sleepy jack

I've always loved Wu-Tang more than other rap groups like NWA, Public Enemy or DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince and I think the reason for that is none of them are as loud, abrasive, profane or as kick-ass as Wu-Tang. This is probably my favorite album of there's because it's the only one I have and have listened to it's entirety. I can't decide whether Shame on a Nigga or Protect Ya Neck is my favorite song. So yeah, uh if this were the new album releases forum I'd vote this excellent twice. This isn't an album for rap fans, it's an album for music fans.

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right-track

I had reservations about being able to listen to this album without being objective, purely because it was rap.
A genre I know very little about, or am particularly drawn to.
However, CA's description in his review of how "The members of Wu-Tang Clan use sword-fighting as a metaphor for rapping, with their tongues serving as swords", allowed me to listen to 'Enter the 36 Chambers' from a different perspective that I would have otherwise had.
It gave me the idea that I should pay particular attention to the lyrical content in much the same way I listen to soul...from the exclusive viewpoint of the artist.

It did the trick.
Wu-Tang's 'Enter the 36 Chambers', on a musical level, didn't immediately grab me from the go, but with each contribution the various rappers made to this album, came a different flavour that revealed itself after repeated listens and with that, a better understanding of why this album is so highly regarded.

Wu-Tang's newest fan.

Molecules

you people need a decent compilation ,you're saying 'rap' like it's a dirty word. i thought people stopped calling it rap a decade ago! RZA pioneered that minimal style, as ****ing cool as that was there's more to be had.

there's a really old page I have in my bookmarks called the Wu-dictionary, it 'translates' alot of the Nation of Islam vernacular and code they use... if you listen along to early Raekwon/Ghostface or something and read the bars, the guy's actually a poet, it's just that the thick Staten island drawl obscures it
if none of you do already you'd like A Tribe Called Quest, or any of the Native Tongues collective, Tribe were very musical with the jazz/hip hop sound. I find alot of white people prefer the conscientious lyrics aswell

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[SIZE="1"]Eff em
tumble her

right-track

I wouldn't say the word 'rap' was a dirty word to me, although I did used to think it was spelt with a silent 'c'.
And who could blame me, when the only rap that was on my conscious radar, was the gangsta' variety with it's bling etc. ramming that particular brand of lifestyle down my throat.
Which btw '36 Chambers' didn't.

Feel free to pm me a compilation.

jackhammer

I have albums by:

A Tribe Called Quest (2)
The Roots (3)
NWA
Marxman
Run DMC
Busdriver
Surreal & The Sound Providers
Strange Fruit Project
Public Enemy
Dangermouse & Gemini
Sage Francis
cLOUDEAD
Deep Puddle Dynamics
2 Pac
Notorious B.I.G
Dead Prez
Black Star
De La Soul
Dizzee Rascal (3)
DJ Format
Dr.Dre

Which is not bad for someone who does'nt have a huge love of Hip-Hop/Rap.

We have reviewed the album stating that it is'nt our first love but that we still like and appreciate the album which is fair play.

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Molecules

Don't get me wrong I'm not trying to be a **** about it, I just think there's an era, 1988-1996 (broadly) of rampant musical and lyrical creativity that's being missed out on. Hip hop has had a bad rep for a long time now, the major labels managed to take a street-level art form and just make it... ****? There's also that assumption that if you want the harder stuff you have to sacrifice the lyrical content, obviously Wu Tang made an exception. I'll stick up a 10-track mix.



edit: sawwy

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[SIZE="1"]Eff em
tumble her

Laces Out Dan!

There are a couple older albums I'd like to send you one day. GZA - Liquid Swords and Jay Z's either reasonable doubt or the black album.

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cardboard adolescent

Meat Puppets - Meat Puppets II




Marry images of peyote and the Arizona plains,
the early 80's hardcore scene and by counter-point,
three long-haired freaks. Meat Puppets is all of these things
but through the juxtaposition resembles none of them.
Only the disaffected outsider could produce something
so simultaneously alien and emblematic, and these disgruntled,
often-spat-upon teenagers are just that.
Their punk inheritance is obvious, but all bridges
with the hardline aesthetics of hardcore are burned and left behind,
replaced by the dual antitheses of punk rock,
country/western & psychedelia.
The beauty is in how these elements interact-
how punk breathes passion into country and acid rock visualizes
the vast and mystical beauty of the desert.
Combine these elements with Kurt- err..
Curt Kirkwood's strained, paradoxically melodic and atonal vocals
which intone acid-friend murmuring of life, death, time, politics,
and of course, acid. Every song on here is essential,
from the skewed hardcore of “Split Myself in Two” and “New Gods,”
to the absolutely gorgeous instrumental tracks
“Aurora Borealis” and “I'm a Mindless Idiot.”
At this point this album is 25 years dated,
but its sounds are as timeless as Ennio Morricone's themes.

if there are actually those of you who do not own this:
pm me.

Molecules

^this is excellent. 'Acid-punk n' western' is OTM. Though I thought Nirvana's versions were better... Kidding!
They sound arid and shot-away enough to transport you to another place - you know, a place where they have a big, hot SUN. One of the best band names ever also.
fave tracks thus far: Lost, Plateau, New Gods

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[SIZE="1"]Eff em
tumble her

Urban Hat€monger ?

Better late than never....

Marvin Gaye - What's Going On

It feels a bit strange writing this review. Normally I stick to stuff I know about or am familiar with. However here I am reviewing a man i've only really been aware of in name only and an album i've done my very best to avoid.
It wasn't avoided because of any great hatred from me towards it. It's just I have heard so much about this album and of how much of a landmark record it is I couldn't help but think that with me being , if honest totally indifferent to soul music I had a feeling that most of the message behind it would be lost on me. Somehow I even managed to avoid listening to it while I had a girlfriend who thought this was the best album ever recorded.
Luckily the week this was supposed to be posted I was able to see a documentary on Marvin Gaye and now knowing a little bit about him and what he was going through in his life at the time this was recorded I feel just about ready to tackle it.
The first thing I notice on hearing this is just how slick the production is. In fact it's so polished I have to remind myself that I am listening to something that in it's heart is social commentary. Musically the title track is faultless , superb musicianship , fantastic production , heartfelt personal lyrics , but to me something was missing. There's no dirt anywhere. Always while i'm listening to this in the back of my mind i'm thinking of Sly & The Family Stone's There's a Riot Goin On album. That album is one soul album I am familiar with and as it was a direct response to this record listening to that album was kind of like a gateway into this one. The thing that There's a Riot Goin On has over this album is that it feels like it was written and performed by someone who was pissed off. This album in comparison feels like it was written by someone who was mildly concerned rather than annoyed.
Having said that some of the songs on this album are sheer beauty , the title track itself deserves every accolade that has ever been bestowed upon it. It really is a beautiful song and it hits you like a tidal wave of sound.
Like I said at the beginning soul isn't really my thing but I like to think that I can appreciate it in some way , however I do find that ballads tend to bore me a little so a song like Flyin High literally flew over my head. Save The Children is just flat out terrible and I can't help but think this inspired even more crap in Michael Jackson's terrible Earth Song.
However on the whole my reaction to this album was better than I imagined. Of the 9 songs on the album 6 of them I really enjoyed. The title track & Mercy Mercy I had already heard before and love. The other stand out for me was Inner City Blues , A glorious slow burning gentle funk workout that brings the album to a satisfactory close.
On the whole I liked this a lot , I don't pretend to know enough about soul to say if it really is the classic it made out to be , personally I prefer There's A Riot Goin On & Stevie Wonder's Innervisions more than this. But overall it is a solid album.

Now onto the Wu Tang.

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