The Wu-Tang Clan
“The W”
(Loud)
Why even review this album? After all, if youve been listening to the Wu-Tang from the beginning, you probably raced to the store on the day The W dropped and formed your own opinion. Anyway, here goes: if youre expecting a re-up of the masterful first album from 93, youll be disappointed- save your money and play Enter the Wu-Tang a few more times. If youre ready for some all-new, all-different-type Wu, cop this CD. Although Gravel Pit and Protect Ya Neck (The Jump Off) fit in with the hardcore feel of the first album, the RZAs production on The W is exploratory and takes some getting used to. The minimalistic tracks Conditioner (ODB and Snoop Dogg) and Careful (Click, Click) bear repeated listenings, and other tracks heavy on backing soul and reggae vocals lend The W a slower, more mellow atmosphere than is typical of the Wu. On the whole, The W is worth your time just for the lyrics – everybody knows that the Shaolin MCs are some of the nicest in the game – but the beats really make The W an experience unto itself.
C-Train