September 10, 2009

Method Man - Tical: The Alter Ego Remixes (1999)


I'm still digesting Only Built 4 Cuban Linx...Pt. II (and, to a much lesser extent, The Blueprint 3), so I'm filling up today's space with a Japanese-only Wu-Tang Clan import that you couldn't buy even if you really wanted to. Yeah, I know, but that's how it goes.

Similar in feel and design to Ol' Dirty Bastard's O.D.B.E.P., Method Man's Tical: The Alter Ego Remixes is a compilation Def Jam Records put together to make a quick buck in the Wu-Tang stan market that only I seem to populate these days. Ostensibly, this is supposed to be a collection of singles, all stuffed onto one disc for your listening pleasure, but it doesn't include every single Clifford Smith released during the Tical and Tical 2000: Judgement Day years. There are also an inordinate amount of club remixes on here, giving me the impression that Def Jam was really trying to win over the rave demographic.

Well, at least the cover art's kind of cool.

1. I'LL BE THERE FOR YOU/YOU'RE ALL I NEED TO GET BY (RAZOR SHARP MIX) (FEAT MARY J. BLIGE)
This is the classic remix of the song (originally taken from Tical) that earned Meth and Mary J. a Grammy. Clifford allegedly received a new car from Def Jam Records in exchange for agreeing to remix this track for mainstream consumption. Although he has now essentially disowned this song, I think it was a fair trade: The Rza's production straddles the fine line between commercial acceptance and grimy, just like Method Man tends to do himself. As such, the 'Razor Sharp Mix' plays out as a musical version of Clifford's general demeanor at the time, and adding Mary J. Blige was a great choice.

2. RELEASE YO'DELF (PRODIGY MIX)
I first heard the clean version of this track on the soundtrack for the Samuel L. Jackson film 187. Both The Prodigy and the Chemical Brothers were doing big things with electronica when the original songs they remixed were recorded, so their inclusion on here isn't much of a surprise (unless you live in the United States, where electronica music was a non-factor, although I liked it). For their part, The Prodigy take an already dark song and destroy all of the light fixtures, all while beating the shit out of your parents and stealing your identity. Somehow, that statement is meant to imply that this was a good remix.

3. METHOD MAN (REMIX)
A questionable inclusion, as this song actually appears on the Tical in the exact same form.

4. HOW HIGH (REMIX) (FEAT REDMAN)
Not the version that appeared on the soundtrack to The Show, but the version that they shot a video for. I prefer the original, mainly because it features many more bars from Reggie, but this still sounds pleasant.

5. JUDGEMENT DAY (TRICKY REMIX)
Tricky remixes this song into something that's appropriately dark, given the title: Method Man had produced the original track himself, and while it wasn't bad, this version makes even a misspelled judgment day seem like something you should be legitimately afraid of. In other words: nice!

6. BRING THE PAIN (CHEMICAL REMIX) (FEAT BOOSTER)
The Chemical Brothers provide a beat that is energetic enough to dance to, but Meth's lyrics don't fit into this puzzle. An aural mess and a disappointment, since I quite like the early work of the Chemical Brothers.

7. JUDGEMENT DAY (SUPER JUPITER REMIX)
Can my European readers tell me if they ever danced to this shit in the club? Seriously, between this and those godawful dance remixes that rounded out U-God's Dopium, someone sure seems to believe that the Wu-Tang Clan and rave beats go together like peanut butter and chocolate. Well, this song tastes fucking terrible.

8. JUDGEMENT DAY (RONI SIZE REMIX)
This sounds exactly how you think it would, after reading in the title that it was remixed by Roni Size. Which is to say, this drum-and-bass track isn't very good. Meth's vocals are also slowed down to balance out the schizophrenic drums, to poor effect.

9. BREAK UPS TO MAKE UPS (DJ KRUSH REMIX)
The Trackmasters produced the original song, and Timbaland even remixed it at one point (it's kind of odd that Timbo's version isn't anywhere to be found on here), but for me, Japanese producer DJ Krush provides the definitive version of Meth's love song. It's still not as good as the Mary J. Blige/Method Man collaboration, but this is one of those hidden treasures in Clifford's catalog.

10. I'LL BE THERE FOR YOU/YOU'RE ALL I NEED TO GET BY (PUFF DADDY MIX) (FEAT MARY J. BLIGE)
In contrast to the Rza's remix, Puff Daddy reaches out to the radio and turns this love song into something one could fucking dance to if absolutely necessary. Puffy's made worse songs than this, but I still never cared for this shit. Why, Meth, why??!!

11. RELEASE YO'DELF (PRODIGY MIX) (INSTRUMENTAL)
Plays exactly as it reads.

12. BRING THE PAIN (CHEMICAL MIX) (INSTRUMENTAL)
Plays exactly as it reads.

13. JUDGEMENT DAY (RONI SIZE DUB REMIX)
The title is dead on. What, no instrumental for the Tricky remix?

14. BREAK UPS TO MAKE UPS (DJ KRUSH REMIX) (INSTRUMENTAL)
See track number 12 for description.

FINAL THOUGHTS: Tical: The Alter Ego Remixes is not essential listening, unless you're a Wu-Tang stan like myself. That said, fans of Method Man may appreciate these excursions into an alternate universe in which Meth, apparently, runs shit in the clubs. Notice that I said “appreciate” and not “like”. Some of these tracks you've heard before (especially the one that copped the Grammy), but this singles compilation is otherwise on par with the O.D.B.E.P. in that most of these songs weren't officially released in the United States for a reason. Some of these tracks are gems that deserve to be discovered, but only if you're a fan of the Wu or abso-fucking-lutely love electronica and drum-and-bass.

BUY OR BURN? Burn this one, as it's a Japanese import and I couldn't recommend you buy this one even if every track was a banger. (We're in a recession, people!) Consider this one a curiosity piece, but before you make a decision, you should check out the songs listed below.

BEST TRACKS: “I'll Be There For You/You're All I Need To Get By (Razor Sharp Mix)”; “Judgement Day (Tricky Remix)”; “Break Ups To Make Ups (DJ Krush Remix)”; “Release Yo'Delf (Prodigy Mix)”

-Max

RELATED POSTS:
Method Man has released a ton of material. Here's some of it, reviewed for your reading pleasure.

5 comments:

  1. nice review man. you gonna do one of kid cudis new album? would really like to see your take on it

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  2. I have never heard of this album... Nice review. I liked the recommended songs. I might check this out. Thanks.

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  3. BRING BACK THE C-BOX!!! (I got a petition signed by me and the other dude, so is like unanimous)
    review BLUE AND EXILE!!!!

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  4. I'm definitely checking this out! Thanks!

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  5. Hey, I got one for sale on eBay if you're interested. Check it out!

    http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=200538786991&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT

    Thanks

    ReplyDelete