mickill
08-17-2006, 04:10 PM
SUP! So like, it isn't exactly the most consistent body of work ever. But what recent rap albums have been, dickheads? And even with the lackluster material included, this could still arguably be Meth's best solo album to date, bitches. For a lot of sleepers, that's not really saying a whole lot, anyway. But the only reason more people don't consider Tical a bona fide classic is because the bar was initially set quite high with 36 Chambers the year before. And because people are generally stupid. Regardless, I don't think a lot of folks were expecting Meth to knock this one out the park or anything. But alas, the joke is on you, doubting morons.
After an underwhelming intro featuring a series of soundclips of various hippies insisting on the legalization of weed, Meth sets things off with a nice little freestyle verse, dropping gems like "I'm the real deal, comma/ Come back to get you like bad karma/ Y'all niggas is throwing rocks with glass armor". It becomes immediately apparent, even to idiots, that Meth is hungry again.
Next we get hit off with the requisite Scott Storch club banger on 'Is It Me?'. The beat won't exactly knock you on your ass or anything, unless you've been living under a rock (or haven't heard Lean Back, Clap Back, Why We Thugs or Candy Shop/Magic Stick etc). It's standard Storch fodder, but Meth brings his A game, which bumps the tracks nod factor up considerably.
Likewise, 'Problem' is more of the usual Eric Sermon "bink binka bink bink" shit that he's been doing for the last 10 years or so, but John-John kills it lyrically. 'Somebody Done Fucked Up' is the first genuinely strong track on the album. Meth doesn't do anything more than murder the track for 3 minutes straight. It's a simple yet effective approach. You're basically stupid if you feel otherwise.
Tical takes us into more Club Banger territory with 'Fall Out'. It might take a minute to get used to what's going on here, but once you get past the initial "strangeness" of it all, it kinda works itself out. It's the type of song that can only really be appreciated in an actual club, while under the influence of a few substances. 'Dirty Mef', featuring the posthumously multi-talented ODB is a bit disappointing, however. The rhyming is a little on the pedestrian side and the hook is pretty mehhhhhh. But still, it's nice to hear the vocal interplay between the two of them.
'4:20' is probably one of the most original tracks Meth has ever delivered. The beat is some stripped-down old school futuristic shit. And Meth's flow on this one is disgusting. Plus the Biggie sample on the hook ("Roll that shit, light that shit, smoke it") keeps things nicely off-balance and fresh. Regardless of the redundant subject matter, you'd be a real dickhead not to feel this.
One might feel inclined to refuse to acknowledge the inclusion of 'Let's Ride' (featuring Ginuwine) on this album in the hopes that one can forget it exists at all.
Raekwon and U-God each drop a verse on 'The Glide', which is a decent if somewhat lackluster ditty. Still worth checking out. The humorous 'Kids' skit precedes another of Meth's "the record label made me" songs, 'Got To Have It', where Meth apes both every commercial rapper's favorite topics of discussion (wealth, material excess, fame) and the chipmunk voice filling in the blanks in the verses approach to making the song itself. If you like that sort of thing, you're in for a real treat.
'Say' has been getting it's fair share of attention, which is good. The song itself is pretty mellow in M-E-T-H-O-D Man terms, but the lyrics are heartfelt and honest.....which is pretty homo, but whatever. It's a good tune.
'Yah Mean' is fire. The beat is fire. The hook is fire. And while Fat Joe isn't exactly known for his lyrical prowess on the mic, his verse is surprisingly solid. Styles P does his usual Styles P thing, which can be good or bad depending on how you feel about dude. Other than that, it's fire. Punch yourself if you feel diffeently.
I have no idea what Meth's talking about on 'Konichiwa Bitches', but it's all good. It's nothing outstanding, but I'm not mad at it. Streetlife and Inspectah Deck bring some ruckus to 'Everything' which is another banger. But it's no match for the cutomary heat that Redman and Mef display on 'Walk On'. Not only is the chemistry between the two Deodorant peddlers still nicely intact, but this is easily the strongest Meth And Red collaboration since 'How High'. The beat utilizes the same 'Walk On By' sample Just Blaze flipped on his remix for Jay-Z's 'PSA'. And it's a monster. You can just go to hell if you think otherwise.
The 'Pimp' skit is nice, short and humorous, the way all skits should be. 'Presidential MC' is another Wu-banger. Rae kills another verse and RZA does his thing as well. Meth dominates the track, regardless, with his relentless presence, leaving little doubt as to why he was the first man in the crew to get signed to a solo deal. Contrary to what you Ghostface and GZA Stans might think, Method Man has and always will be the most talented straight up and down emcee out of the Wu. The man's flow throughout the album entire album is ridiculous. Even on the obligatory mainstream cuts.
That being said, despite a few minor oversights and a couple of average tracks, Meth's willingness to push himself a little harder this go around has resulted in some of the strongest individual tracks in the entire Wu catalog.
Oh, and there's this little wack ass R&B song at the end of the album, which is pretty much horrendous, but we won't get into that.
There goes the rest of my work day.
Anyway, COP IT!
I give it a 4 out of 5.
After an underwhelming intro featuring a series of soundclips of various hippies insisting on the legalization of weed, Meth sets things off with a nice little freestyle verse, dropping gems like "I'm the real deal, comma/ Come back to get you like bad karma/ Y'all niggas is throwing rocks with glass armor". It becomes immediately apparent, even to idiots, that Meth is hungry again.
Next we get hit off with the requisite Scott Storch club banger on 'Is It Me?'. The beat won't exactly knock you on your ass or anything, unless you've been living under a rock (or haven't heard Lean Back, Clap Back, Why We Thugs or Candy Shop/Magic Stick etc). It's standard Storch fodder, but Meth brings his A game, which bumps the tracks nod factor up considerably.
Likewise, 'Problem' is more of the usual Eric Sermon "bink binka bink bink" shit that he's been doing for the last 10 years or so, but John-John kills it lyrically. 'Somebody Done Fucked Up' is the first genuinely strong track on the album. Meth doesn't do anything more than murder the track for 3 minutes straight. It's a simple yet effective approach. You're basically stupid if you feel otherwise.
Tical takes us into more Club Banger territory with 'Fall Out'. It might take a minute to get used to what's going on here, but once you get past the initial "strangeness" of it all, it kinda works itself out. It's the type of song that can only really be appreciated in an actual club, while under the influence of a few substances. 'Dirty Mef', featuring the posthumously multi-talented ODB is a bit disappointing, however. The rhyming is a little on the pedestrian side and the hook is pretty mehhhhhh. But still, it's nice to hear the vocal interplay between the two of them.
'4:20' is probably one of the most original tracks Meth has ever delivered. The beat is some stripped-down old school futuristic shit. And Meth's flow on this one is disgusting. Plus the Biggie sample on the hook ("Roll that shit, light that shit, smoke it") keeps things nicely off-balance and fresh. Regardless of the redundant subject matter, you'd be a real dickhead not to feel this.
One might feel inclined to refuse to acknowledge the inclusion of 'Let's Ride' (featuring Ginuwine) on this album in the hopes that one can forget it exists at all.
Raekwon and U-God each drop a verse on 'The Glide', which is a decent if somewhat lackluster ditty. Still worth checking out. The humorous 'Kids' skit precedes another of Meth's "the record label made me" songs, 'Got To Have It', where Meth apes both every commercial rapper's favorite topics of discussion (wealth, material excess, fame) and the chipmunk voice filling in the blanks in the verses approach to making the song itself. If you like that sort of thing, you're in for a real treat.
'Say' has been getting it's fair share of attention, which is good. The song itself is pretty mellow in M-E-T-H-O-D Man terms, but the lyrics are heartfelt and honest.....which is pretty homo, but whatever. It's a good tune.
'Yah Mean' is fire. The beat is fire. The hook is fire. And while Fat Joe isn't exactly known for his lyrical prowess on the mic, his verse is surprisingly solid. Styles P does his usual Styles P thing, which can be good or bad depending on how you feel about dude. Other than that, it's fire. Punch yourself if you feel diffeently.
I have no idea what Meth's talking about on 'Konichiwa Bitches', but it's all good. It's nothing outstanding, but I'm not mad at it. Streetlife and Inspectah Deck bring some ruckus to 'Everything' which is another banger. But it's no match for the cutomary heat that Redman and Mef display on 'Walk On'. Not only is the chemistry between the two Deodorant peddlers still nicely intact, but this is easily the strongest Meth And Red collaboration since 'How High'. The beat utilizes the same 'Walk On By' sample Just Blaze flipped on his remix for Jay-Z's 'PSA'. And it's a monster. You can just go to hell if you think otherwise.
The 'Pimp' skit is nice, short and humorous, the way all skits should be. 'Presidential MC' is another Wu-banger. Rae kills another verse and RZA does his thing as well. Meth dominates the track, regardless, with his relentless presence, leaving little doubt as to why he was the first man in the crew to get signed to a solo deal. Contrary to what you Ghostface and GZA Stans might think, Method Man has and always will be the most talented straight up and down emcee out of the Wu. The man's flow throughout the album entire album is ridiculous. Even on the obligatory mainstream cuts.
That being said, despite a few minor oversights and a couple of average tracks, Meth's willingness to push himself a little harder this go around has resulted in some of the strongest individual tracks in the entire Wu catalog.
Oh, and there's this little wack ass R&B song at the end of the album, which is pretty much horrendous, but we won't get into that.
There goes the rest of my work day.
Anyway, COP IT!
I give it a 4 out of 5.