Reader Review: Wu-Tang Clan - Wu-Tang Forever (June 3, 1997)

(On the final day of this reader-review experiment, Nicolo provides his commentary for both discs of the Wu-Tang Clan's second effort, Wu-Tang Forever. Please bear in mind that this write-up seems to go on forever because it's about a double-disc effort. But fuck it, it's the weekend, you should have more time to sit and read through it. Enjoy!)

Wu-Tang Forever is the second collective effort by the seminal east-coast rap group Wu-Tang Clan. However, you already know that, and you also already know that Wu-Tang Forever has been criticized for being too lengthy (meaning The Curious Case of Benjamin Button lengthy: it was a good movie, but did it really need to be almost three hours long, Fincher?), too ambitious (sure, okay) and far inferior when compared to the prior success of the Clan. The album is also notable for being a double CD set, an endeavor which has only been met with success a few times in the rap game (most recently with the two-disc Best of Young M.C.).

Wu-Tang Forever was the first rap album that I ever picked up and listened to. It was my first exposure to rap: in the years that followed, listening to hip hop became a hobby of mine, and then, ultimately, a passion. My opinion has changed over the years regarding this album, but now, in being a more experienced listener, I am confident that my ears and writing won’t fail you. Well, here goes…

DISC ONE

1. WU-REVOLUTION (FEAT POPPA WU & UNCLE PETE)

I’m not as critical as Max regarding rap intros. (I don't see how you couldn't be.) When done properly, they can feature a musical backdrop and a couple of verses that serve as a sampler for the album to come, and in some cases can be a good track in their own right (for example, the intro from the posthumous Big L album, The Big Picture). However, in this case, the intro is boring, contradictory (more on that in a bit) and about 5 minutes too long. It is especially hard to get past when listening to the album for the first time (or the first time in a while), when you’re just trying to get to that real Wu shit. (I agree. This intro has no place in the Wu canon, unless you're a masochist that can't get enough of Wu-Tang third cousins (twice removed) talking about why they're so great. And if that is the case, don't you have a U-God album to get back to?)

2. REUNITED

Musically this song is a departure from anything else ever heard on a Wu-Tang album, barring 8 Diagrams, of course. That’s not to say this is a bad song: in fact everyone sounds pretty good over this beat (GZA even spits first, for a change). I could have done without the violin solo though.

3. FOR HEAVEN’S SAKE (FEAT CAPPADONNA)

This is a pretty hard-hitting beat. Only RZA could think of combining soundtrack strings with a sped up vocal soul sample over a heavy bass line. The song is only alright though. Cappadonna sounds unworthy of being on a Wu-Tang album.

4. CASH STILL RULES/SCARY HOURS (STILL DON"T NOTHING MOVE BUT THE MONEY)

This track and the previous one should be considered blueprints for the sped up soul sample formula that countless producers would imitate after this album. (This song is produced by 4th Disciple, who most likely swiped the idea from The RZA). That being said, I always confuse the two tracks and they are only worth not skipping because they are relatively short. (I can't fathom why they felt the need to market this track as a follow-up to "C.R.E.A.M.")

5. VISIONZ

The bare Inspectah Deck production, although boring (see, I'm not the only one who thinks so), complements the bleak and hostile verses, which are among the best on the album. Even Masta Killa sounds confidently menacing, proving why he deserves to be an official member of the crew over Cappadonna. It is inevitable to compare the two (although Cappa doesn't appear on this song), due to the fact that at this point in time Cappadonna had made more Wu appearances than Masta Killa, who was serving a prison bid. There is no question which one GZA has taken under his wing as an “apprentice” though. Yeah, you guessed it. It’s the one in the Clan. (I always like to think of Masta Killa rhyming in the booth dressed up as his ninja-like character from the Wu-Tang: Shaolin Style crappy Playstation game.)

6. AS HIGH AS WU-TANG GET

This is as high as Wu-Tang gets: Meth and GZA, arguably the two best lyricists in the Clan, spit their bars with Ol’ Dirty on the hook, while The RZA gets behind the boards. So does it hold up to the title? No. It's too short and the beat is a little bland. But it is as “pretty good as Wu-Tang get.” (That last sentence probably sounds a lot meaner than Nicolo intended.)

7. SEVERE PUNISHMENT

This song is "Visionz", ominous and hard, only with a better beat and kung-fu samples. Hot shit. Where can I sign up for this Wu-Tang academy Masta Killa speaks of?

8. OLDER GODS

Is that a washing machine at the start? This could be a song off Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... Not bad.

9. MARIA (FEAT CAPPADONNA)

Remember how I said that the intro was contradictory? While Poppa Wu was rambling on about “respecting your black queen”, Big Baby Osirus, RZA and Oh Donna are busy objectifying them as “bitches". There’s no question which one is the better song though. I’ll let you figure out which one is which. (Hint: it's the one that happens to be an actual fucking song. Sadly, this is not a cover of that song from The Sound Of Music.)

10. A BETTER TOMORROW

I’ve always liked this song. In the end, isn’t this what Wu-Tang is about? Rising above the hardships that life throws at you? (And also, slicing off your opponent's head with a sharp sword while reading from the Bible, smoking honey-dipped blunts, and playing chess.) Wu-Tang is for the children. (Maybe not your children, but children in general, yes.)

11. IT'S YOURZ

This song and the last make up one of the better one-two combos of the album. The songs flow effortlessly one into the next and have a similar tempo, yet they’re both good songs in their own right.

DISC TWO

1. INTRO
This is more like it. Short, concise, and most of all, worth listening to. (Although it is still a rap album intro. Proceed at your own risk.)

2. TRIUMPH (FEAT CAPPADONNA)

I never understood why this has been one of the most popular songs that the Clan has ever released. (It's because of the million-dollar Brett Ratner video, easily the worst one that the Clan has ever released, but hey, they had the money, might as well spend that shit, right?) The beat isn’t as catchy as "C.R.E.A.M.", and it isn’t as accessible due to the absence of a hook (I actually think hearing nine verses in a row (with a brief intro from Russell) is a nice change of pace.) That being said, this song is epic. Fuck the hook, I guess all anyone wanted to hear is a massive cut with verses from every member of the Clan. (Pretty sure that's what I just said.) The Rebel INS sounds impressive, only confirming himself as deserving for consideration as one of the better Clan emcees. (Or, at least he used to be one of the better emcees.) The only real problem with this song is how short GZA’s verse is.

3. IMPOSSIBLE (FEAT TEKITHA)

"Triumph" always takes too much out of me to fully appreciate this track. I recognize the fact that this song isn’t bad, but I find myself skipping it often. (Ghostface's verse is pretty good: I remember him snagging a hip-hop quotable in The Source around the time Wu-Tang Forever dropped. But Nicolo's right: after hearing something like "Triumph", you don't want to hear a Tekitha-dominated track: you want a glass of warm milk and a fucking nap.)

4. LITTLE GHETTO BOYS (FEAT CAPPADONNA)

I can take or leave this song. It’s about one minute too long. (Only one minute?)

5. DEADLY MELODY (FEAT STREETLIFE)

RZA is so talented at making instrumentals which rappers love to spit to because he’s an accomplished emcee as well. Everyone flows so effortlessly over this track they make it sound easy. Ghostface’s verse is short but sweet.

6. THE CITY

I had forgotten about this song until I heard it once on National Public Radio. It was aired as an interlude during an interview with the RZA. In that context, hearing it on NPR, the song sounded extraordinary. On the album though, it doesn’t really stand out, even with my new crush on Inspectah Deck. (No comment.)

7. THE PROJECTS

Raekwon sounds surprised at the beat during the beginning of the song: “What the fuck?” Luckily he recovers, but this song is pretty forgettable.

8. BELLS OF WAR

One thing I’ve always respected RZA for is how unrecognizable and unknown the samples he uses are. Unless you are a die-hard fan of Tom Scott or a rare groove digging DJ, you’ve likely never heard this music before. This is a pretty good song. (I always liked the fact that The Rza saw fit to include a weird interlude right in the middle of the fucking song.)

9. THE M.G.M.

Ghost and Rae show off their uncanny chemistry over a True Master beat.

10. DOG SHIT

A beat as off-kilter as Ol’ Dirty’s style is featured for his solo track. I’d be lying if I told you I listened to this song a lot. (I used to know a guy who would blast this particular track in his car when stopped at a red light if he noticed any hot or even sorta-hot chicks in the next lane. I can't imagine this got him that much play, but with Dirt McGirt, you never can tell.)

11. DUCK SEAZON

I don’t like this song. It’s long, the beat is bland and the lyrics, while good, aren’t captivating enough to save this effort. I find it to be the definition of filler.

12. HELLZ WIND STAFF (FEAT STREETLIFE)

The second track featuring Streetlife, and it’s as good as the first. A vintage RZA beat featuring kung-fu samples and top-drawer bars by several members of the Clan. Streetlife sounds good as the lead-off rapper, and I like how much RZA appears on the mic.

13. HEATERZ (FEAT CAPPADONNA)

This is a pretty good song. True Master's beat outshines the words a tad bit, though.

14. BLACK SHAMPOO

What the fuck? This song just makes me picture U-God trying to seduce someone, and I really didn’t need that. (I can't top that particular joke, so I won't even try.)

15. SECOND COMING (FEAT TEKITHA)

Not horrible, not great, just out of place.

16. THE CLOSING

This track is just Raekwon reminding us how Wu-Tang is the shit and all. It reminds me of the snippets of interviews they used on the first album. (On international versions of Wu-Tang Forever, "The Closing" leads right into "Sunshower"; for more info on that track, click on the link at the bottom that takes you to my original post.)

FINAL THOUGHTS: Critics and fans knocked on Wu-Tang Forever because it fell short of its ambition. The truth is, a double disc album seldom is a fully satisfying listen, regardless of musical genre (unless we're talking death metal or post-colonial pan flute music). This all taken into consideration, I would say that Wu-Tang Forever is my second favorite Wu-Tang album. It lacks the landmark tracks that made the first album so timeless, but RZA and the Clan rarely skipped a beat on what they were trying to do with this album, and not only did they further the level of mere originality and ground-breaking sound that they created on earlier works, they also produced several cuts that still stand as among the best in the Wu-Tang catalog.

BUY OR BURN: If it sounds like I’m raving about this album, don’t get me wrong. There are plenty of songs on here that aren’t worth spending money on. If you’re a big Wu fan you already have this, but if you’re more of a casual fan buy this used, or buy the selected tracks off iTunes. I’ll never, and I mean never, discourage you from buying a Wu-Tang album though.

BEST TRACKS: “Reunited,” “Visionz,” “Severe Punishment,” “A Better Tomorrow,” “It’s Yourz,” “Triumph,” “Deadly Melody,” “Bells of War,” “Hellz Wind Staff,” “Heaterz.”

-Nicolo

(Here's the link to the original post. If you wish for these reviews to continue beyond today, leave some comments or hit me up at the e-mail address on the right with your submission. Your review may be the next one I throw a lot of italics into for no good reason.)