TRACK LISTING:
1. Liquid Swords
2. Duel Of The Iron Mic
3. Living In The World Today
4. Gold
5. Cold World
6. Labels
7. 4th Chamber
8. Shadowboxin'
9. Hell's Wind Staff / Killah Hills 10304
10. Investigative Reports
11. Swordsman
12. I Gotcha Back
13. B.I.B.L.E. (Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth)
Before getting this album in late 1995, I was somewhat aware of the Wu. I knew who they were and could appreciate the music videos that I had seen up to that point (ODB's "Brooklyn Zoo", etc). So when I saw a mention in a music mag about this album that was upcoming, it piqued my interest.
I was completely floored by the production of the record. Dark and gritty, this was the first rap album where I heard synths being used to supplement the beats. RZA knew his stuff in those days, even more so these days now that he actually knows music theory.
the intro to the opening title track sets the scene for the whole record with a classic snippet from kung-fu theater "when I was little....". I feel the GZA does his best work with a simple beat as he lets the words do the work. Some of the best rappers did just that (Too Short, Rakim, etc). You don't have to be a Fu-Schnick to get your point across.
"Labels" was the one that made me drop my jaw in admiration. GZA somehow worked in every single rap label (cold chillin', uptown, wild pitch, etc) into the song with devastating results. Going back to the simple beat statement I made earlier, "I gotcha back" does just that with GZA making great allusions to the street game with the clever line ("what is the meaning of CRIME?/ is it Criminals Robbin' Innocent Motherfuckers Everytime?")
Other members of the Wu drop in at various points and deliver killer shit, culminating into the free-for-all "4th Chamber" with lines by RZA, Ghostface Killah, and Killah Priest. Speaking of KP, he gets the last word in with "B.I.B.L.E" which flows nicely. Kinda weird to end a solo album with a solo track completely written and done by someone else, but here it works well.
As of this post date (late September) word is that both GZA and RZA are working on the sequel to this record and will have it out by the holidays or early next year. Killah Priest is also putting a song on the end of the record just like this one. GZA seemed to be in a reflective mood in the past couple of years as he performed "Liquid Swords" in its' entirety while he was promoting Pro Tools (his last album in 2007)
Bottom line....great sound, great beats, classic album and a great introduction to the Wu
