Der eigentlich eher kritische G-Clef hat eine kurze Album-Review geschrieben, die sogar recht positiv ausfällt:
Zitat:
Wu-Tang Clan - 8 Diagrams
Chambermusik review by G-Clef
1. Campfire - pure Wu-Tang, real and raw, plus excellent and clear lyrics, Cappa rips it. The skit-samples add flavor.
2. Take it Back - as heard on NY radio, a revisit of Nautilus with a different chop. Deck rips it down. Moe Bee comes with the clarity and Rza'd influence definitely felt.
3. Get Them Out Ya Way Pa - Rza puts together yet another unorthodox track, with a new style, nice feel to it. A libe electric bassist is heard. Hook is kinda corny, but Masta Killa actually saves the day with a creepy ill style.
4. Rushing Elephants - This will remind you little bit of Wu-Tang Forever, but with a touch of Dr. Dre. Only problem is, this beat should pump a bit more to really go hard with it. Gza comes forth with the classic flow of course, uniting the joint, bringing lyrics to the beat. Rza is a little corn, plus way offbeat, and not really in a good way on this one. "Lord of the Wu-Tang Sword, know what that means? Like J.R. Tolken is the Lord of the Rings." Sorry kids, that's straight wack....lol. This track makes me notice that the Wu-Tang production vocal style is now high compression, less effects. Very dry, to match some of the more modern tends in Hip-Hop radio production. A good idea as it gives them a slightly newer, different sound that we are used to.
5. Unpredictable - Another crazy unnorthodox beat on this one, now I see what the complaints were, but you know what? This sense of inventiveness is a great plus to this album so far. Rza definitely did his thing. Even the vocal production on this one is insanely innovative. I'm impressed. Again, though, Rza sounds old school on the mic and very predictable on a very "unpredictable" track. Distortion rock guitar is heard throughout this one, but it's still mad Hip-Hop.Shavo is on bass on this and it's a good move. Brings life to this shit.
6. Heart Gently Weeps - Again, this is the mix I didn't prefer, but the song is still very musical, and you can't front on the original Beatles tune. It's fine as an album cut, but it shouldn't have been a first single. My opinion stands with regard to this song, Ghost should have rapped on the whole thing AND sung the hook. I like how Hip-Hop his singing is, and Erikah Badu is horrible and lifeless on this joint, sorry. Ghost is nothing short of incredible on this.
7. Wolves - Ight, this is uptempo Wu with a twist. U-God reminds of his flow on that old SWV joint he ripped. Rza did his mutherfucking thing on this, I'm loving this. Eerie, yet clear, which is what is needed in 2007. Meth finds himself on this one too, ripping shit down. George Clinton is raw as fuck on this, he adds alot. Of course he pronounces it "Wuff"...lol. Rza is showing alot of new styles here... as a producer I cannot front on that. I hope it gets appreciated. A little bit of the mood from "From Then Till Now' is felt... with the whistle sample.
8. Gun Will Go - Rae is on some "Wu-Tang Clan Concentrate" here. The track is quiet and mellow, with some live instruments, including guitar (Rza!) and strings.
9. Sunlight - Ok. Rza Gee's off here finally on the mic. But this beat? Pffffffffffffffffffffffffffffft... retarded! This is the shit Wu fans have been fiending for for years. This song is the reason I dead people with fake W's on their albums and shit.... Noone can do "Wu-Tang" like Wu-Tang.
10. Stick Me for my Riches - Allah Math comes with a decent beat as usual. The verses are kinda uninspired. The singing is ok, typical "wu-style" vocal choruses. Honestly this song is a fast-forward.
11. Starter - Streetlife sets this one off and shines. Ill beat that reminds me of Cap's first album a little bit, with a ill twist. This singer, "Sunny Valentine" sounds alot like A.G.R. from Harlem 6... I gotta wonder.....influence being felt here? Harlem 6 fans are gonna instantly know what I mean by this.
12. Windmill - The Ima Sumac sample from Gravediggaz' Diary returns on the intro of this, but why? It never returns. LOL. This beat gives me mixed feelings. It has alot of ill vocal samples in the background like old Wu, but the drums is just a breakbeat mixed with percussion, all programmed. I hear a live guitar again, which makes the track too mellow and dare I say "Hippyish?" lol. The emcees do their best but there is just no better way to rock this than what they tried to do. Rza could have kept this one back for a compilation or something, sorry. Snoozeville.
13. Weak Spot - For those who listen to Chambermusik Radio all these years, you recognize this "Deadly Venoms" sample cuz we been rocking it since jump street. Rza rocks an old school rap style here but it sounds ok. Strings and an old un-chopped breatbeat. If not for "Windmill" this would be the "weakspot" of 8 Diagrams...lol. Gza stopped getting high and drinking I heard. He sounds like he needs a blunt here. No offense but he sounds like he's not really digging in lyrically or flow-wise.
14. Life Changes - For those who don't know alot about production, this is a breakbeat (again). I don't really understand why Rza is rocking unchopped breakbeats in 2007, but I guess he has a reason (he usually does), so I will give him artistic license, but I wish he didn't. A more modern remix of this song would make it a possible radio song, which would be a duly fitting tribute to O.D.B. Freda Payne is a veteran singer and it's kinda nice to hear her here with the Wu. She did a good job with the limited hook she had to sing. Rza's vocals are too loud in the mix, kinda like Masta Killa's were in Triumph...lol. Whats up with that? Rushing the mix probably. The song definitely needs a changeup somewhere or another hook. It does get a little boring after awhile. This tribute could have been better but it's decent enough. I don't know about other copies of this CD, but this one has a weird skip right after Rza's verse! Holla and let me know, fans...
The album ends with some Chinese stuff being said, but I don't speak Chinese so I cannot tell you what it's all about.....lol.
Overall I was surprised by this album. It was way better than the impressions I got early on, and while it's not going to be a "hit", it's still an overall sucess and definitely a piece of art. Good music is hard to find these days, and Rza chose to take the road of integrity, rather than give in to trends. I know alot of the emcees may not understand that with all the pressure these days, but in time they will appreciate it too I believe. Rza has made a conscious decision here, not to be part of the machine, but to just make music from the heart, for art's sake, and let history be the judge. How can I front on that? Props to Rza, you did ya thing!
Anmelden
FAQ
Suche
sowas wünscht man wiederum niemandem