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Tical by: Method Man

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Rating: - Still the best Method Man album

It seemed likely that Method Man would be the Wu Tang member most likely to find commercial success. Not least because he was the only member to have a track named after him on the group's debut release. There was more than though, his languid drawl made him stand out from the other MCs on 'Enter The Wu Tang'. So 'Tical' was to be the first solo album to come out of their Shaolin headquarters.

It is Method Man's inherent charisma that initially made him stand out from the rest of the clan; he seemed slightly more charming than his associates. Method Man has never been one to take himself totally seriously and on 'Tical' he is as amusing as ever. The title track has Meth squealing, "What's that s**t that they be smoking? / pass it over here" in a high pitched voice Coming across half rough gangster and half playground bully as he childishly taunts, "Your momma don't wear no drawers / I saw when she took them off" on 'Biscuits'.

When he's not altering his voice or making juvenile insults, Meth invariably is spitting arrogance or attacking fellow MCs. 'Release Yo' Delf' is an odd track. It's certainly the best example of Meth's bravado, as he declares himself, "as deep as the Poseidon Adventure". The lyrics, however, are slightly at odds with the chosen backing track; an interpolation of Gloria Gaynor's gay party anthem, 'I Will Survive'. The net result should be awful, but somehow it becomes more than the sum of its parts. Method Man fans should check out the Prodigy remix, which gives the track a brutal makeover. Elsewhere, 'Meth v Chef' has Method Man lyrically spar with Raekwon, over a suitably austere beat. It finally is a chance for Meth to up the pace as he tries to keep up with Raekwon.

The commercial breakthrough track on the album is 'I'll Be There For You'; implausibly it samples three songs heavily. It takes 'Children's Story' by Slick Rick, 'Me & My Bi**h' by Biggie Smalls and adds it to 'You're All I Need To Get By' by Marvin Gate and Tammi Terrell. Mary J Blige is superb on the backing vocals, and Meth plays the part of the caring suitor to perfection. There is another version of this track earlier on the album, which is far more raw, but fails to find the emotional centre that is on the later version.

The main contrast between this and other early Wu Tang solo LPs is that it sounds more like a collection of radio-accessible singles as opposed to an album. Where Gza and Raekwon set out (with substantial assistance from the Rza) to create very cinematic scenarios with their words and beats, Meth is content to tread through standard rap lyrics. There's certainly nothing wrong with this, and in fact it comes as a decent contrast; but those looking for an intellectual rap album will be disappointed.

'Tical' is a very good rap album and was something of a godsend when released in 1994. Today though, we have come to expect a little more from our MCs. Method Man offers no commentary on life or offers any great insights into the mind of Clifford Smith. The listener is instead afforded the pleasure of listening to just under an hour's worth of rugged hip hop. I would recommend this to fans of early nineties rap, but anyone looking for something big and clever might be disappointed.

Rating: - Classic ...

The above word is often abused and used loosely by writers of music criticism. It's the easiest way we can describe an album that we, personally, think is very good. However, applied to 'Tical', Method Man's first solo album (released in 1994), the word 'classic' can be rightly and deservedly tagged across the album cover with a diamond studded marker pen.

Out of the nine members of the Wu-Tang Clan, perhaps only four of them ever had the talent to carry a whole album on their own (Genius, Raekwon, ODB and Mef). Mef stepped forward first, bursting with charisma and energy and after the '36 Chambers, here was THE man we were all waiting to hear. I'll be honest, 'Tical' rocks, its brilliant. Amongst the other members of the 'Clan', his talent his huge, like the difference between Rivaldo and Adi Akinbiyi.

Method Man's languid and speech impediment infected rapping style murmurs and snarls through the booming tapestry of staggered beats, subterranean bass-lines and (now trademark) Rza production like a monster wading through some murky morass. Although Mef slurs and spits into the microphone like some drunk at a wedding party, his poetry and intelligence are clearly laden with substance and depth. "Bruvvas wanna hang with the Mef," he asks during 'Bring the Pain', "Bring da rope as the only way they gonna hang is by the neck!" is his stunning retort which must have left his peers (huh!) in the Clan spurting out their Cristal.

Buying this album won't enhance your rep and you certainly won't be able to play this album at some middle class dinner party to look 'cool' in front of your convival company. This album needs to be played in the dark, when you've had one or two drinks and your feeling moody. This is the one rap album I can imagine Apocalypse Now's 'Colonel Kurtz' playing to his Montagnard army beyond the Do Long Bridge. Dig it.

Rating: - A good Wu solo album

Although 'Tical' is a very good album, it doesn't quite deserve to be up there with other classic Wu solo projects like Raekwon's 'Only Built 4 Cuban Linx' and GZA's 'Liquid Swords'. It is definitely the darkest of all the Wu and Wu affiliated albums; tracks like 'Mr Sandman', 'Tical' and 'What The Blood Clot' are prime examples of how eerie the beats get whilst 'Bring The Pain' and 'Meth Vs Chef' are prime examples of classic Wu songs (not to say the rest isn't good). Lyrically, Meth never sounded like this again. Here he has a more flamboyant style in his rhymes which made his voice more distinctive. Alas, it's still short of essential because there are a couple of flawed tracks; in 'Sub Power' the beat is a complete mess and 'Stimulation' can only be classed as Average. Still if you like Wu Tang, you'll be satisfied with it as it's cheap too.

Rating: - excellent

if u like the old wu tang stuff which i love then u must own this album. Dark beats, lyrics to the top quality..also this album is significant nothing else like this its excellent.
biscuits is my favourite song which is hard to say cos every song is dope.
i bought tical 2000 b4 i bought this and this is better..and i thought tical 2000 was good ..then i bought this quite a bit ago it is raw hip hop what more could you want

BUY IT

Rating: - Classic cuts of Wu-Tang style

If you like hip-hop, you must own this record. Simple as that. This debut solo recording shows Meth's maturing lyrical style, while the beats are dark yet catchy. A classic rap album from an unbelievable talent.

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