Album: Wu-Tang Clan – 8 Diagrams

advertisement

This is not a mirage; the original Wu-Tang Clan line-up is indeed back with their fourth group effort, 8 Diagrams. With a hungry fan-base waiting to be satiated and looking to them as a solution to Hip Hop’s current conundrum and following the tragic passing of Russell ‘Ol’ Dirty Bastard’ Jones, the Wu have a large legacy to live up to, can they do it? Well, yes and no.

The slow-burning Campfire is a promising start to the album, as a rejuvenated Method Man, Ghostface Killah and longtime Wu collaborator Cappadonna wreck shop over a kung-fu styled concoction. Although it has been making the rounds for quite a while now, the mesmerizing The Heart Gently Weeps still packs a psychedelic punch, as Raekwon, Ghost, Meth, Erykah Badu, Dhani Harrison and John Frusciante rework the Beatles classic While My Guitar Gently Weeps quite tastefully.

The tragic passing of Ol’ Dirty Bastard is addressed on the touching Life Changes, with the remaining line-up voicing their admiration for ODB and his contributions to not only the group but also Hip Hop music as a whole. It’s not all doom and gloom though, as Shaolin’s finest bring the pain on sturdy bangers like the dramatic Rushing Elephants and the eerie funk of Wolves, featuring the father of the funk George Clinton. Look no further than the Easy Mo Bee crafted Take It Back for more hard-hitting material.

While all of the eight lyricists have their standout moments throughout the LP, the contributions of Raekwon, Ghostface and U-God particularly steal the show; an honorable mention also goes to Masta Killa as the Wu’s most improved mic marauder.

As good as it is to see Hip Hop’s octagon of lyrical ferocity back in the game you can’t help but get the feeling that the chemistry they are known for is missing and that the cohesive fire they once had is no longer present. That perception is helped to no end by sadly generic contributions, particularly the plodding and longwinded Stick Me For My Riches, which has you scratching your head, wondering if you are even listening to the Wu-Tang Clan. Even the once loved skits incorporating dusty kung-fu samples have lost their luster and seem to just go on unnecessarily.

While it is clear that the MC’s are putting the effort in, the sub-standard sound-bed lags behind them and drags it into mediocrity. Meanwhile, it is not the production that hinders the tepid ladies anthem Starter, it is more so the generic hook from Sunny Valentine and the weak lyrical content.

Lazy and incomplete are two words that best describe 8 Diagrams, obviously not the state of affairs that Wu loyalists were hoping for when the album was first announced. It may seem like a harsh critique especially for an act so revered not just in the Hip Hop community but also in the wider music world. As a longtime fan of the Wu-Tang Clan, despite better judgment, this reviewer expected better, as did the other listeners clamoring for another release from Shaolin’s finest.

Admittedly, 8 Diagrams is superior to the majority of inferior material cluttering up the marketplace and things can’t go back to the way they were back in their mid 90s heyday. One can only hope that they go back to the drawing board and learn from their mistakes, to deliver one last triumphant salvo not just for the fans but also for the sake of their own legacies. This just can’t be how it ends, it just can’t be!

Available Through Motown Records