Liquid Swords
|
|
| Liquid Swords | ||
|---|---|---|
| Missing image GZALiquidSwords.jpg Album cover | ||
| Cassette, CD& Vinyl LP by GZA | ||
| Released | November 20, 1995 | |
| Recorded | ||
| Genre | Hardcore hip hop | |
| Length | 55 min 19 s | |
| Record label | Geffen | |
| Producer | RZA | |
| Professional reviews | ||
| Entertainment Weekly | Grade: B+ | 22 December 1995, p.70 (http://www.buy.com/retail/proreviews/product.asp?sku=60010370&loc=109&PageFormat=7) |
| Option | Positive | 7 March/April, 1996, pp.104-105 (http://www.buy.com/retail/proreviews/product.asp?sku=60010370&loc=109&PageFormat=) |
| NME | 9 out of 10 | 11 November 1995, p.46 (http://www.buy.com/retail/proreviews/product.asp?sku=60010370&loc=109&PageFormat=7) |
| The Wire | Positive | link (http://www.buy.com/retail/proreviews/product.asp?sku=60010370&loc=109&PageFormat=7) |
| Melody Maker | Positive | 25 November 1995, p.36 (http://www.buy.com/retail/proreviews/product.asp?sku=60010370&loc=109&PageFormat=7) |
| Q | 4 stars out of 5 | October 2000 (http://www.q4music.com/nav?page=q4music.review.redirect&fixture_review=127268&resource=127268&fixture_artist=142388) |
| Rolling Stone review | 3 stars out of 5 | 30 November 1995, pp.66-67 (http://www.buy.com/retail/proreviews/product.asp?sku=60010370&loc=109&PageFormat=7) |
| Allmusic.com | 5 stars out of 5 | link (http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&uid=UIDSUB020402251540572663&sql=Aij98s37ua3pg) |
| Rap Pages | 8 stars out of 10 | 7 January 1996, p.31 (http://www.buy.com/retail/proreviews/product.asp?sku=60010370&loc=109&PageFormat=) |
| Robert Christgau | 2 stars out of 4 | link (http://www.robertchristgau.com/get_artist.php?id=502&name=Genius%2FGZA) |
| GZA Chronology | ||
| Words From the Genius (1990) | Liquid Swords (1995) | Beneath the Surface (1999) |
Liquid Swords was a 1995 (see 1995 in music) solo album by Wu-Tang Clan member Genius (GZA). Though the album was credited to Genius alone, there are numerous guest appearances from the entire Wu-Tang Clan. Liquid Swords is widely acknowledged as one of the best Wu-Tang solo albums, on par with classics like Ironman (Ghostface Killah) and Only Built 4 Cuban Linx (Raekwon).
Liquid Swords is characteristic of the Wu-Tang Clan in its distinctive, spare, menacing beats by producer RZA, and its cinematic themes relating to kung fu movies. The album begins with a monologue from a little boy; his monologue, and many of the other skits scattered throughout the album, are from the cult film Shogun Assassin.
Track listing
- "Liquid Swords" - 4:30
- "Duel of the Iron Mic" (with Ol' Dirty Bastard) - 4:06
- "Living in the World Today" (with Inspectah Deck) - 4:23
- "Gold" (with Inspectah Deck) - 3:57
- "Cold World" (with Inspectah Deck) - 5:31
- "Labels" (with Ghostface Killah) - 2:54
- "4th Chamber" (with Ghostface Killah) - 4:37
- "Shadowboxin'" (with Method Man) - 3:29
- "Hell's Wind Staff/Killah Hills 10304" (with Killah Priest, Dreddy Kruger) - 5:08
- "Investigative Reports" (with Raekwon) - 3:49
- "Swordsman" performed by (with Killah Priest) - 3:21
- "I Gotcha' Back" performed by (with Killah Priest) - 5:01
- "Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth" (with Killah Priest) - 4:32
Personnel
- Method Man - Performer
- Mark A. Humphrey - Photography
- GZA - Performer
- U-God - Performer
- Killah Priest - Performer
- Dreddy Kruger - Performer
Chart positions
Billboard (North America) - album
1995 The Billboard 200 No. 9 1995 Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums No. 2
Billboard (North America) - singles
1994 I Gotcha Back Hot Rap Singles No. 29 1994 I Gotcha Back Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales No. 39 1995 Cold World The Billboard Hot 100 No. 97 1995 Liquid Swords Hot Rap Singles No. 3 1995 Liquid Swords Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks No. 33 1995 Liquid Swords Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales No. 2 1995 Liquid Swords The Billboard Hot 100 No. 48 1996 Shadowboxin' The Billboard Hot 100 No. 67 1996 Cold World Hot Rap Singles No. 8 1996 Shadowboxin' Hot Rap Singles No. 10 1996 Cold World Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks No. 57 1996 Shadowboxin' Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks No. 41 1996 Cold World Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales No. 8 1996 Shadowboxin' Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales No. 9