Reviews (page 5 of 7)
It has a few decent tracks...would put it somewhere between a 2.5 and a 3
Like the music and flow, no denying his talent, the coke dealing street life, it’s not my world though and It’s akin to watching a movie, enjoyed but not likely to go back again.
I like Ghostface but this album is mid. 3/5
Decent. Made me revisit some Wu Tang :)
This was a pleasant surprise. Everything about this screamed 1 star rating to me: the name of the album, the album art, the genre,... However I quiet enjoyed this. If it wasn't this long I would've probably given it a 4 star rating.
Not my genre, but a pretty fun album
It was fine. Have heard better hip hop from this list, but didn't hate it.
Not sure what to say here. Not my bag but seemed good for what it was?
This was fun. Great beats, great features. Love love J Dilla “Donuts” should be on this list if it isn’t. Its a 3 for me because as a whole it was long and the songs that didn’t hook me were hard to get through. I also am just not a fan of skits/long intros of talking
Kilo, hit me with the strap and that skit with the sweary kid caught my attention. Jellyfish was solid too, lots of little references there. And three bricks is such a great closer. Still lots of the others were forgettable 3/5
The Return of Clyde Smith (skit) n/a Shakey Dog 3 Kilo 2.8 The Champ 2.8 Major Operation (skit) n/a 9 Milli Bros. 3 Beauty Jackson 2.7 Heart Street Directions (skit) n/a Columbus Exchange (skit) Crack Spot 2.7 R.A.G.U. 2.9 Bad Mouth Kid (skit) n/a Whip You With a Strap 2.9 Back Like That 3 Be Easy 3.1 Clipse of Doom 3.1 Jellyfish 3 Dogs of War 3 Barbershop 2.8 Ms. Sweetwater (skit) n/a Big Girl 3.1 Underwater 2.8 The Ironman Takeover (skit) n/a Momma 2.7 Three Bricks 3.2 Be Easy (Remix) 3 Back Like That (Remix) 3.1 Score: 2.935
Ihan mukiin menevä, mutta ei sillai järistyttävä 3/5
I was not excited for this. But it turns out that the day you find out Trump is going back into office is a good day for some angry rap. But god I hate the “skits” in between. Maybe I just wasn’t paying enough attention or something but they’re never good on any album.
First listen of a Ghostface Killah album. Produced fairly well and has good musical diversity throughout. Unnecessary shit ton use of the N-word though which got a bit old. Great storytelling otherwise.
Я не фанат хип-хоп жанра, но Ghostface Killah меня удивил. Довольно хорошая читка, сэмплы неплохо подобраны и скомпонованы в композициях, в текстах чувствуется искренность пережитого опыта, хоть и тематика меня не сильно привлекает. Но половина альбома прям совсем не зашла, так как было меньше ритма, очень много треков, скитов и проходняков, как по мне. Наличие и качество скитов в альбоме вызывает сомнения. Некоторые из них довольно хороши, но их как будто слишком много, музыкальной ценности они почти не представляют, но неплохо раскрывают темнокожую жизнь. Отдельно хочу отметить чувство ритма MC, как в компоновке семплов и подборе общего ритма, так и в читке. Отдельно для себя отметил треки The Champ, Kilo, Whip You With A Strap
I really don’t understand the appeal of the lame ass interlude. Why do so many hip hop albums wedge this shit into their records? It’s never worth it. Like, bitch, I’m here for your music. I don’t want to hear your friends mumbling over shitty sound effects. Please kill this trend. This record is alright. There are a few fun tracks. Some is a bit same-y. Some songs are nicely mixed. Others are annoying. Mostly, it’s just kind of average. Nothing all that special. It’s frustrating. I keep waiting for it to kick off or something, but it’s just not getting there. There’s a lot of potential, but not much payoff.
The crazy amount of features on this one kind of saved it, because Ghostface's style is a bit much for me
Not my cup of tea.
Another day, another Wu-tang clan album. Fishscale is my second album by a member in this hip-hop group the first being Liquid Swords by GZA and unfortunately, this album doesn't hit the highs that one hit. The production, like the last album, was actually pretty good for the most part with some pretty funky beats and samples that were well put together even if they weren't as interesting as Liquid Swords'. The main thing that holds this one back though is the lyrics which are often the same format of racial slurs and sexual references. There are some smart lyrics but there are way more dumb ones which make the 60 minute runtime seem a little long. This album is not bad but not up to the standard of the other Wu-tang clan member album i have looked at. Best Song: Be Easy Worst Song: Whip You With A Strap
I kind of have mixed feelings about this one. On one hand I really don't like the violent and misogynistic lyrics on this album. On the other hand, I love how this album sounds. It flows so well and the rhymes are good. Musically, it's a very fun album to listen to. Some of the skits were kind of funny too. I think I'd give this a 3.5 but I'll round it up to 4.
A few standouts. Probably with a closer listen I would get more from it so might come back to it. 6/10
Better than expected!
Ghostface Killah got a sense of humor. And a legit album! Shakey Dog is great, the rest of the album is good. Fades a bit and songs get similar by the end, but not bad. Enjoyed the experience. (3.1*s)
This album is decent but runs a bit long. There's a few tracks I recognize and like but a lot of it is also missable. Ghostface has some skill but this isn't an album I would necessarily put on. I do like the piano on "Back Like That" and most well-known to me "Whip You With a Strap." I don't really care for skits in any rap albums and this one's no different. It's better than all the mumble rap and it tells a decent story. 2.55.
Of the Wu-Tang crew, Ghost face is my least fave. That being said, he's still good and shows you the power of the Wu (expect a lister). When GK is amped up his flow sounds too strained, like he's on the brink of throwing a tantrum. I prefer when he slows it down so you can hear the skill. A lot of the album is typical gang-banging but there are also some tracks with deeper meaning, fun skits, great production, and collabs. My fave is the "Bad Mouth Kid" to "Whip You With a Strap" combo. All I all the Killahs killin' it...3.35.
I wouldn't consider myself a rap fan but I was surprised how much I enjoyed this. Ghostface is a little manic but it kinda works. I enjoyed the collaboration with the rest of the Wu Tang clan when they appeared on tracks. 2.68 stars
Cool album, too long though
My favorite Wu Tang album I've listened to to date (226 albums into the project). Lots of good tracks here, in particular the sampling leads to a lot of great hooks that I find missing on so many Wu Tang albums. If there were half stars on this I'd give this 3.5.
Pretty solid rap. Flow was on point. Way too many skits, I hate those lol.
solid album, wasn’t too long and had some good tracks
I don't have enough of an ear to tell what's special here. That's on me I think and not on Ghostface.
Not my scene, at all.
This is the kind of hip hop I'd discovered when I still listened to hip hop!
Come non conoscitore dell’hip hop i primi album del genere che sono stati proposti erano fresh e una novità e li apprezzavo molto. Ormai mi sembrano tutti uguali
It's fine but the songs all get repetitive really quickly. Lyrics are a bit corny by today's standards. Highlight of the album was the chorus of Kilo. "A kilo is a thousand grams, it's easy to remember." A+ lyrics right there. Best song on the album was "The Champ" but I prefer the extended version without the voiceover.
Favourite song - back like that
Adictivos
I don’t know that I’ve listened to a Ghostface album. He’s always been a feature on other tracks, but this album isn’t bad! He’s got a really good flow. I could do without all the skit tracks and it’s a bit long, but I enjoyed it.
I was very happy with this, this feels so much more cohesive than other wu tang clan members projects.
It was pretty good all the way through. There was a lack of variety that did make the whole thing feel a bit labored, but overall it wasn't hard to get through.
Any member of the Clan gets an auto bump just because. Another solid effort from one of the Wu Tang. 3.5 maybe a 4
Wu-Tang forever. Great album.
Ghost is always a classic in hip hop. One of the few Wu members whose solo records are mostly all quality. I’m more of an Ironman and Supreme Clientele guy myself, but Fishscale has its highlights. Taking production from Dilla and Doom is certainly a couple of those highlights. Guest appearances in full strength too. Solid Ghost record.
Some Hip-Hop/Rap again. Usually not my style, but this was fine.
3.5/5
Op zich wel cool, goede Wu-Tang vibe, maar ook weer niet geweldig, of baanbrekend
Hiervoor kreeg ik Common geserveerd. Ongeveer het tegenovergestelde van de schijf van vandaag. Common was braaf. Dat kunnen we toch niet van Ghostface. Er wordt toch echt teveel getierd. Natuurlijk, hij laat soms merken dat het allemaal een grapje is. Maar wel een heel puberaal grapje dan. Common was heel eentonig. Nu een punt in het voordeel van Ghostface. Want eentonig kunnen we dit niet noemen. Als Wu-Tang-lid ben je wel in het voordeel natuurlijk. Hulptroepen zat. En dan kan er ineens een pop-nummertje als Back Like That tussen staan. Uiteindelijk zijn de losse nummers niet bijzonder goed. Maar is het die afwisseling die het interessant houdt om een keertje te horen.
F* dit, N* dat.. Het begint al gelijk goed. Als Roel al niet bij voorbaat bij de naam van deze artiest was afgehaakt, dan is hij dat wel binnen een minuut na die skit. Spookgezicht laat gelijk horen dat we waarschijnlijk weer een kinderachtig plaatje vol stoerdoenerij en borstklopperij voorgeschoteld krijgen namelijk. Laat ik dus maar niet te veel naar de teksten luisteren en meer naar de flow en de samples. Wie weet dat er dan nog enige plezier aan beleefd kan worden. Spookgezicht staat wel al met 2-0 achter, benieuwd of meneer de moordenah dat nog goed weet te maken in het restant van de uiteraard weer veel te lang durende plaat. De muziek: ik hoor wel aardige samples. De flow is een beetje zoals (Kan)Ye, dus daar is op zich niks mis mee. Er komt een keer een scratch voorbij, een gitaarlickje, een breakbeatje, een basloopje. Ook allemaal niks mis mee. Het is eigenlijk best wel leuk haha. Ik moet toegeven dat ik me er aardig mee vermaak. Er zit echt genoeg muzikaliteit en afwisseling in. En het lijkt ook wel enig plezier uit te stralen. Spookgezicht weet er met zijn Wu-Tang vrienden toch een vermakelijke 3 uit te slepen nog.
Killah teki töitä... hyvä..
Kilo Be Easy Dogs of War What a great album to hear so many great artists on. I’d consider this a passive listen. Got a good vibe but it didn’t draw my attention too much so I could kinda zone out listening to it
Bit of fun eh
j dilla and mf doom production on the same album is crazy. over all though it's alright
Interesting, great in places, average in others
It was alright Rating: 2.8
Not really my thing. But Ghostface Killah has a way with building up a narrative that's impressive. Musically it's fairly diverse and moves along at a brisk pace. Way too many skits and short tracks that don't really add value to the album.
Mids
Me: ChatGPT, write a positive review of the Ghostface Killah album "Fishscale" in the narrative style of Ghostface Killah's raps. ChatGPT: Yo, yo, yo, check it, check it, yo, This is Ghostface Killah, comin' straight at ya With that Fishscale vibe, yo, listen up! Picture this, yo, it's a cold winter night Streets lit with neon lights, everything's right I pop in Fishscale, let it spin, let it ignite Ghostface on the mic, yo, it's outta sight From track one to the end, it's a lyrical thrill Flow so smooth, it's like I'm movin' in silk Each verse like a story, each beat like a thrill Got me nodding my head, can't stand still "Shakey Dog" got me gripped, like I'm in the flicks Riding shotgun with Ghost, dodging all them hits Then "Kilo" comes in, with that smooth-ass mix Talking 'bout the streets, the hustle, the tricks "Underwater" got me diving deep in the zone Ghostface paintin' pictures with words, on his throne And "Back Like That"? Damn, that beat's so prone To make you move, to make you groove, on your own Don't even get me started on "Be Easy" That track's like a masterpiece, making it look breezy Ghostface Killah, man, he's never sleazy Just droppin' truth bombs, making it look easy So if you're looking for a ride, a lyrical thrill Ghostface's Fishscale is the pill To take you on a journey, to give you the chills Yo, Ghostface Killah, he's the real deal! Okay then...
Goodness, I thought that might never end. It's fine.
I quite enjoyed this album, and I do like the genre of Gangsta rap. I had never heard this album before and didn't know Ghostface Killah was a member of the Wu-Tang Clan. Solid listen!
This one was enjoyable - not an album or artist I think I'd heard before (except in Wu-tang Clan). I don't think it'll get much of a repeat listen from me - the lyrical content is still very much out of my wheelhouse of interest, though it's a little more nuanced than some of the gangsta style rap we've had in the 1001 list so far.
He’s the motherflipping Ghost!
Not my thing, but I appreciate the depth
It's not bad. I guess I don't love the whole "Wu Tang" thing. But there are a few bangers on this album.
I didn’t realize Ghostface did Back Like that. Also that he had so many albums? Definitely has that WuTang sound
Had a couple moments I got into the vibe but overall a pretty average album for me. 3.5
OK musically save for a few tracks with monotonous, never changing beats behind the lyrics.
I don’t think I was in the mood for this one, but I don’t know what the right mood would be.
Great production. Killer flows. I enjoyed most of this
Skit skit skit Shakey dog - great Momma - good Too many skits, too long, pretty good 3
Meh.
I'm getting caught up because Album Generator says "my friends miss me."
I liked some of the songs, but some of them were pretty boring.
I respect this, but it’s not my taste.
Nice enjoyable album. A lot of times with my hearing I have a hard time with lyrics, so it’s more about the music. And this doesn’t translate too well with rap/hiphop. Nice variety of hooks, cool to hear so many different artists on here too. 3/5
Heyrðu, þetta er fínt. Ágætis sömpl á bakvið og nokkur eftirminnileg lög. Dansar á milli þrists og fjarka.
'Killah' production and lyrical flow. I think I still slightly prefer Sour Soul tho
"Fishscale" is a highly collaborative project from Wu-Tang Clan's Ghostface Killah. This album received critical acclaim for the production quality, with several guest appearances, including the other members of the Wu-Tang Clan, and the contributions of many well-known producers. Each individual track has a unique sound which is still cohesive to the album as a whole. However, the skits and irrelevant banter interrupts the flow and really detracts from the overall experience.
I think if I listened again I’d get light early Kanye vibes
In places, this album was pretty good, but there were definitely misses too. I prefer more lyrical material and a more positive message.
good running album but nothing stand out
I had given up on Wutang adjacent albums by the 2000s so I missed this one. Mistake on my part, not a perfect album but it might be the only successful former wu member to have an album still retain some of the RZA sound but evolve to other producers (helps when you work with Just Blaze, Pete Rock, Dilla, Doom). 3.4
Great hip-hop/R&B album. I liked it more than I thought
Solid album, great lyricism
Interesting
Meh, didn't hate it, didn't love it. A solid 3 stars, I suppose.
Did not expect to enjoy this at all, but yet I found it listenable.
A lot to digest and take in on a first listen. Couple of times around really enjoying. Would revisit.
Decent old school vibes
A rap album with more of an R&B vibe. I liked a lot of the beats and grooves. I really liked Back Like That, but mainly for Ne-Yo. He made the song. Also enjoyed Megan Rochelle in Momma and thought the song was pretty good. Cool to hear Notorious B.I.G. too. Not really my thing, but this wasn't so offensive I didn't catch myself moving in my seat every now and then. And I admit, Heart Street Directions made me laugh. F that Kanye dude. Overall, I though this was decent. 3
3.5 I wasn’t expecting much out of this one given that I wasn’t overly impressed with fellow Wu-Tang Clan member GZA’s solo album, but as I started listening to this, my first thought was “Damn, this is a solid track”, followed by “Damn, what another solid track”, and then “Damn, this is a REALLY solid track” (shoutout to The Champ - probably my favorite here). That to say, this album starts crazy strong. Like, honestly, if this thing ended after Back Like That, it would have easily been a 4 - maybe even 4.5 - in my book. Aside from the painfully unfunny, cringeworthy Heart Street Directions skit (which at least has the Bad Mouth Kid skit to help balance it out a bit), I really didn’t think there was a single skip in the first half of this album - even Whip You With a Strap, which has a message to it that I don’t really support, but it’s too catchy for me to care. But then, it keeps going… and going. This album is ten minutes shorter than Stankonia but somehow felt twice as long. The only bright spot for me in the whole back half was Jellyfish, which has a fantastic lo-fi keyboard thing to it that I loved and a lyric that made me debate moving this whole thing up to a 4 (“Sweet sexy LaShawn, she got body like whats goin’ on/On some Marvin Gaye shit like lets get it onnnnn”), but man, everything else surrounding it is so mid. Each time I listened to this album, I just kind of found myself waiting for it to end after Jellyfish - hearing the Sly & The Family Stone sample on Dogs of War was neat at least, but it still wasn’t quite enough to sell me on the track. The only other thing that stood out to me in the back half was the closer, Three Bricks, but really just because I had to do a double take when I saw that it had a Notorious B.I.G. feature. While it was cool to hear, I gotta say, it seems a touch distasteful to me to use archival material of a dead artist in that way - I know Kendrick Lamar’s TPAB does the same thing with Tupac, but he was at least going for something insightful there. Granted, I have no idea what went into clearing and using the sample here, so maybe there is a personal, respectful reason associated that I’m unaware of. Anyway, half of this album is great and made me want to bust out the ol’ skateboard so I could cruise the streets of North Hollywood, the other half is unfortunately not. So, I wouldn’t go as far as to call this a great album, but I do think Ghostface’s beats and flow here are incredible across the board - I’m definitely walking away with an appreciation for the dude and a handful of tracks that I’ll be coming back to.
Good for outside my genre. Especially the Ice Cube Track.
Rap is connected to hip hop which is connected to trip hop which connects to house which connects to techno and all of them intermix here and there. I like the beats and if the lyrics are clever I am in. This album gves us little treats with the "skit" sections, of which I love the one with the foul mouthed kid... I laughed out loud quite a bit and rather enjoyed this album.
Wu-Tang as a whole holds a unique spot in my heart. Yet, this album shows how talented they are individually as well as together.
Lyrically very dense with nice, bouncy beats. Very much a Wu-Tang solo album. Would listen again.
- I like his flow, reminds me of Action Bronson - solid beats and features
I could understand all the words. I liked the beats. Still not comfortable listening to music with 'nigga' all over it.
3.3 - enjoyed this more than I thought I was going to, not quite sure about parts and I’m not a fan of sketch songs in general but yeah not bad
Very medium rap album. Few standout tracks, but also thought most were decent. 3.1/5
More musical than I expected out of a rap album, so that was a nice surprise. Not my style of music, but I didn't outright dislike it. What is the obsession with Iron Man / Tony Stark? I think I heard at least ten references on this album.
Wears out its welcome toward the end but enjoyable.
3 Don't care about the lyrics but the music and the production is interesting!
Oldschool good rap
Guter Rap
Helt bra, int min genre o känns lite långt. Många bra biisin dock
apparemment je l'ai écouté
It was alright.
Nice vibe. Not really my jam. Which is understandable given that I’m a 63-year-old white woman. Didn’t care for the skits. But I do like the vibe. Back Like That was my favorite.
This album contains some interesting tracks, and it's clear that the artist is a prolific rapper. But there's also shit tracks and too many skids.
Meh. Fun but a slice of hip hop i was never overly interested in
One of the better albums in the genre we've had so far, great beats, atmospheric, passionate delivery and flow. A few lulls and unnecessary skits stop it getting a 4 but it's a high 3.
Too bloody long. Feels quite dated too - style of the album is much more 90s, apart from a couple of the more soulful tracks (Back Like That probably the highlight, more because I really like Ne-Yo's voice than GK's rapping in this one). Quite a bit of variety, to be fair to him, and decent production, which gets this album up to a 3, but nothing more.
One likes the more soul music-y cuts – "With a Strap," and "Back Like That" – and "Jellyfish" is great. But one feels a lack of knowledge re Wu Tangiana to get all the jokes. Just pretty good, really, and makes sense as an "ex."
Erstaunlich abwechslungsreicher Hip-Hop!
Nice soul samples but too many cringe skits and too long just like every other fucking hip hop album on here
Hip-hop. Ni fu ni fa.
Hip hop, rollo.
December 15, 2023 HL: “9 Milli Bros”, “RAGU”, “Whip You With a Strap”, "Back Like That", "Dogs of War" Obligatory “I saw the Wu-Tang live this year” reminder. First off, I didn't expect how sunny this album sounds? The contrast between the soul/r&b samples and the gritty mafioso lyrical content creates a tension that might help hold the album together. Looks like 'rateyourmusic' favourites MF Doom and J Dilla produced some of my favourite tracks. It's past time that I checked them out 3.5 (for now)
Really solid rap album, no hits that I've heard of
It felt very average: I think I am listening to these albums completely wrong. I don't remember any of this whatsoever. Was it good? I am not completely sure. I did like elements, it sounded quite nice at parts and others it felt mid. I'll say it's average and if it's anything better than I'll come back to it another time.
Starts well but becomes a bit of a slog towards the end, the harmonies are nice
All very exciting, but is in the immature end of this genre
Cool production and beats. not a fan of the skits.
The back half of this album was cooler than the first half. Minus points for that skit about going though the bottom to the mouth or whatever that was
Треки в конце спасают положение, но вообще скучновато.
I little bit too stuck in its time for my taste, but nothing bad either.
Seuraavaks räppiä itärannikolta. Hyvää, muutama kappale meni kakkoslistallekkin
Yup. I'm not into hip-hop.
Хороший альбом о братьях наших водоплавающих 7/10
Covers a pretty wide range of mid 2000s hip hop and r&b sounds. A couple standouts
Alright but not outstanding.
The album doesn't get off to a good start as the opening skit is (fill in blank). There are some songs where the background music really makes the song move. Ditto background singers. Also, some of the lyrics deal with important subject matters. I can imagine someone who isn't me really liking this.
Two rap LPs in a row! Though not so hard to take since you can hear how far the production progressed in less than 2 decades. I like the song with singing, "Back Like That". My nephew Dylan was crazy about this guy.
N this n that with some of them funky beats you don't get anymore
Dated, but decent
Not his best album, but it's still very solid.
I still don’t like Rap that much but this record was ok most of the time. But the gangster rap tack at the end killed it for me
Overall nice flow, although I'm losing attention here and there.
3.5 stars. Felt cohesive throughout, good production value. The Wu-Tang member packs a punch from start to finish. Skits didn't ruin it like they are prone to. Standouts are "The Champ" and "Be Easy".
6.5/10
Apart from the misogyny, violence and drugs it's good. Great rhymes, good samples and witty. I enjoyed it, but didn't approve.
I didn’t like the skits. When he referred to himself as Iron Man/Tony Stark it confused me. Vulgarity bothers me more than it used to in music, but this was still mostly fun to listen to. Kilo, Jellyfish and Back Like That were standouts.
I'm not usually much of a fan of Wu-Tang albums, but this was impressive. The production (by MF DOOM among others) was stellar. I hated the skits (which comes with the territory for WT albums), but the beats and the vocals were top-notch. It could be a 4, but the gangsta shit and all the casual misogyny prevents me from fully enjoying this.
Not too shabby
This aight
top
Thanks to its fantastic production, this gangsta rap album sounded fresh despite being released in 2006.
GFK absolutely skewers on this. He’s always been an underrated members of Wu-Tang. With this one he says what he wants to say and through skits and spits sends a message that he ain’t done yet.
This is an odd choice, I'm a big Wu-tang guy but this isn't one of the better solo efforts, not even Ghostface's best. It's strong enough with a wide mix of guesting MCs but not worth shouting about.
Hip hop, rollo.3
Again, hard for me to really judge. Feel a bit bad for just giving 3-stars to these rap albums.
Not really my taste in music, but it has some okay songs and it was enjoyable at times. Not a fan of the "skits", annoying more than anything and it was way too long. I was getting tired of listening to this and checked to see if it was near the end, ugh, it wasn't even halfway through. I did stick it out until the end, barely!
Surpassingly good. As a Wu-Tang fan I checked out the solo work of members and this rates well.
Not really my cup of tea - though I do like other similar albums from that era this one didn't really do it for me.
Not a huge fan of the subject matter, but a pretty good hip hop album.
I always liked WuTang, but never listened to any of the members’ solo projects. The first thing I noticed about this one was that it was released in 2006, at the height of the “bling era” of rap. I was intrigued to see if Ghostface would follow that sound. He definitely stuck to his gangsta rap roots on this one. However, there are some drawbacks. I think this album is way too long. There are also a lot of skits - which I think were outdated by this time? In my opinion, this album was carried by immaculate production. Seriously, the beats and sampling on here are phenomenal. What a time for rap producers.
Pretty fun, but I want to fight the evil wizard forcing hip hop artists to stretch their albums to 70 minutes and break his hex. Stop with the skits, my guy. Please.
first listen more misses than hits, some great sample work
PREFS : Shakey Dog, Kilo, The Champ, 9 Milli Bros, Be Easy, Jellyfish, Dogs of War, Underwater MOINS PREF : Whip You With a Strap
Heard it before?: No Enjoy it?: Yeah, it’s long but some great wordplay and features throughout Favourite song: Track 24 - Three Bricks
I get why its good, not really for me though
The album definitely is not bad, but it definitely did not grip me in any meaningful way either. Favorite track: The Champ
Hip-hop. Ni fu ni fa.
I find it so funny that this album starts with an intro spoken word track that talks about how tough he is, how he went platinum and how he'll shoot you, etc etc. It's so ridiculous to me. What's tougher than telling someone you are tough? I'm trying to think about this in terms of a different music genre that doesn't have this ubiquitous tough guy ego act. I'm writing an album and a few times I have some strings and orchestral moments; should I have an intro before they enter and say something like "check out the upcoming strings listen to how I ripped off Bach to make this fire counterpoint it's going to fuck your ears up when you hear a Neapolitan 6th chord in indie rock"? Or should I just let the music do the talking? Regardless, I find it hysterical. I did actually really enjoy his flows and I think the music should do the talking more. I think a lot of rappers were influenced by him and I can definitely hear some Kendrick and Nas specifically in his flow (I don't dare speculate on who influenced who because I'm not knowledgeable enough about these time periods) but I think that's sick. Production is tight. MF DOOM forever. Truly a terrible album cover but wonderful in it's own way.
Soild hip hop album
Just rap, nothing more.
I remember really enjoying this when I first heard it a few years ago, but on a relisten it does feel excessively long. The production is fantastic throughout and Ghostface’s energy is really impressive (the most consistent solo Wu Tang member by quite some way imo) but it gets a bit tiring after a while
Pretty solid rap album
Not really my taste, but interesting to listen to once. Kinda feels like a musical at some parts.
More explicit than I can enjoy on a normal day. Maybe I’m getting old. Not all bad though. Lyrics weave a strong narrative which is nice - if you can follow it.
While not for me as a genre, this album had great variety. I think I would have enjoyed it more if it was shorter and it didn't impress me as much as other hip-hop albums that have been on the list so far, but it was entertaining
Pretty enjoyable rap
I find him really likable, and I enjoyed some of the features. Broadly, I didn't really connect with it. The skits feel unnecessary. A long album to listen to, especially considering I wasn't that into it in the first place.
It's fine. Some interesting instrumental flourishes at times but not a huge style of the cadence, I can see why people would really like it though, but ultimately not my thing. By god do I hate the skits though. Also Ghostface Killa loves referring to women as "females". Bro.
There is a nice variety of sounds and styles driving the tracks on this album. I really like this one. My ears were engaged in the music and the lyrics are a mix of really hardcore, tough, deep stuff, tons of profanity, and some fun stuff. Great energy in this album. The songs are very well arranged and orchestrated, too.
I wrote out a really long review but it got lost so the brief version: I love how we get so many sides of Ghost on this album, from “Shakey Dog” to “Momma” and topping it off with “Three Bricks” we ride through his past, his present, his daydreams. The storytelling is excellent, it makes me feel like I’m hanging with him, really getting to know him. We see production from some HUGE names. Pete Rock, DOOM, Dilla, Just Blaze (“The Champ” has one of my favorite lines “My arts is crafty darts, why y’all stuck on Laffy Taffy? // Wondering, how did y’all [neighbors] get past me? // I been doing this before Nas dropped the Nasty“) We get some skits like the opener with some very silly Tom Cruise lines about slashing a dude’s face with Vanilla Sky reference thrown in. We get the Wu (including ODB) on “9 Milli Bros” with some classic mic passing. My only gripe with this thing is that it is a little long. These tracks are insane don’t get me wrong but there were a few that I personally don’t think I’d mind living without. Giving this one a 3/5 because I do feel like the length got to me and distracted me enough to dock a point but it is so so so damn close to a 4. Still, I gotta stick to my guns with this limited review system.
Great beats like most early hip hop, but the length made them blend together. Comparing it with the last album, the grooves were overall slightly worse but I couldn’t really hear the lyrics so they didn’t put me off
This is good! I should have been listening to Ghostface Killah way more when I was in the phase for this, somehow his solo work completely blew me by. It's moving, his verses really pull you right into a vice grip with their imagery, the skits are wild and funny. Pretty much everything I could hope for from a release like this. I just didn't enjoy myself too much... this album kind of made me stressed. Usually there's enough balance in the production, or enough funny, to offset this, to make something more colorful. There's a little bit of balance on this album, but for me not enough. Some of the productions are amazing, however, great examples of the period. 3/5
viel Text sehr 2000er
Relatively interesting, with a few first-rate cuts, but not massively engaging or super intriguing.
aight
Very Wu-Tang-ish, true to the roots, including a couple of Features.
Nice album de hip-hop, on voit pourquoi c'est parmi ceux de Wu Tang qui ont eu les meilleures carrière
A few collaborations kept this from 2 stars
A pretty decent record in my opinion, but not so impressive.
The first half dozen tracks, which were very much about drugs, didn’t thrill me greatly. Then the extremely funny skit Called Heart Street Directions made me laugh so much (as did the Bad Mouth Kid skit a bit later) & it seemed that the music just got better from then on. I particularly liked RAGU, with it’s Look Of Love sample, Whip You With A Strap, Jellyfish, Momma, with cool vocals by Megan Rochell, & Three Bricks, with its Biggie samples. A really great listen.
Another Wu-Tang album. OK, I like the woozy and gritty lo-fi funk feelof the backing tracks of this album; the opening salvo of Shakey Dog, Kilo and The Champ is a fantastic opening. There are a zillion producers across this album, but there is a consistent feel across the album. I suspect that is the influence of Dilla. even though he only produced two tracks, the fingerprints of his time technique is all through this record. And it has the trademark Wu-Tang grittiness and cinematic scale; check out the horn stabs and soulful wailing on Shakey Dog. That said, this has the weakness of most hip-hop albums of its vintage; too long, too many skits, casual misogyny, and I am bored to death with lyrics about drug dealing. There are a few weak tracks in the back end of this record that could easily be edited out, along with all the skits. What is the obsession with skits on hip-hop records? They are NEVER good. Not even the skits on "3ft high and rising" But I will give this three stars for that opening run of songs, which I really dig.
music is pretty good, quite psychedelic in places and with fun samples. Vocals are unfortunately really cartoonish so overall it's not really for me. Who gives a fuck about Tony Stark?
A little too rappy for my old school self but enjoyed listening.
Quite old school. Not necessarily my cup of tea, but very nice to find this sort of street rap 3/5
I quite enjoyed songs like Champ, Back Like That and Be Easy due to Ghostface Killah’s flow and rhythm. There is interesting use of sampling, which helps to add texture to the songs. This album could have easily gone without the skits, as it was already suffering with a bloated tracklist.
So much rap and hip hop lately. This was better and more creative than I expected it to be. I didn’t hate it but I can’t say I’d listen to it again.
Not a bad album but also without any highlights or justification why it needs to be on this list
-The chorus of "Back Like That" is a catchy kind of R&B thing -Shoutout to "Kilo" for spreading awareness of the metric system. As they say "A kilo is 1000 grams / It's easy to remember" -The guitar on "The Champ" is sweet -"Three Brick" is about bricks (epic) and it's pretty cool, especially Biggie's verse -Overall the album didn't blow my mind but it was nice enough
Enjoyable, liked the wu tang guest tracks.
no es lo mío pero me gustaron algunas cosas ah 7/10
Filling in missing reviews brought me to a trio of Wu-Tang solo albums, best discussed together in a 3-in-1 review. Already having reviewed “Return to the 36 Chambers” and GZA’s “Liquid Swords,” how do these other Wu-Tang efforts hold up? While these are regarded as solo albums, the members’ first solo albums were all produced by RZA and each feature many Wu-Tang members. They even battled each other for RZA’s best beats - these are solo but Wu-Tang was still very much a collective. But they each have their own style that distinguishes them. Method Man’s “Tical” is my favorite of four solo albums - he brings the right amount of whimsy and fun to some otherwise hard-edged music, and it’s more about getting high than violence. He also keeps things concise - it’s much shorter than the other two, which have a large collection of decent tracks without hits. Raekwon’s “Only Built 4 Cuban Linx” is solid, but lacks the charm found on “Tical.” Ghostface Killah’s “Fishscale” is from later in his career - it's still filled with Wu-Tang cameos, but isn’t produced by RZA. I’m curious how it might compare to his solo debut, “Ironman” (which was RZA-produced). Ultimately, it doesn’t do it for me as much as the earlier Wu-Tang offerings. I do love how self-referential all the Wu-Tang members’ solo work is, though. RZA’s shaolin fixation still pops up, Method Man’s Tical concept (“taking into consideration all lives”) keeps popping up, Ghostface drops Iron Man references, and more - it’s all over, and it helps make it all feel very cohesive.
Sounded like the 90's to me, surprised it came out in 2006
Return of the hip hop comedy sketches!
this album was fine. even good. sounds a bit outdated but there was some good stuff in there. it's just... surely there are better rap albums that could have been selected over this.
Favourite track(s): Dogs of War; Three Bricks Don't know why you would start an album with incoherent babble for one minute. Maybe that was just for the Expanded Edition. Also, I dont like skits on albums unless they are absolutely iconic, which in this case they are not. Some big names on the album but I had never heard of Ghostface before. Even though it is his album, he does remain quite flat in comparison to B.I.G. or Ne-Yo. Doesn't help that the album is just too long. While that seems like a lot of negative thoughts, the album was actually fairly listenable. It just did not spark all that much emotion.
tykkään Ghostfacen tyylistä, mukava kuunnella ja sopivan ei-niin-väkivaltaisen gansta. meni hieman tasapaksuksi puuroksi taustamusiikkina kyllä
Myönnettäköön heti alkuun, että tämä levy tarvitsisi kuuntelijan, jolle on luontaisempaa keskittyä sanoituksiin kuin itselleni. En sano näin siitä syystä, että levy on räppiä, vaan siksi, että sen tarinankerronta vie minutkin mukanaan aina, kun onnistun keskittymään siihen. Tämän lisäksi kappaleiden taustat ovat lähes kauttaaltaan tyylikkään melodisia, ja niihin on lisätty pieniä musiikillisia yksityiskohtia, jotka toimivat parhaimmillaan koukkuina. Uskon, että voisin pitää tätä neljän tähden levynä pitkitetyllä kuuntelulla.
Some good stuff but too long! You know the rules. 46 minutes or under
I appreciate Mr. Killah's enthusiasm for explaining the metric system on "Kilo" and his Iron Man references before they were cool.
There’s a couple songs I was more into. As usual, could have done without the skits.
Bit of a mixed bag: the stuff I liked I really liked, but also lots of less good stuff, and the skits...
Not for me, but not bad.
3.5
This genre is my Achilles' heel, but I'm glad I listened. I enjoyed the story telling, vignettes & the weaving of other musical genres into the songs. My major criticism is the overt use of curse words & sexually explicit content - that has been the main reason I'm generally turned off by this genre (it's lazy, in my opinion). But the album was solid & ended up listening to more of his music. 3.5 stars.
Listened Before? N Man, I really liked this as far as modern-ish rap albums go. He's got a unique style. That being said, some of the collabs and especially the extended cuts on Amazon are really bad. Just a keyboard sample with unorganized rapping over it. I'll give him a break though because that was clearly not part of the intended album. Added to Library? N Songs added to playlist: Shakey Dog
decent rap album, more storytelling than albums nowadays are. Musically its also good.
I can't really judge this album - as i don't know hiphop that much. I know Dr Dre, Eminem, various other more well known artists, but nothing about Ghostface Killah. What I got was that it was average production, some OK rapping, but nothing amazing, and fairly basic loops. it's OK
I liked it, but probably more appreciated by the Wu-Tang aficionados. I can see why Action Bronson almost got beatdown for sounding like and talking smack about Ghostface Killah.
Pleasantly surprised with this one. A lot of great tracks. Some duds. Not normally my scene but pretty good.
28th June 2022 Listened while in the office. Went to see Jack white in the evening with sav and Nathan. Liked this but not as much as other rap albums I’ve been given so far on here. Whilst a wu tang legend, I wasn’t sold on the whole tony stark skits.
Some good, some meh, none bad
Некоторые треки понравились, но, в целом, альбом не показался выдающимся. Обложка очень четкая;) Будто вернулся в РФ 90-ых годов. 5 из 10
I like the production
Was better second time around, think it can improve the more I listen to it. Should come back to it. 6/10
Not really in to rap - enjoy more laid back hip hop but I liked some of the tracks e.g. Back Like That.
Un bon projey solo mais loin du wu 3
It's aight.
I appreciate this man’s love of Tony Stark.
Terrible name, okay tunes.
Decent hip-hop record, I like The Champ the most with the horn arrangements. Otherwise, it doesn't strike me that much - a lot of songs about vengeance and pussy which doesn't interest me that much - still the general sound of beats and his vocals are much preferable to e.g. Cypress Hill. You get small wiffs of WuTang Clan but it is more straight.
There's a song from SDvR 2007 in it so good throwback
Im not really great at identifying good hip hop but I know how to turn off what I absolutely hate. This aint it.
Hell of a solo WU album. Have to imagine being produced outside of and not featuring a lot of WU chums this outing is all Ghost. He can hold his own to fill an album. 3.5/5
This album was removed from my version. Another example of a newer album added and then tossed out instead of pruning the moldy old sacred cows. I don't love this album. I'm a Wu-Tang fan, but I take the unpopular opinion that Ghostface albums aren't that great. He is an undisputed master of storytelling, but I don't find his albums compelling as someone listening to a piece of music. Fishscale is a concept album about coke dealing, so more than most even, it's a thick narrative with the songs themselves de-emphasized. On top of that, it is 24 tracks with far too many skits. As an adult in their 30s, I want my hip-hop albums to be about 14 tracks with zero skits. I'm a firm believer that each genre has its own optimal album length - it's not a hard rule, but on average, I want my punk albums about 25-30 minutes, my hip-hop albums to be about 45-50 minutes, my rock albums to be about 50-60 minutes, and my drone albums to be about 100 minutes. At 65 minutes with 7 skits, this album drags. Still, it's not terrible. There are plenty of forgettable Moby Grape and Love albums on this list that deserve to be on it way less.
Wu. Wu peed on your rug.
Man Ghostface, you got bars. It sucks that your delivery is so grating to me. The production here is top notch as well, with some excellent features throughout.
Pretty good hip hop album, too long as usual but some interesting musical choices and there were some very interesting rhyms. However a little to samey to earn anything higher than a 3.5 🌟
Not my taste
Really cool
Rap is growing on me. The gangster violence and threats, misogyny, drugs, potty-mouths and tales of impoverished "life is harsh" must be becoming normalised for me as I didn't mind this LP of drug lord iron man peddling "fishscale". It helped that the samples and bscking music was familiar, soulful in and funky and not too abrasive. The rapping was rhythmic and clear. I might even look forward to more Wu Tang related material...
it wasn’t terrible but it also wasn’t anything new I think it was just completely mediocre I actually liked some of it which is surprising to me but it wasn’t out of this world
Enjoyed it. Nice album.
not really interested
Hip-hop sin miramientos. Muy del estilo. Sin nada especial que destacar. En ocasiones un tanto más intenso. Lenguaje típico
I preferred Ironman and Supreme Clientele.
alrighty
Pretty good
Dilla, Doom, yes. Ghostface, sure. Overall, I guess so.
Good stuff. The guy is an incredible lyricist, but I felt like I had to pay too much attention.
im a huge fan of enter the wu-tang but the rest of their stuff just never really resonated with me. This one is still a really nice hip hop album and sounds better to me than most of the other solo projects.
Pretty good album by ghostface. The features were solid. Interesting to have the same song on there twice but with different artists. Lyrically it was good but not great. 7.2/10
The production was excellent across the album. The delivery and flow of the rhymes weren't to my liking.
More easily listenable than Kanye, in my opinion. Still not a big rap fan.
Listened to this one passively but I liked some of the beats I heard. Was much longer than anticipated
One time, Ghostface Killah's manager threatened me because they didn't like how I was selling his merchandise at his concert. So I have beef with Ghostface. But he does good raps, lots of words and keeps it going. The skits are fucking lame though.
Gangster rap. Pretty good. Some parts boring for me. Fav songs beauty jackson, kilo, the champ, momma
Was okay.
Inte jättebra för att vara rap
Something i never expected is ever heard an Rnb song with ghostface killah in it, it's different but its good
This was hood. Some great hooks going on and some great collaborations too.
c'etait pas nul, c'etait pas particulièrement bien non plus. Un album à très vite oublier, il faut se reconcentrer sur le prochain match
сопливые переживания ниггера по поводу того, что мамочка порола его ремнём
По саунду звучит будто старше своего времени, почему-то вижу стык тысячелетий. Но упоминание PlsyStation 3 немного молодит. В целом норм альбом почилить на фоне, настрой задаёт. Однако интересным ни на трек не кажется.
It's rap, but with so much variety. V good.
rap just isn't really for me. i understand i'm supposed to love wu tang and all that is associated with it, but in all honesty it just doesn't do it for me.
Oh yes, I enjoyed it. With "Be easy" being the Best song.
I approached this album filled with dread. I haven't had much luck with the hip-hop albums on this list. I'm still waiting for a great hip-hop record. This isn't it, but it wasn't nearly as bad as I expected. The first cut isn't encouraging. It's a skit, but the voice is so distorted, you can't even make out what the person is saying. It gets better from there. Now, it's true that the subject matter is mostly the same old, same old. But at least the imagery is inventive and vivid and the gangsta vibe is heavy. Not my thing really, but if you're gonna do it, you might as well go for it. The samples and loops are well-chosen and varied. Best of all, the beats are bangin'. The loops and the raps intersect in ways that propel the music forward like a rocket. Now, I wish the music was a bit more complex and it would have been more interesting if the tunes were punctuated with live instrumental breaks, like Cameo did in the 80s with the likes of saxophonist Michael Brecker, or even some decent scratching, but Ghostface Killah wisely keeps the tunes short, so you don't have time to get bored. He also intersperses the tunes with "comic" interludes, which also helps. YMMV. I'm conflicted on how to rate this. On the one hand, Fishscale is damned near perfectly realized. This is EXACTLY what Ghostface Killah was going for. On the other hand, I despair of the lack of ambition and Ghostface's narrow vision, both musically and lyrically, given his obvious talent. Update: Ghostface also skillfully integrates modern R&B vocals into the mix later on in the album, which is a plus, and there's a bit more variety to the subject matter than I first thought. I added half a point.
Fuck I forgot to listen to this. Default 3. Sorry ghost.
Production: 13/20 Songwriting: 12/20 Innovation: 11/20 Bangers: 10/20 Emotional response: 13/20 =59 Yes I very much enjoyed this - only one mark off a 4*
Ok
Meh. I just don't like swearing in my music. Takes me right out of it.
Very mid noughties
Er, hoje não, Faro.
7/10 - Cool rap album, doesn't bring nothing new in 2021 of course
I've not listened to Wu-Tang / Ghostface Killah before, and I'm surprised at how much this album reminds me, in structure, to Tenacious D -- I know it's really probably influenced the other way, but the skits and the over-the-top lewdness. Kinda fascinating. Highlights: "Kilo", "Whip You With a Strap" and "Back Like That"
I like the semi Lo-Fi vibes. Killas flow def wears me down, hes only got one sound and speed. Top 3 songs Shakey Boy, Three Bricks, and the irreverent Kilo 3 out of 5
skip the skits, they dont add anything and are too disjoint to make this any attempt at a concept album. "9milli bros" is the hype-anthem and would have been a strong album opener. "the champ" is worth a listen. "Be easy" is also another stand out, but becomes repetitive with the forced syncopation.
Never actually heard him out of Wu Tang, pretty cool
Semibängeri Slässic hip-hop
Freshe beats für einen jungen mann wje mich
Better then I thought. Like the horns, background singers (esp on kilo). The Tony Stark references are funny (I guess this was when Iron Man was out), but its never going to be an album I would recommend
Wutang Clan Forever, maybe this album only once in a while - a few tracks were amazing, several samples felt juvenile.
Never heard this before - pretty bad ass - such a tough sound. I defiantly have ‘n word’ fatigue - Rap has got to evolve - the first track is horrible
I enjoyed this much more than I was expecting.
Not really my style but I can respect the production values and thematic vision. Listening again, it’s growing on me, it’s very tight
Fresh beats, tight rhymes. What more could you ask for?
Like a series of The Wire, on an album. Read the lyrics while you listen
false
Solid hip hop.
Great hip-hop, waaaaaay too many skits.
Solid album, shows the dominance of the members of wu-tang in the 90s
was ok. I don't like the skits..?
Got better as it went. Liked the R&B stuff and Be Easy.
goeie hiphop staat bij mijn favorieten 3.5/5
Too many skits - wasn’t as good as I thought it would be
Not as much my vibe, but I like the beats/production.
The Champ is too good!
Wasn't too bad considering its not my thing and went for over an hour. Some really catchy tunes among the filler. 3/5.
Eh. I’ve enjoyed other rap albums on here significantly more than this. I also think it’s kinda unnecessary to hear these solo side projects from Wu-Tang members whose names didn’t have nearly as much staying power outside of the group. But I also admit I’m probably uncultured in this realm.
Some of the singing was off key. Some of the songs were pretty depressing. Skits weren't great but I've heard worse. Pretty typical 2000s rap.
--Shakey Dog...production is cool. vocals less so --Kilo...head bopper. sweet groove --The Champ...production is nice again but this is yelling not rapping --9 Milli Bros. (performed by the Wu-Tang Clan)...a little too chaotic --Beauty Jackson...almost a full idea --R.A.G.U....just not really digging the flow. or the lack thereof --Whip You With a Strap...can't argue with a Luther Ingram sample --Back Like That...Ne-Yo is here to add some much needed R&B --Be Easy...head bopper --Clipse of Doom...nice beat. that sustained guitar note in the background shouldn't work but it does --Jellyfish...I like the organ sample, but I've found the rapping on this LP subpar --Dogs of War...another cool sample --Barbershop...half track half skit --Big Girl...once again the sample is doing the heavy lifting --Underwater...the kung fu film wood flute sample is great --Momma...solid pop --Three Bricks...I'm getting conflicting info on whether or not this is a bonus track, so not sure if I should count it. If I were to count it, it would rank as one of the better tracks because it includes Biggie; whose flow is much better than Killah's
4/10 Coincidentally, I just got Wu-Tang Clan's debut album two days ago, so this album is quite timely. Unfortunately, as with Enter the Wu-Tang, there is very little of interest here for me. I appreciate the production and the beats, but that's about it. The lyrics are waaay too obvious (and downright awful at points), the rhymes are lackluster, and the album is roughly 10 songs too long. Just not for me (again).
Me parece que tiene canciones bastante pegajosas y los samplers lo hacen más entretenido y digerible
Rhymes about hotties and selling coke that'll make your head spin—all over smooth old-school beats. Exhausting like a good autobiography. A thing I will probably never say: "Man, I really feel like listening to Fishscale today."
Pretty sure this dude wouldn’t be heard if he wasn’t in Wu-Tang. Fishscale falls flat.