* umbrella genre. As if those two groups of rappers were creating the same sort of music... Buy yourself some ears before giving us your "impressions", please. Anyway, and in spite of my own complaints about some of the reviews and grades, I'm so happy this record found its way to this list. Its overall mood is dark yet lively, RZA goes from one catchy loop to the next, and Method Man's husky voice and lyrical aggressivity do wonders. His voice is a little buried in the mix sometimes, but I actually like that choice, it adds to the hazy ambience of the whole thing. Listen to "Biscuits" or "Bring The Pain" for stellar examples of the sort of moodpiece RZA and Method Man can create here, one that's not so far from what the kind of murky trip-hop that someone like Tricky would play not so long after, right on the other side of the pond. Contrasting with those more atmospheric cuts, you have boom bap bangers such as "Release Yo' Delf"--with its blaring warlike horns and interpolations taken from "I Will Survive"--or "Mr Sandman" and its eerie and haunting opera-like soprano voice lurking in the background like a spooky ghost. Funny how those bangers are actually closer to the end of the album than the more atmospheric cuts. *Tical* kinda starts with low-key stakes, but it then builds up from one track to the next, and I can't praise that sort of tracklisting enough (and this in any genre). It's when everything goes out with a bang at the end that you fully realize the scope of this record. See the other boom bap miracle that "Stimulation" is (that goddamn sample of uneasy strings!) and the unavoidable remix of "Method Man" concluding the proceedings--a callback to *Enter The Wu-Tang* that obviously needed to be included here, in this first solo output from one of the most prominent member of the Staten Island crew. Speaking of the LP's "architecture", I also love the fact that this record is quite short for a hip hop album, and that the individual tracks never overstay their welcome themselves, encouraging repeated listens rather than meandering through too many filler cuts for 60 or 70 minutes (a flaw that even the greatest rap albums out there have often displayed). My overall grade for this thing would be 4.5/5, just to differentiate it from the masterpiece that GZA's *Liquid Swords* is when it comes to legendary Wu Tang solo outputs. Had *Tical* included the insanely good "All I Need' remix featuring Mary J. Blige (only released as a single), maybe it would have been up there with *Liquid Sword*, to be honest. But given the injustice I still sense in this album's reception, whether it was then or now, I'm gonna round up that grade to a perfect 5/5 here. Wu-Tang Forever! Number of albums left to review: 685 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 155 (including this one) Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 72 Albums from the list I will certainly *not* include in mine (many others are more essential to me): 89

The first Wu-Tang Clan solo album to follow the seismic impact of Enter the Wu-Tang, Method Man's Tical similarly delivers an otherworldly wallop, one that instantly sets the madcap MC apart from his clansmen as the collective's shining star. Not only is Meth madcap, both in terms of mentality and delivery, he's also incredibly witty and wordy. Here he inspires hilarity as well as astonishment, and the way that he fires off his rhymes with such seemingly spontaneous ease compounds this sense of wonder. Just as Meth is quite clearly leagues above practically every other rapper in 1994 sans a small handful, if that, so is his producer, Wu-Tang abbot RZA, who produces the entirety of Tical: from the antiquated flutes and kung fu flick samples that open the album, to the pulse-accelerating beats of "Bring the Pain" and the fist-pumping ones of "All I Need" (the b-boy version rather than the radio-geared one featuring Mary J. Blige), to the rallying, warlike horns of "Release Yo' Delf." Despite a few outside contributions, most notably from Raekwon on the rowdy spar-fest "Meth vs. Chef," Tical is strictly a two-man show, Meth bringing da ruckus and RZA the swarming soundscapes, and that's precisely what further makes this album such a treasure amid the many Wu-Tang gems. Where most of Meth's clansmen delivered guest-laden albums that sounded more like group efforts than solo ones, Tical strictly spotlights the group's two stars and does so with refreshingly straightforward flair. There's none of the epic overreaching that mars so many rap albums of the era; rather, there's just over a dozen tracks here, and they're filled to the brim with rhymes and beats and little else -- no pop-crossover concessions nor any heady experimentation for the sake of experimentation, just good ol'-fashioned hip-hop, albeit with a dark, dark deranged twist.

Jesus that was bad. Hip hops quite low down for me already, and this album was very low down within that genre. How tf has that made the list. Not seen illmatic or the infamous yet, no chance Tical has made it in over them surely.

This was... a lot of fun. I am a metal head who likes some rap. And this fits that category. It didn't drag with a bunch of wasted time or skits. The flow was great, his voice is clear and sounded awesome. Dude, full marks on this one.

Phenom of rap, with that signature Dark east coast sound. I might have a complaint or two, but the beats and flow are tops here, and that brings it all the way up baby.

What can I really say about this album. It is… a wu-tang album. It’s good. But I will be honest with the exception of ODB I’m not entirely blown away by any solo wu-tang member

The same beat for every song, lyrics I could hardly hear. Very average

One of the best albums of all time hands down. Method Man was an absolute revelation here and could have been a global megastar if he was willing to play the game a bit more, still this was recognised at the grammys etc (which was very rare at the time). The album itself is so dark with those classic RZA simple hooks feeling like they're coming through a smoky club and MM's vocals feeling like they're thumping into your body out of the smoke. Every song on this is a classic, but it's the album itself which stands out as it brings them all together - you go from lyrical jousting with Meth Vs Chef to the slowly paced "Sub Crazy", then jumpy party tune "Release Yo' Delf", then moody and atmospheric "PLO Style", then "Mr Sandman" where you don't even realise what you are hearing until you're in the middle of the beautifully painted chaotic scene. Finally name one other artist who can put shout outs to all of his incarcerated friends and family in the middle of an album and it not even interrupt the flow but become an essential part. Love this album, in my top 5 of all time.

Awesome album from Method Man. The solo projects after Enter the Wu-Tang Clan are definitely worth a listen. Method Man's flow is great and the guest appearances from the other Wu-Tang members really takes it to the top.

Fav track: Bring The Pain Least fav track: Biscuits

Method Man ain’t nothing to fuck wit

Pretty solid Boom Bap album. I've been meaning to check out the solo material from the Wu-Tang members for awhile

another album i listened to a ton as a kid, but have since written it off as a guilty pleasure. looking forward to this listen. 1/2 way - just as good as i remember it. method has incredible flow compared to most of today's rappers IMO.

My second favourite member of the Wu. On this, his debut album Method man wages lyrical warfare on any man that tries to test. The influence of Jamaican soundsystem clash culture and the Wu's inimitable Shaolin, Kung-Fu style production make this album a vicious assault on the senses. Dark, gritty and aggressive, Tical is a stand out album in mid 90s hip-hop. Best track: Bring the Pain & Release Yo Delf.

Tres bon rap et tres bon 1er album solo. Son flow est là.4.5

It might not be my favorite Wu-Tang solo album (that title belongs to GZA's "Liquid Swords"), but Tical is still an essential entry in the Wu catalog. I reserve the fifth star only because it sounds a bit dated to modern ears, but Meth's talent and skills are completely undeniable and the best songs on the album ("Release Yo' Delf" jumps to mind) are bona fide classics.

One of the first groups to switch me on to hip-hop was the Gravediggaz, and this album reminded me a lot of "6 Feet Deep" for obvious reasons. Love the grumbling hypnotic bass lines a load of these tracks have. Fave track - "Stimulation" as it reminds me a lot of Dr Octagon's "Blue Flowers", which was another one of my hip-hop first loves. I'm a sucker for a meandering ethereal melody line lifted from a classical piece, it seems!

The signature Wu Tang sound permeates this album, and Method Man's attitude comes through in every track.

I gotta get something off my chest: I missed the boat on Wu-Tang Clan and, as much as I’ve tried to get on board, I don’t really feel like I’m missing out too much. Loved Method Man on The Wire, though.

Je pense que c'est l'album hip-hop que j'ai préféré jusqu'à présent. La pièce Release Yo' Delf m'a vraiment interpellée. J'aime la voix de Method Man. J'ai aussi trouvé l'ensemble plus épuré, moins «tape-à-l'œil» que ce qu'on entend habituellement dans le genre.

I love Wu Tang and Method Man but for whatever reason I can't fully get down with Tical. I know it's regarded as Method Man's best album but maybe I just like him more as a verse here and there in other songs.

Tical is the debut studio album by American rapper and Wu-Tang Clan member Method Man. This is the first solo album by a Wu-Tang Clan member after their debut album, "Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)." Method Man has gone on to say the title of this album is an acronym for "taking into consideration all lives," and I'm very excited to experience that consideration. This album opens with the titular track "Tical," at 3 minutes and 57 seconds. This track has a muddy buildup of audio samples from kung fu movies over a beat until Mr. Man's vocals come in. This song feels very much like a 90s east coast hip hop track, with lyrics about weed and other drugs, per Genius.com: "In 2011 interview with Complex, Meth revealed that this song was performed while he was high on “dust” (a.k.a. angel dust or PCP)". Track 2, "Biscuits," features another consistent hip hop beat with lyrics of meth, guns, and other lyrical assault! Next up is "Bring the Pain," which offers another consistent beat with Method Man rapping about being real: "if you’re really real, then you need to bring the pain because pain is the only real thing in life, its something that you feel." The next track on this album is "All I Need," where Method Man raps about his girlfriend and their dreams of having 1,000 kids together. The Beatles said that love is all we need, and I think Meth agrees. "What the Blood Clot!?!" is track #5 on Tical, and Meth raps about an argument he had with other members of WTC. I like these storytelling lyrics: "Keep your thoughts on your lessons What the Blood Clot!?! To tell the truth you don't amaze me Killa Hill Project, a Star Trek phaser couldn't faze me" A classic "what the FUCK" track. After blood clot comes "Meth Vs. Chef," a rap battle track between Meth and Raekwon the Chef. There are some great disses on this track, and I am all about that. There's a boxing ring and audience applause in this song that really gives it a competitive feel and it's really fun. "Sub Crazy" comes next on this album, it features a really cool, kinda spooky beat. I dig it! "Release Yo' Delf" featuring Blue Raspberry is another dis-like track. Meth goes off about the other industry singers/rappers. Blue Raspberry reminds us that those careers won't be lasting long while a siren wails in the background. The next track, "P.L.O Style" (aka Palestinian Liberation Organizations [unorthodox and ruthless fighting tactics]) features Carlton Fisk. This track was inspired by guerrilla tactics in the middle east used to de-establish Israel in favor of Palestinian justice. "I Get My Thang in Action" is another solid track by Method Man with wonderful word play and clever phrasing: "Shiiit, I told the boy If you can't get yourself a ten The least you can do is fuck five twos And we out, Method" You can't compete with that. Track 11, "Mr. Sandman," features an ensemble posse consisting of Carlton Fisk, Streetlife, Blue Raspberry, Inspectah Deck, and RZA. New York-specific lyrics mixed with Blue Raspberry's high octave singing of "Mr. Saaaandman (bring me a dream)" gives this track a true chaotic, fun energy. Track 12, "Stimulation" is the final track exclusive to this album (as the final track is a remix from an earlier Wu-Tang album) and features Blue Raspberry singing, welcoming the listener to Method Man's stimulation of our senses. Another solid hip hop track to nod one's head to. The closing track, "Method Man (remix)" is a "fat dub stack" song (a bag of weed that weighs a little heavier than usual. Showing how this song being a remix is giving you a little more than usual.) This track asks "Have you had your meth today?" and now I can say I have! I'm not too well-versed with 90s hip hop, but this album is consistently good, with no "filler" songs or boring, celebrity-filled garbage. A solid album with some amazing word play. Favorite track: Meth Vs. Chef Honorable mention: All I Need

Got fairly bored listening to this. Like a lot of music in this genre, it just doesn't seem like Method Man is having any fun here.

No. 107/1001 Tical 3/5 Biscuits 2/5 Bring The Pain 3/5 All I Need 2/5 What The Blood Clot 3/5 Meth vs. Chef 3/5 Sub Crazy 3/5 Release Yo' Delf 2/5 P.L.O. Style 3/5 I Get My Thang In Action 2/5 Mr. Sandman 1/5 Stimulation 2/5 Method Man 2/5 Average: 2,38 Didn't really like this at all

Some ok tracks but overly long and not particularly melodic hiphop/rap

Nope

Upprörande dåligt. Har hört bättre musik på zoo.

b O r I n G

1.5

Old school Method Man and WuTang sound, whats not to love.

One of the best Hip Hop albums of all time. Prove me wrong

Hip-hop at it's finest.

This is one hell of a good album. I could actually see myself telling someone that they had to hear this album before they die. I wouldnt kill them after or anything, though. 5/5

The one thing I can say for this list, at least most of the rap albums chosen are bangers. I can tell they were not chosen by the same people who decided to include a lot of the underwhelming British slop

M-E-T-H-O-D MAN

Method Man's voice is one of my favorites. I remember when someone got the chance to interview him on an MTV contest and they had no idea who he was.

After wu-tang's debut, they went on a few year streak of releasing just banger solo albums one after the other, all produced by RZA from the clan. This one starts that streak off, and though it's maybe my least favourite from the first batch of solo albums, that's not really a negative. It's still grimey and dirty, immaculately produced, and fun as hell. Only complaint is the mixing can be a bit off in sections, like he's being drowned out by the beat. There's nothing like early wu-tang though, it's too good.

Great coast feel with tasteful production and flow

Epic. Flies under the radar of Cuban Linx Pt 1 and Liquid Swords, but is one of the classic Wu-Tang bangers.

The premier Wu solo album, superior even to the usual consensus picks Liquid Swords and Cuban Linx. Some rap albums get flabby, too many skits and throwaway tracks but this is tight and efficient from start to finish. Highly recommend seeking out the Prodigy remix of Release Yo Delf on the deluxe edition as well. Brilliantly creepy/paranoid sounding.

Great

classic

Enjoyed this (4.5 stars). Particularly because (i) He has a funny lisp and (ii) His performance as Cheese in The Wire is so great!

I loved this

It's the most pop Wu Tang album. Which means it has an entire song about Palestinian liberation and the smokiest production RZA ever did. And a song fully celebrating women by a 90s male hip hop artist - as someone who grew up on 90s hip hop that's unprecedented. Despite being about the fourth or fifth best Wu record within a two year period FIVE STARS.

Great samples and sound, with great lyrics and flow, which is expected from a Wu-Tang member on his debut album after creating the excellent Enter the Wu-Tang. I will say I enjoy this album more than Wu-tangs, as I enjoyed Method Man's verses on that album a lot, and feel that this doesn't have some of the other performances that might take away from his lyrical and rap work. (I'm looking at you Dirty Old Bastard) Overall really happy this was today's album, as I never looked into Wu-tang members and their solo careers, and now I feel like I might have to. Very nostalgic sound for me, and definitely an album that will be in my rotation for years to come.

I learned a lot while listening to this album. When the RZA would make a fresh beat, the clan would rap battle for the rights to use it. Word warrior quality control. If you couldn't spit it, youd never get it. Amazing. The energy is so positive. Method reflects light and love against the backdrop of a violent and turbulent world. Wu Tang really is forever.

Holy crap. I love Method Man every time he shows up on a Wu-Tang-related album, I've got "Blackout" and "Blackout 2" (his albums with Redman), and I've seen "How High" more times than I can count ... or remember. Despite that, I hadn't listened to even one of his solo albums until today. I expected good things, but I was unprepared for just how excellent this album is. It's hard to find a much smoother lyricist than Meth, and he doesn't disappoint on this album. Production-wise, my first impression is that this is some of RZA's best work—right up there with "36 Chambers." RZA's signature kung fu film samples create moody, musical landscapes that Meth nimbly battles through without a missed step. This album is top-notch kung fu.

Rap makes me think a lot of Metal in that both are Ouroboros genres. Which is to say that in the same way that metal is consuming and recreating itself in search of something "harder", rap does the same. This aside is to point out how tame this album sounds in 2023 especially after everything from speed rap to the island boys. That being said, tame doesn't mean bad - this album is absolutely killer and the snippets of lyrics that I picked up were super insightful about the black perspective of NYC that was trying to come out of total bankrupcy/warzone status in the 1970s. I think of art as trying to make others see the world through your (inherently inaccessible) eyes, and intentional or not, this album succeeds at that while also being musically great.

This was good

It's great but Release yo' Delf is so good I can't dock *s. Absolute banger

I'm familiar with his biggest hits but I never did a deep dive of his albums before. Very impressive skills of rapping/flow just goes to show how much of a legend Method Man is. Fantastic rap album!

The way any of the WuTang era melds lofi beats and Kung Fu spirit with hard lyrics, it's such a microcosm of hip hip that can never be replicated.

ovo je skoro petica, zašto? najdraži mi je iz wu-tanga, nažalost nema tako dobru solo karijeru kao Raekwon ili Ghostface Killah, ali je bar dao ovaj sluznjavi, mračni, sirovi i old school zvučni album. baš se osjeti taj period glazbe, osjete se godine izdanja ovog klasika.

Good! Fun!

cool

This is dope! Finally some fucking hip-hop. This would appear to be Method Man's first album. The quality isn't great and some of the beats I find tedious and unappealing, but Method has such command with his distinct voice I could listen to him on just about anything.

Good stuff

god damn this fucks so hard can’t believe this came out in 1994 nearly every song is such a banger, I can’t believe I like this so much but here I am - 10/10, at time a little repetitive but not too bad

Love wu-tang, listening to Method Man extends that, and generates a banging song radio afterwards too

Fuck yeah. Keep it moving, ya punk.

Method had all the best rhymes in the 90's - Fav Track: Bring the Pain - one of my top rap songs, PERIOD.

great beats and his flow is top notch he has a way better switch of tempo compared to N.W.A. from earlier this week Probably one of the only 5 star albums where I won't add a song from it, but I can respect that this is a bomb album

Wutang Clan aint nothing to fuck with

Top album

Dope.

apparently only one of the tracks here was recorded by RZA before his studio flooded and destroyed dozens of tracks, so he had to remake a lot of these really quick and maybe you could explain why so many of the songs here sound... well, not wrong, but also not right. it's dark, it's gritty, it's boom bap that feels like the boom is in someone's dark, flooded basement and the bap is a chair slammed over your head. Method's flow and wordplay is always great, but i'd consider it to add a bit of a strange contrast to the sounds here -- a lot of the time, he brags, but he brags from what sounds like New York in Taxi Driver mixed with a depressing, spider-like dystopia. of course, on tracks like "Mr. Sandman" or "Bring the Pain", he knows exactly what he owns, and what it's worth in a world of horrors. most of the beats here creep me the fuck out, and it's odd to go from a fun battle rap beat like "Meth vs. Chef" to "Sub Crazy" with the weird dying tape voice playing over bitcrushed drums while Meth continues to do his thing. it's horrifying, demented; i love it to bits. this would be an awful record to smoke weed to. or a great one, if you like feeling as if the pizza man is going to stab you in the dick and laugh instead of give you your fucking pizza.

nice and listenable start to finish

I got more into this as I went on! Surprised me. Quite serious music it felt like. But it put a pep on my step

Method Man - Tical, 81/100. (Official Rating: 8.1/10) Posted on, “Album of the Year," "Rate Your Music" and “ MJ’s Album Reviews.” Official Ranking of the Year: Genre: East Coast Hip Hop, Hip Hop, Artist: Method Man Date: 11/19/24 “Method Man speaks out to me. Directs my attention to his diverse samples, ideas and experiences. It’s a great feeling to be in his shoes.”

Reading reviews of hip hop albums on this site is always hilarious. You have people typing up long dissertations, going into extreme detail about how influential or innovative an album is and how impressive the music is overall. Then you have users describing this music like a toddler would describe the taste of their least favorite vegetable. "It sounds yucky!" "I hate rap and asking me to stretch my musical imagination for less than an hour is a lot to ask, 1/5." Anyway, this album is great. It makes a great double feature with 36 Chambers but is good enough on it's own. Lyrics are mindful, revolutionary and comedic when they need to be. The production is both laid back and aggressive. If you are listening to this album and thinking "how did this make it on this list" I am begging you to grow up.

Simply just some badass rap from the Wu-Tang family. (also, this is the second solo album we've gotten from the group in the span of a week lol) Solid 4 Stars.

I’m at a very enjoyable 4.5 that I’ll once again drop back down to a 4. I dunno, even though I liked most of this, I just don’t think it quite gets up to a 5 for me. I can’t even really explain why; maybe a few beats fell flat, or sometimes the mixing felt off, but as a whole, I never quite found myself fully in the zone with this album like I have with other rap albums, and even other albums by Wu-Tang members. That’s not to say this is bad; when this album does enter a flow state, it’s a really good flow state, but it only lasts temporarily. There’s great bits of energy, wordplay, vocals and flow all over this album, & as an entire front to back album, it’s a relatively coherent project that breezes by. This didn’t feel like 43 minutes, in a very good way. Method Man’s pretty damn good at this, and the features throughout this album are super fun. I just don’t think that many tracks hit the plateau of “great” – I’m going by feel here, really. There’s definitely standouts, namely “Bring The Pain”, “All I Need”, “Release Yo’ Delf”, & “I Get My Thang In Action”. Those are my top 4 that I’d call “great”, but all 13 tracks here are pretty good. I guess it’s odd to say “it never stays great long enough to get up to a 5”, but I guess that’s where I’m at with it; just the intangibles that didn’t quite click with me the way they could have. It might be a mood thing, and this could probably easily bump itself up at a later point, but for now, I’m fine bumping it down to a 4. Still pretty recommended though; Wu-Tang Clan still ain’t nothin’ to fuck with.

The 37th chamber

Awesome flow, album feels a bit too long.

4 - I can’t ever fully enjoy this older sound because it often blends together with pretty rudimentary drum loops and fee samples. This one had a few that really stood out creatively especially in Release Yo’ Def

mjögmjöggott. 4,5.

Dope

wu tang member doing wu tang things. old school rap is great. 7.5/10

Looooove this album

Man I fuckin love rza

this was a big one for me back in the day and it really holds up !!

Amazing rap record! I always liked this one a lot. Everything related to Wu-Tang Clan deserves a listen if you like rap. This album is dark and very cool.

"The Buddha Monk on the hunt for machine gun funk" is one of many bars I've absolutely glommed from this album, so let me get raw with my southpaw style while puffing on a fat blunt from Cuba... One of the better Wu Tang solo albums, Method has that drawly flow thats just superb, literally sucking in all the air in the room as he does it. RZA production is sublime also, just a great album overall.

really solid album from method man. it started a little slow for me, but after the first 1/3 of the album, it really picked up for me. consistent through this release is strong rapping with great flow, really solid production, and a dark, almost low-key feel. it's not the most in your face bombastic album, but it still has energy, even though it feels more subdued than other rap albums of the time. i particularly enjoyed 'bring the pain' and 'method man (remix)'. good stuff!

this was cool and chill and i loved the beats and would listen again.

I’m loving this. So much good stuff. Funny, romantic and badass at the same time. Really sweet, witty storytelling. Good beats, good flow. Feels like real music. 4/5

honestly really enjoyed this! didn’t fall into the traps of a lot of 90s rap and was enjoyable throughout. more chill overall

own

Bring the pain and sit a spell

"Tical" is the debut album by American rapper and Wu-Tang member Method Man. It was the first Wu-Tang solo album and was produced by Wu-Tang member RZA and noted for its dark, murky and rugged sound. The lyrical themes include cannabis smoking, project love and traditional hard core rap subjects. The album title is an acronym for taking into consideration all lives. The album did well commercially hitting #4 in the US. The title track "Tical" opens the album with karate chops and a TV karate- movie voice. It's got a chill groove and pretty much is about smoking pot. The first single "Bring the Pain" continues the chill groove. Method Man comes out hard and fast. A constant beat. He'll kick your ass! Blue Rasberry is featured as she sings to Gloria Gaynor's "I Will Survive" song melody in "Release Yo' Delf." This is overlayed with Method Man rapping to a Herb Alpert song melody. Method Man is strong and will survive in the industry. A whole group is involved in "Mr. Sandman." RZA, Carlton Fisk, Inspectah Deck, Street Life and Method Man strut their stuff while Blue Rasberry sings "Mr. Sandman" in the background. This album has an overall chill vibe similar to the hip hop of the time like Dre and Wu-Tang. There's clever rhymes and timely sampling. The lyrics are pretty standard hip hop: don't mess with him, he's a bad ass and will survive. Overall, one of the several strong solo albums from the Wu-Tang clan.

I really liked this album even though rap/hip hop is not a favorite genre of mine. Kept my head bobbing. Interesting lyrics. Unique sampling. Good all around!

The first thing that comes to mind with Tical is consistency. Start to finish its very good album. Nothing overly stand out, but Method man does have great flow. 7.9/10

Unique, skunk haze funky hip hop, gutsy beats with a perpetual forward motion, dissolves effortlessly into the background but lingers. Not assertive but persistent. Extremely satisfying, a brilliant album.

I dig Meth more than Denizens outside my school Album holds up well. The first solo album after Enter the 36 Chambers, Meth continues to shine as a charming rapper who tries to still be hardcore. RZA's grimy production helps make the Wu-Tang sound different than their peers. We used to use "Biscuits" to test out the bass of car stereos when I was a wayward son. Albums were harder to come by back in this era though. I definitely did not rock this in 1994. Took a few years to make its way to The Deer. Loads of memories associated with this album. Great debut.