|
| |
|
|
|
Review Summary: It turns out Fugazi is also for the children. Mash-ups. They're a blessing and a curse. When done right, they can produce some amazing results. When done poorly, they're an audible train-wreck (I'm looking at you Linkin Park/Jay-Z mash-up). Thankfully, this album by Cecil Otter and Swiss Andy falls firmly into the former category. Taking songs from the many various Wu projects and combining them with songs from the also amazing Fugazi, they've made the songs feel vastly different from the originals, even adding a different emotional weight to many in the process.
Wugazi first gained the attention of countless blogs when they posted the song (and opening track) "Sleep Rules Everything Around Me", which combines "C.R.E.A.M." and "I'm So Tired". The combination of the two doesn't feel like much of a stretch, as both songs are more mellow affairs from each band. However, the perfect choice adding the chorus of "I'm So Tired" packs a real punch when it finally hits, and it's commendable that they skipped out on the entire chorus of "C.R.E.A.M", which is legendary at this point. Though those two songs made perfect sense when combined, the rest of the album doesn't play it quite so safe, and it's all the better for it.
The following song, "Suicide Surprise", uses parts of "1-800-SUICIDE", various Wu verses, and Fugazi's "No Surprise". This is the song where the album really starts to showcase its strenghts. Not only do they mix multiple songs within one track, as opposed to taking two songs and mixing them together, they also get into Wu splinter projects. In fact, Gravediggas get a whole song later on with "Nowhere To Wait". In "Ghetto Afterthought", parts from GZA's "4th Chamber" suddenly kick in and help fill out the song toward the end. It's these little surprises that make this such an interesting and strong mash-up album.
The final stregth of the album is, as I mentioned earlier, the fact that songs are tonally changed. The prime example of this is on "Slow Like That", which uses Ghostface's "Back Like That" and Fugazi's "Slo Crostic". Whereas the original Ghost song played out as somewhat humourous and silly, especially with the Ne-Yo chorus, the addition of "Slo Crostic" really amplifies the anger in the lyrics, and turns it from fun to menacing. There isn't a weak track on the entire album, and it strongly deserves to be mentioned in the conversation with best mash-up albums ever. With both band's extensive discographies, Cecil Otter & Swill Andy have plenty of material to work with. Here's hoping to see a "Return To The 13th Chamber" someday.
|
Album Rating: 4.5
A few extra notes.
1. I'm not sure why the cover isn't showing, it was when I added the album to the database.
2. I know it's showing 2 reviews from me on the main page, but I did the other one yesterday, I swear to God.
3. I got this right when it dropped, and due to my insomnia have listened to it like 6 times now, so this isn't a rushed review.
4. If you're at all interested in this, go to wugazi.com. The entire album is free for download.
| | |
Link me the artwork and I'll add it for you now. And why have you put gaps in the tracklist?
| | | Album Rating: 4.5
I just fixed the tracklist, actually. Here's the link for the artwork.
http://i1.sndcdn.com/avatars-000004444476-sjgk1s-crop.jpg?fb4b827[/L]
And thanks a lot.
| | |
You do realise your link was the a shot of the album on a desk or something, right? Also fyi, when you add anything to the databse (artist(s) or albums) always substitute an ampersand for "and". The site tends to bug out a little otherwise
| | |
Nice work btw
| | | Album Rating: 4.5
Got it. Also, much appreciated.
| | |
this made me cringe from the few tracks I heard but I'll definitely give the rest a chance sometime
| | | Album Rating: 4.5
@Sea
You really should. I was really surprised by some of the choices they made within songs, and the few they posted to the site don't totally represent the other 9 tracks. It was actually on the 2nd listen that I really started to get into it.
But I also liked the 3 tracks they leaked early, so it could just be a case of different strokes.
| | | Album Rating: 4.0
There's also another page for this simply under Wugazi so they'll probably need to be merged soon.
| | | Album Rating: 4.5
Really? I didn't even look that up. I entered it this way, because there was a big issue once when someone reviewed the "Enter The Magical Mystery Chambers" album as a Wu-Tang album, and not a Tom Caruana album. So I just entered it as the artists who made it to avoid any of that. Thanks for the heads up though.
| | |
The separate Wugazi page can just be deleted
| | | Album Rating: 3.5
been meaning to get this -- got the d/l link from Doomtree's email list
nice review.
| | |
I'll definitely check this out but I am extremely apprehensive about it
| | |
worth a listen or two but hardly 4.5 worthy lol
| | | Album Rating: 3.5
well I love Wu-Tang, I love Fugazi and I love Cecil Otter
I have high hopes, despite how weird the concept is
| | |
this is great, i especially love shame on blue since blueprint is my favorite fugazi song
| | |
When done right, they can produce some amzing results. When done poorly, they're an audible train-wreck (I'm looking at you Linkin Park/Jay-Z mash-up). Thankfully, this album by Cecil Otter and Swiss Andy falls into the latter category
Should this be former', rather than 'latter?' As is, it seems that you say this is a train-wreck. Album sounds interesting.
| | | Album Rating: 4.5
Fixed. I meant to put that too. I typed this early, so thanks for the heads up.
| | | Album Rating: 3.5
sleep rules everything around me kicks balls
| | | Album Rating: 4.0
I didn't cringe at all...I love this shit. Some of my favorite tracks from Fugazi are superb mixed with Wu: "Suicide Surprise,"Another Chessboxin' Argument"," and "Shame On Blue". Really well done. Same with your review. =)
| | | |
|
| |
![http://i1.sndcdn.com/avatars-000004444476-sjgk1s-crop.jpg?fb4b827[/L]](http://i1.sndcdn.com/avatars-000004444476-sjgk1s-crop.jpg?fb4b827</a>){kind=link}