Wu-Tang Clan "A Better Tomorrow"

13

Comments

  • Listencloser
    Listencloser Members Posts: 2,757 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Miracle is one amazing track.
  • Lou Cypher
    Lou Cypher Members Posts: 52,521 ✭✭✭✭✭
    First listen. Its alright. Not the epic goodbye i was hoping for. The Chemistry feels off. U ? had some dope verses i was surprised at that haha.

    Beats arent great. I cant recall hearing one that really stood out to me.
  • The Lonious Monk
    The Lonious Monk Members Posts: 26,258 ✭✭✭✭✭
    qawshun wrote: »
    smh damn smh why can't i get that wu forever sounding lp ? did him on every joint he on as expected but these beats are trash man wth granted i've heard worse but man this not how i wanted to hear them make a comeback. might just edit everyone out and keep ? rae and ghost verses

    lol See to some degree you're preventing yourself from liking the album. I feel you. I was listening to Wu Forever the other day and thinking "Damn these dudes were dope back in the day." But this album was never supposed to have that sound. You have to take it for what it is. You still might not like it. That's possible, but you definitely won't like it if you're expecting that sound from the past because it's flat out different.

    I don't really see why people think the beats are trash though. They are different and some of them are a bit odd, but others are nice. Necklace could probably fit on any Wu album well. And despite the wack choruses, Keep Watch and Ron O'neal have nice beats.
  • daboyag1
    daboyag1 Members, Writer Posts: 1,966 ✭✭✭✭
    I like the rapping, but the album sounds awkward.
  • The Lonious Monk
    The Lonious Monk Members Posts: 26,258 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Miracle is one amazing track.

    I think this too. To everyone who has heard the album, take away the chorus because I can see why some think that's wack, ya'll really think Miracle isn't a great track? The beat and they lyrics are on point. It's about as epic a track as you get in Hip Hop. That said, the chorus does ? it up a little.
  • Listencloser
    Listencloser Members Posts: 2,757 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Miracle is one amazing track.

    I think this too. To everyone who has heard the album, take away the chorus because I can see why some think that's wack, ya'll really think Miracle isn't a great track? The beat and they lyrics are on point. It's about as epic a track as you get in Hip Hop. That said, the chorus does ? it up a little.

    The beat drop and chorus is some deep ? . If anything I'll have this track on repeat all day.
  • The Lonious Monk
    The Lonious Monk Members Posts: 26,258 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited December 2014
    Alright, I've listened to it enough to give a track by track.

    Ruckus in B Minor - When I first heard the track, I thought it was too chaotic and all over the place. However, it has really grown on me, and now some of the things I thought were odd about the track before seem like great additions. 8/10

    Felt - This is a good track, one that any Wu fan should be able to feel to some degree. The beat, concept, and lyrics are all strong. 9/10

    We Will Fight - This track at first listen comes off as being weird and out of place on a Wu album. It's another one that grew on me though. I wouldn't say it's a great track, but I like it. 7/10

    Mistaken Identity - The first song showcasing Rza's weird obsession with putting unecessary singing on the album. It's not as egregious on this track as some others though. The track has a nice concept and the MCs come correct on it. Overall, it's a good track. 7.5/10

    Hold the Heater - The track is meh. I would't say it's bad, but it's not particularly good. It's a filler track more or less. 6/10

    Crushed Egos - The beat is ok. Nothing exceptional, but it's not horrible either. Rae comes correct and Rza is alright. At least they used a classic Wu style chorus not some crazy singing. It could have been better with a nicer beat. 6.5/10

    Keep Watch - I'm torn on this track. The beat is nice. It's a simple sample loop and therefore closer to Rza's classic style, and the MCs ? it. That said, the hook sucks ass. I don't know why Rza thought hooks like this would be a good addition to the album, but whatever. One aspect of a track shouldn't hurt it so bad, but it does. 7/10

    Miracle - I think you can sum up everyone's feelings about this album with the general feelings about this song. The hook is weird as hell and just seems out of place on a Wu album. I kinda like how it was implemented, but it is still out of place. The beat is different than the norm, but it is actually very good when given a chance and fits. The MCs come correct, but it is basically just a few ? rapping on a beat, it lacks that cohesion and cooperation between the rappers that you hear on other great Wu tracks. I really like the song, but I feel like it the same way I feel about the album as a whole. It's good, but some people will hate it and I understand why they hate it. 8/10

    Preacher's Daughter - I like this song too. Some will feel it's overproduced and I can see why they say that. I still think the beat is nice though. The MCs ? it again, and the concept is cool. Once again, the hook sucks, but it isn't used that much, so it doesn't hurt the song too much. 7.5/10

    Pioneer the Frontier - I'm torn about this track too. I feel like I should like it more than I actually do. Nothing is horrible about it, and the beat is closer to that classic style than some of the others. It's ok. I can vibe to it, but it's nothing special to me. 6.5/10

    Necklace - Now this is some classic Wu ? . You could put this on any Wu album and it would fit well. Strong beat, strong verses, good concept, and a Kung Fu sample instead of a hook. Why can't we just get an album like this song? Who wouldn't be happy with it? 9/10

    Ron O'Neal - I like this track. The beat is different from standard Wu stuff, but it's ok. The lyrics are nice. The hook, like many on this album, is wack. 7/10

    A Better Tomorrow - This track is really good. I think it's the best example of what Rza was going for with this album. It shows growth and is what I'd consider "Grown Man Hip Hop." I don't think he executed that vision as well in the rest of the album as he did in this song, but at least you can see what he wanted to do. 8/10

    Never Let Go - The song is pretty good. It's nothing exceptional. The beat again isn't really a standard Wu beat, more of the newer live instrumentation sound Rza was going for. Still, the verses are good. The concept is good. 7/10

    Wu-Tang Reunion - I didn't like this song when I first heard as Family Reunion a while back. It's not bad, but it's definitely filler. I guess it's ok as an outro track, but honestly it would have been smarter to leave this track off the album and close with "A Better Tomorrow." 6/10

    Overall Score (Not an average) - 7.5/10

    It's a good album. I feel like I and many others would look more favorably on it if this was a Rza solo and not a Wu album. The fact is most Wu fans have certain expectations for what we want from a Wu album. Necklace is an example of something closer to what we want. They show they can still make songs like that and shine on them, so why can't we get an album like that? I appreciate Rza's desire to experiment and innovate, and I like a lot of what he did. However, you can tell this album represents his vision and only his vision, so wouldn't that mean it would be better suited to be his album? People say the Wu fell off, but if you really listen to the album, you'd know that's ? . When you say someone fell off, you're saying they can't do something well anymore. If you actually listen to the album, there is no way you can say that the Wu as MCs "don't have it" anymore. Everyone kills it as usual, and people like U-? and Masta have probably given their best performances of any Wu album. It's not like Rza can't produce anymore. He just decided to go in a different direction with his beat making. Everybody won't like it, and that's fair. What he did isn't bad, but it probably isn't what anyone expected and isn't what a lot of people wanted. As a result, this is another album in the vein of 8 Diagrams. Some people will love it, and some people will hate it. It's not a matter of quality. It's a matter of style. I like it, but I still feel like if they were going to give us a Wu album, they should have given us the Wu style we all wanted and we know they can still do.
  • jono
    jono Members Posts: 30,280 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Not finished with this yet but the one thing that is standing out so far is that Method Man has not most one single step.

    His verse on Mistaken Identity is crazy. I'm only 5 songs in but he is killing ? so far.
  • flacofitz
    flacofitz Members Posts: 358 ✭✭✭
    Mef was flawless...beats were priddy coo...just didn't really mesh wit the clan, mef pulled it off tho...would've been better if this was a mef n rza project n kept a few of the verses from the others as features...
  • The Lonious Monk
    The Lonious Monk Members Posts: 26,258 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I think ? and Rae were the best. Like others said, ? was pretty flawless. Rae was only in five songs, but dude's verses were bananas. His verse on Miracle was sick. I was most impressed with Masta though. He's shown the most improvement out of anyone.
  • rip.dilla
    rip.dilla Members Posts: 17,412 ✭✭✭✭✭
    U-? also did his thing
  • jono
    jono Members Posts: 30,280 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I didn't really like the album but my statement about ? stands. He was hungry on here.
  • qawshun
    qawshun Members Posts: 9,138 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Miracle is one amazing track.

    That was the stand out joint to me too that and ?
  • ojos_negros
    ojos_negros Members Posts: 711 ✭✭✭✭
    I like miracle but the thought of that hook coming on loud in the car while I'm sat in traffic fills me with fear
  • ojos_negros
    ojos_negros Members Posts: 711 ✭✭✭✭
    I quite like the album as well, but the more I hear it the more it comes across a rza vanity project..it definitely seems like not everyones particularly happy or coming with their best on there. ? apparently put some ? on IG about how it was 'rzas album' meaning it disparagingly. Ironically though ? seems to thrive more than most on these beats
  • deathrowzorrow
    deathrowzorrow Members Posts: 12,456 ✭✭✭✭✭
    How much the album gonna sell?
  • onetoughmiracle
    onetoughmiracle Members Posts: 2,242 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I quite like the album as well, but the more I hear it the more it comes across a rza vanity project..it definitely seems like not everyones particularly happy or coming with their best on there. ? apparently put some ? on IG about how it was 'rzas album' meaning it disparagingly. Ironically though ? seems to thrive more than most on these beats

    I thought the very exact thing! Had me like...

    giphy.gif
  • The Lonious Monk
    The Lonious Monk Members Posts: 26,258 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Who cares? Album sales are meaningless nowadays anyway. Successful artists make their money off shows and tours.
  • ojos_negros
    ojos_negros Members Posts: 711 ✭✭✭✭
    I quite like the album as well, but the more I hear it the more it comes across a rza vanity project..it definitely seems like not everyones particularly happy or coming with their best on there. ? apparently put some ? on IG about how it was 'rzas album' meaning it disparagingly. Ironically though ? seems to thrive more than most on these beats

    I thought the very exact thing! Had me like...

    giphy.gif

    Lol yeah, and tbh even more than ? cos ? always brings it, but uey was flowing on these beats and his voice seemed to suit it where people like cappa seemed to be drowned out slightly.

    I don't think is this a bad album for them to bow out on by any means but you hear tracks like necklace and wonder what could have been.
  • vageneral08
    vageneral08 Members Posts: 19,535 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I'm listen to it again but the beats could've been better
  • _Goldie_
    _Goldie_ Members, Moderators, Writer Posts: 30,349 Regulator
  • Avenged Sevenfold
    Avenged Sevenfold Members Posts: 199 ✭✭
    I would rather they do something new then look stupid for trying to relive the old days coughEminemcough
  • Mister B.
    Mister B. Members, Writer Posts: 16,172 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited December 2014
    I might have write to my own review. This is better than I thought it would be.

    Necklace is some Godbody ? .
  • Mister B.
    Mister B. Members, Writer Posts: 16,172 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited December 2014
    My own album review.


    Time goes by. Seasons change. Calendars fall off. In 20 years, one thing has remained constant in the world of Hip-Hop: “Wu-Tang Clan ain’t nothing to ? with!”

    Over the last two decades, the group of emcees from variousparts of New York (but based in Staten Island) has given hip-hop fanseverything they’ve asked for and more: energy, grittiness, lyrical prowess, and ? Hip-Hop.

    Their latest album, A Better Tomorrow, changes things up, though. Being in the game for so long, the Clan sees the past, present, and more importantly, the future much clearerin this offering. And the future for them, while change will definitely occur, still has them enraptured in the love and discipline of mastering the art formof beats and rhymes and still giving their fans (and fans of music in general)their own unique style.

    Why the Wu is FOREVER: The album’s opening “Ruckus in B Minor” is super charged right from the get go, with the late ODB’s voicegracing us, then the verses start fast and furious: “Morpheme flow, numbing ya joints/bomb a ? like he number 81 from Detroit…” It then goes on to “Felt”, which still shows that even the Killah Bees have serious feelings about their lives. Tracks get very themed on thisalbum, and the Clan’s lyrics are more conscious here than ever before. This is evident on tracks like “Mistaken Identity”, “Miracle”, and “Never let Go.” “Preacher’s Daughter” is a very interesting vice-versa version of Dusty Springfield’s “Son of A Preacher Man”, while “Necklace” is down right grimy, remind you that the Clan can still break bonesif someone tries to violate just to get a shot of that jewelry….or anything else that they’ve worked for, for that matter, noted by Ghostface’s warning, “Check me from my chain, it belongs on a shooter/Lucky my ? blow, like the horn on a Tuba/You might as well do me now, ‘cause I will do YA.”

    The standout here is the album’s title track, “A Better Tomorrow”. A theme for the movement that seems to be developing with protestsall over the country (with the video to go with it), the Clan – under the guidance of Teddy Pendergrass's “Wake Up Everybody” – give a track that shows that a better tomorrow for them is self-recognition and improvement, while letting the people know that being rooted in your culture isn’t a horrible thing, but we need to do better. (? ’s opening verse here might the best overall verse on the album).

    OK, is this REALLY a Wu-Tang album: I know that thought went through a ton of peoples's minds on first listen, and for good reason. As we all know, most of the album’s production comes from the RZA, and just like on 8 Diagrams, you hear thedifference from the 1990’s Wu and how music has changed. So, a lot of thetracks here have compositions (I refused to call these “beats”, and I’ll explain later) that, most people who never thought the Wu would do, such as “Felt”, “Crushed Egos”, or “Miracle”. Some of these compositions hit right on like “Preacher’s Daughter”, “A Better Tomorrow” and “Ruckus in B Minor” (which switches styles up beautifully to cover the different Clan’s personalities), some of these compositions will leave you scratching your head, wondering if RZA has been hanging out with Kanye too much, as evident on “Felt” and “Pioneer the Frontier”.

    Oh yeah, I would be remised if I didn’t say, for a Wu-Tang album; there is an abundance of singing done.

    My scores:
    Lyricism – 9/10 (Method Man is to be highly commended here.)
    Production – 7.5/10
    Album Cohesiveness – 8.5/10
    Replay Value – 8/10
    Overall: 8/10

    Final Thought – I admit, if this is the Wu’s last true album together (which I really hope not….they've certainly got at leastone more in ‘em.), this one doesn’t have the explosion that we all were expecting. Maybe it’s because we’re seeing the Wu for who they were and not who they are now. Comparing this album to Enter the 36 Chambers to me would belike trying to compare Illmatic to Life Is Good. LIG is hella good on face value, but because Illmatic is better, LIG wasn’t what I expected. That’s notmaking excuses, there are certainly some things on here I wasn’t with, but just like 8 Diagrams and after a few listens, this album really shows the Wu in a new and exciting light.

    Another thing here that’s up for debate is the fact that if this tried too hard to keep up with the times, sonically. I heard a lot more than the Clan on this album; I hear Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club, I hear a lil’ Pink Floyd, I hear elements of Run DMC. Some people may write this off; not me. I embraced it, and taken on face value, A Better Tomorrow is a very pleasant surprise. And RZA, for all the flack he gets (and the mount he stated he’ll lose on the album – something to the tune of $500K) is to berespected from using more live instruments here than produced beats. Harps, drums, organs, guitars, horns; RZA certainly open up his musical expertise from all those movies scores he’s done over the years. These were definitely more than beats; these were musical compositions, as if RZA were trying to make mini-plays in each song.

    I guess the thing with A Better Tomorrow is this: if you’re a Wu head, you’ll like it; if you’re a hip-hop fan, you should give it a spin first. If you’re a music head, somethings will appear and some won’t. I think what A Better Tomorrow says is that you have to evolve to see a better tomorrow; you can’t be that same guy for 20 years. So, while Wu-Tang Clan ain’t nothing to ? with, now they’reon a full-time grown man musical mentality…and you still can’t ? with ‘em.

    Personal Favorites: Ruckus in B Minor, Miracle, Necklace, A Better Tomorrow
  • The Lonious Monk
    The Lonious Monk Members Posts: 26,258 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Man, every time I hear Necklace, I get a little mad. lol I give Rza props for this album and the experimentation, but why oh why couldn't we get an album that sounded like that track. Everyone would have been happy. The beat was sick, and the lyrics are crazy.
    [Verse 1: Cappadonna]
    My necklace, had the whole crowd on some next ?
    The guest list, full of real ? that's hectic
    The charm piece made my ? move like calm beasts
    Palm beats, two jostling ? with long reach
    Keep your eyes open for them strong arm thieves
    Out here looking for ice, to put in they teeth
    Chain glowing, shining and I'm ready for beef
    Like my ? 2 Chainz, cappuccino from the east
    From the Wu-Tang Clan, my necklace and my heat
    Bang bang, different robe every day of the week
    2 angels, dinner plate, fat dollar sign
    Universal flag on, ? I got shine

    [Verse 2: Raekwon]
    I keep my neck frozen, 45 loaded, please don't approach this
    Rope is so ferocious, diamonds that shine in oceans
    Keep you arm distant from my carats, silly rabbits
    Make me get my barrel, spazz out and cause havoc
    Iced out Cubans, exotic stones from Africa
    This the real thing, bling bling the chain swing
    Try to swipe mines, that's a no no
    The ? 's loco
    Jury truckin' fancy spend stacks upon Delancey
    Exhaust pipes coffin horse kicks
    ACP's dress up the flesh, now the crime scene's gorgeous
    My links is unbreakable, told y'all on the purple tape
    40 inches hang from my neck, ? I'm wealthy

    [Interlude w/ Ghostface Killah]
    Why you say that
    I't's real, ? a ? for this ?
    Brother
    Aha
    I think that necklace is causing you too much trouble
    Yo relax sis

    [Verse 3: Ghostface Killah]
    Dinner plates rings, smothered in 2 pounds of dope
    Eric B on the cut when it blings
    Scrubbin' chain down in colgate
    Double edged bangers
    On they hips I wait in the jaw break
    The snakes and the violators
    Dracula style takers
    We got a bunch of gold ? but we ain't the Lakers
    Hey ? , stay lickin' my necklace
    And I ain't even put the dumb ? in the guest list
    That's what you get when you throwin' on cuban's
    Drawers that's made from silk
    A robe and a ruger
    ? heads catchin' a sweet vix on a scooter
    Catch me for my chain It belongs on a shooter
    Make my ? blow like a horn on a tuba
    You might as well do me now now cause I will do ya

    [Verse 4: GZA]
    ? cypher love divine in math '79
    Bright yellow and dense, in its gift and shine
    Still the same when exposed to air and water
    Like when a monk travellin' across the border
    The brink of the metal link when in transition remains solid
    The message was lost in transmission
    That's often in a free elemental form
    Nuggets and grains and rocks and things that's more
    Malleable ductile metal on many levels
    Could get you shot for a Flinstone, ? for a pebble
    Lieutenants and Generals move with criminals
    The pride for all in line, they hunt for mineral
    The scope is on the rope, claws on the table
    Brass knuckle, knees buckle, legs unstable
    And it's sold by the weight
    Shaped into a plate with food on it
    The hungry wolves lie and wait