Tical cover

Tical

Released

It scans that the first Wu member to hit solo was the one who got his own titular showcase on 36 Chambers. And if the initial mission was to prove that the gravel-voiced Meth could get even wilder than invocations of coathanger torture and deranged hooks ganked from Hall & Oates, it was also a much-awaited sign of assurance, especially in retrospect, that the Wu-Tang would own the ’90s. The title cut sways like a drunken boxing master topping off pulls from the wine jug with a few puffs of indica; “All I Need” is hardcore hip-hop making R&B cross over the other direction; “Bring the Pain” turns Chicago soul into a sparring session that shakes all the weakness out of your body.

Nate Patrin

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