1001 Albums Summary

Heavy metal is not really my thing but I was hopping to be surprised here but I got what I expected, disappointment. There was nothing new or interesting on this album except maybe for the distorted organs on Lazy. Don't even start with it was ahead of it's time. Music from the late 60s / early 70s was a golden age of experimentation and all I got was this blasé, generic, uninspired album. Somehow this album was borderline on being so laid back and meandering it might as well be a Grateful Dead album. It just needed more direction, vision, organization, something, anything to be on par with even with it’s contemporaries. There are hits of great things in this album like the layering and the occasional bass line. That and Lazy are the only saving grace on this whole album 2/5.

Can we talk about the good old days? When hip hop was about that boom bap beat, and groups had more personalities than a day time talk show. When albums found a balance between the beat and the lyricism with the occasional skit mixed in. This album has all of that and more and that doesn't even include the samples. Man, the samples on this album are clever and play off of each other so well. Ranging from original vocal samples to the widest range of piano samples I have ever heard on one album. I have been meaning to listen to this album for a long time, I originally avoided since gagster rap is not really my thing, however the gagster rap label does not do this album justice. It is rare for an album to have something for almost everyone without losing it's own character. It is simply a great work of art that does not overstay it's welcome, it cannot be fully taken in during one sitting, and will make you find something new on each listen. If you do not like rap or even jazz going into this album you are probably not going to like it. Keep an open mind though, there is real artistry at work here In both the sample instrumentation and the lyricism. During the golden age of hip hop If A Tribe Called Quest were akin to the Beatles (constantly experimenting to varying degrees) Wu-Tang would be the Rolling stones (Get Off of my Cloud even gets a mention). They have this grittiness and the hypnotic beats that make you want to get out of your seat. Not to mention just like the Stones they bring the Motherfucking ruckus. 5/5