GZA - The Legend Of The Liquid Sword

Hard to believe it’s been almost a full decade since the Wu-Tang’s undeniably classic album Enter The 36 Chambers first blessed ears and blared from speakers worldwide. Since then, the Clan has filled record store shelves with a plethora of group and solo releases; some came close to the debut’s classic status (ie., anything by Ghostface), but the vast - and I mean VAST - majority of Wu-branded product helped redefine the term “underwhelming.” The GZA’s latest disc falls somewhere in between the sonic peaks and valleys of Shaolin. While certified bangers like “Knock Knock” (“who the fuck is bangin at my door/is it abstract, commercial, or hardcore”) and the conceptual gem “Fame” live up to the lofty precedents of early Wu tracks, the majority of the disc is hamstrung by GZA’s stuck-in-1993 lyrical delivery. Even over beats by DJ Muggs of Cypress Hill or Wu-mastermind RZA himself, the Clan’s resident “Genius” fails to amaze. Yet when lined up next to most Wu albums, one can’t help but view Legend Of A Liquid Sword far more charitably. While it doesn’t live up to the Clan’s auspicious first entry into the musical landscape, it doesn’t further tarnish the group’s legacy, either. And as the few standout cuts like “Animal Planet” prove, sometimes splitting the difference isn’t half bad. [www.mcarecords.com]