Ghostface Killah - Fishscale

While the rest of the Wu-Tang Clan now seems a faint memory from hip-hop's '90s era, Ghostface has become a one-man force in maintaining the vitality of the Clan. The way he opens Fishscale with the frantic, hyperactive "Shakey Dog," is all the evidence you'd need to see how Ghost is that rare MC who's gotten better with age. His jumble of colorful wordplay is now honed into a sharp edge of drug-game narratives ("R.A.G.U."), neighborhood stories ("Barbershop"), honeyed pimp talk ("Big Girl") and braggadocio raw enough to melt minds ("Be Easy"). Backing him up are both familiar partners-in-rhyme like Raekwon (who sounds his best in years), Cappadonna, and Trife and also a surprising squad of underground producers that includes Just Blaze, Pete Rock, MF Doom, and the late J-Dilla. One of the skit quips that Ghost hasn't been this focused since Supreme Clientele, his 2000 classic; that's no joke--this is his best since then. --Oliver Wang Amazon.com

Fishscale delivers!!!!!

Ghostface's 2006 release Fishscale has received ultimately positive reviews, and with good reason. It was one of the best albums in 2006, and further cememted Ghost as the most consistent member in Wu-Tang. I really anticipated this release after The Pretty Toney Album, because I was waiting for Ghost to release another album, and to bring about an album that was better than Pretty Toney.

Rating System
***** Awesome material, worthy of repeated listenings
**** Pure excellence
*** Decent
** Ok, but nothing special
* Poor, no redeeming qualities

Fishscale's rankings are:

Shakey Dog ****
Kilo ****
The Champ *****
9 Milli Bros *****
Crack Spot ***
R.A.G.U. ****
Whip You With A Strap *****
Back Like That **
Be Easy ****
Clipse Of Doom ****
Jellyfish ***
Dogs Of War *****
Big Girl ****
Underwater ***
Momma *****
Three Bricks ***

There was no RZA on this album, but J.Dilla, MF Doom, the legendary Pete Rock, Just Blaze did a tremendous job with the production. Major points for the production on this album. Ghostface returned with a vengeance w/ this album, as he delivered a borderline masterpiece (that may changed in time). No flaws to speak of, other than there being more skits that aren't really adding anything relevant to this album. Overall, tremendous album here, one I would strongly recommend.


December 26, 2007

asdf

i have NOTHING to add to this cd ontop of the already awesome featured reviews, but to add my stars... this is BLOODY great, 9/10ths as good as more fish... (i'm sorry, but I like more fish more)...
it's a bloody classic that everyone should have, who like the underground, wu-tang, or your trying to become more educated in the more-excellent rap...

bloody great...! May 7, 2007

Ridiculously Overrated

This album is wack. Everyone is falling all over it so I got curious and downloaded it. A complete disappointment. I'm not someone who can turn a blind eye to really stupid crap on a record. The artist gave final approval on all this, so if he included the purposefully idiotic skits, I completely lose faith in his entire judgement.

Hip Hop today is so completely wack, that when an artist releases an album with a few decent tracks people can't believe it and think he's the next coming of Christ. If Ghost had released ONLY the decent tracks I'd be reppin him now too. But this album is dragged down by so much BS, and even the well constructed songs present a woefully self-pitying artist who is trapped in the ghetto pursuits of drug slanging and materialism. He doesn't necessarily endorse this perspective, but he doesn't discourage it, either. You can't be neutral on these issues. You're either pro-black or you're contributing to your own people's genocide.

GFK's guest work on other albums is much more enjoyable and sometimes worthy of true praise. This album is a waste of money. May 5, 2007

Take Notes, This Is A Real Hip Hop Album

No way in the world can you listen to this album and say that this isn't hot. I think that Ghostface makes music and the problem with today's hip hop is that nobody wants to make music anymore, not quality music. They want to make a CD that makes them money, not really caring about carrying hip hops torch, respecting it, and having others respect it. This album has it all; I love every sample that is used from old school groups like "The Stylistics" and once again "The Delfonics". It takes those songs mixes them just a little with a new beat and Ghostface just kills it. His flow is unstoppable; I mean his lyrics will have you laughing, thinking, and even admiring the quality. The skits are some of the best I've ever heard like "Heart Street Directions" which I can't even explain what it's about and my favorite "Bad Mouth Kid", I think you can imagine what that ones about. The skits are so funny and they never bother me, I just let them play through. I love the song "Momma" with Megan Rochell and I think everything he says in it is true. The song was a song that was needed to show love to all mothers. He talks about real stuff, things that anybody could relate to like the "Babershop' skit. If you see the tracklist don't worry about all the tracks that say skit because some of them are really songs with a quick skit in the beginning. To sum this entire album up I think the best word to use is perfect, it's a must have. May 4, 2007

Best since Supreme

It's been a long time since I have so thoroughly enjoyed an album from one of the Shaolin collective. If anyone needs any indication of the ongoing Wu-Renaissance pick up Fishscale.From the frantic wordplay and storytelling of "Shakey Dog" where Ghost is talking about everything from the uncomfortable taxi seats to how much ketchup is on the food to the track "KILO" witch is the coke anthem to end all coke anthems Fish delivers that high class blow. Rae comes back on a few tracks and forms a dynamic with Ghost that hasn't been heard since those Cuban Linx days. This is Ghost's soulful guilty coke dealing childhood reminiscing frantic i have something to prove self. If this is any indication of how 8 Diagrams is going to be, then I suggest all those dip sets and G-units better start worrying because the Clan is looking more and more relevant every day and it looks like they're bringing that heat April 4, 2007

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