Wu Tang - 8 Diagrams

I don't have much to say about this, just picked it up and havent really formed any opinions.

The review on pitchfork makes it sound like nobody was happy with rza's production on this, to me so far I've found the production more .. interesting than older rza productions, sounds more like an evolution than a falling off.

  Quote

The general consensus seems to be that RZA has lost his fucking mind. Rap critics, bloggers, and comment-box choirs haven't taken to his strange new mutation-- and that would be a problem even without fellow Clan members Raekwon and Ghostface lashing out at him. Rae complained in an interview with Miss Info that the production on 8 Diagrams "is not the vibe I want," saying RZA was turning into some sort of "hip-hop hippie." Ghost has been down on RZA, too, quoted in The Village Voice as saying the producer's "fumbling the ball...his music wasn't sounding like how it was when we first came in."

http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/reco...7534-8-diagrams

lol and yet they still keep on churning out the albums

it's not really Wu Tang without the Dirt.

http://forum.watmm.com/index.php?showtopic=21015

do your work spasm

I did a forum search prior to posting the topic ! must figure out how the search works. anyways upon another listen im thinking it just doesn't sound right, still enjoy the production, just not right for a wu tang album.

this album seems a lot less minimal then rza's earlier undertakings. track 14 contains mandarin language/ thats gotta be a first for the rza

It sounds pretty good. Some tracks have a nice depth of production, but with a clarity the earlier-era albums lacked. of course it's not of the same quality as the early stuff, but still pretty enjoyable.

agreed.

that first track is pretty good.

  arbee said:

agreed.

 

that first track is pretty good.

campfire does that album for me

half way through, and it's not bad. better than that general midi crap that RZA was messing with earlier.

explain "midi crap" if you will.

More Links to Rae and ghost dissing RZA

that shizzle he did after the wu-tang forever album on some of those solo joints, didn't like it one bit, sounded too flat. maybe it was due to sample clearance problems he resorted to that.

  azatoth said:

that shizzle he did after the wu-tang forever album on some of those solo joints, didn't like it one bit, sounded too flat. maybe it was due to sample clearance problems he resorted to that.

I think the last wu related album that grabbed me was Bobby Digital ( the first one)... yeah I read about the sample clearance issues.

the only thing i thought was good was the ODB track. the rest sounded like everyother rap bullshit, 36chambers cant be bettered by the wu-tang...

Edit* i thought methodman was the one who stood out from the rest on this album

i thought it was shite, bar the 2nd track.

Second Chris, 36 chambers can't be succeeded.

Funny, it doesn't sound like many other contemporary rap albums to me.

The fact that it's "not as good as 36 chambers" means nothing. It's not even comparable

i like it

wolves especially

i like it too

its a lot less "catchy rza melody" and much more of an album with holistic production. i'd hate to say it but it may take a few listens to appreciate.

whens the WUPHEX collab gonna drop?! aph remix of scary hours, the tactics, et al, etc

I can really only get into wolves and unpredictable, the rest of the tracks were meh. I dont think well ever get another 36 chambers. Even the album art was disappointing

the problem is not the WU...

the problem is all of YOU!

everyone is expecting another 36 chambers... the only album in hip hop history that comes close to (or may be even better) is ODB's Return to the 36 Chambers! i always get excited when there's a Wu album... i haven't gotten it yet, but i listened to some samples and i like it so far!

although i miss ODB and he was my favorite Wu member, i've always thought Method Man had the best flow... One of the most memorable moments for me on ODB's Return album was when Meth made a cameo!

  Velazquez said:

explain "midi crap" if you will.

 

 

More Links to Rae and ghost dissing RZA

yeah like Zazatoth said, his whole Bobby Digital persona and the songs on those records were based around that bad, preset MIDI sound. There are some excellent tunes on the first Bobby Digital record but it does sound pretty plastic up against 36 chambers or Only Built 4 Cuban Lynx. His solo album under the RZA moniker has alot of cold, MIDI sounding preset shit too, but I think by then he was using that ugly yellow Roland thing that had everything under the sun in one case. Bulletproof Wallets sounds pretty plastic, too.

EDIT: and MIDI horns sound like shit, no exceptions.

i like it. except for a couple songs most of it is dope and rae and ghostface piss me off with their shit talkin. also the european bonus song tar pit would be sick if george clinton didnt ruin it in the 2nd half.

The album is horrible. 3 good tracks Campfire, Starters and My Guitar Gently Weeps :/