Wu-Tang Clan - 8 Diagrams: Album Review
Wu-Tang Clan, 8 Diagrams (SRC, 2007)
The RZA and Raekwon have been beefing back and forth in the press about whether or not this new Wu-Tang album sucks balls. Not to tip my hand too early in the review, but Raekwon was right. This album fucking sucks.
CAMPFIRE
Kinda weird and not the way you'd hope they would kick off this album. Cappadonna mentions something about putting it down in Chicago. I wonder if he's referring to the show he did there this summer, after the first night of Pitchfork.
TAKE IT BACK
Not bad, if you can block the superior "Daytona 500," which flips the same sample to much more interesting effect, out of your mind.
GET THEM OUT YA WAY PA
One of the RZA's new stoner friends went a bit overboard with the bass on this one. And the chorus doesn't really seem to fit either. I do enjoy the percussion though. With a bit of work, this could be something.
RUSHING ELEPHANTS
This may have been better as incidental music in Ghost Dog. In particular, I think the main string bit repeats a bit too often. It's a relief when it drops off altogether during the Masta Killa verse. And as much as it pains me to say this, the GZA verse stinks things up. He kinda sucks now.
UNPREDICTABLE
The opening verse from Inspectah Deck is about as good as it gets here. The track is a bit busy, but in a good way. I especially appreciate the occasional hair metal guitar flourish.
THE HEART GENTLY WEEPS
Did they go and rerecord this for the album?
WOLVES
George Clinton provides a chorus not unlike the one he did for that song on OutKast's Aquemini. You really wish he wouldn't have. It's worth listening to all the way through though for the Masta Killa verse.
GUN WILL GO
This must be what Raekwon was talking about when he said that the RZA's "creativity" had gotten the best of him. Who the fuck is this guy singing?
SUNLIGHT
Sounds like some garbage left over from the sessions for Birth of a Prince.
STICK ME FOR MY RICHES
This album's version of one of those songs from Iron Flag with the homeless lady. I wonder if those scratches in the background were done using a Replicator.
STARTER
The audio equivalent of a broccoli fart.
WINDMILL
Like "Triumph," with a more obnoxious beat and no Ghostface. In fact, Ghost doesn't pop up again on this album after his verses on "The Heart Gently Weeps."
WEAK SPOT
The kung fu dialogue as chorus just makes this sound kinda half-finished. Otherwise it's not that bad, especially as far as this album is concerned.
LIFE CHANGES
You hate to say anything bad about this, because it's an Ol' Dirty tribute. It's not very good though.
TAR PIT
A real mess, from the awful U-God verse, to the muddled track, to George Clinton's monkey routine towards the end.
16TH CHAMBER (ODB SPECIAL)
Sounds like a demo from the 36 Chambers era. Which would be awesome, if the sound quality wasn't so shitty.
COMMENTS: A real shit sandwich. The first half has a few interesting ideas, but none of it really works. Some of the second half sets a new standard for awful rap music. Which is saying a lot in the age of "A Bay Bay" and what have you. They should have just released that Wu-Tang Returns mixtape and called it the new album.
BEST TRACKS: "Unpredictable" "The Heart Gently Weeps" "Wolves"
BONUS VIDEO: RZA addresses Raekwon rumors
