Ghostface Killah - Fishscale

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Originally Posted by wampus

i think this album is a little overrated. i love ghost and fishscale is dope but far from a classic as many guys said. so many skit and the nicest songs are too short. clipse of doom and 3 bricks are shit comparing to the rest.
but anyway there are some doppe shit like shakey dog, barbershop, beauty jackson etc... but the wu track is disapointing i know it's cool to listen the all wu but try to be wise and you can notice that they can do better than that. and according to me grandmasters is better than supreme clientele and fishscale..

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SC>>>>Fishscale>Grandmasters

Honestly I think every track on this is dope save clipse of doom, 3 bricks, and momma. I ain't sayin the album is a classic, it ain't even out yet, but it is the best Ghost cd since Clientele and that's sayin something since IMO Ghost has been the most consistent general as far as solo material. One thing I will agree whole heartedly is why he didn't make Beauty Jackson and Barbershop longer. This album might get a 10/10 from me if he scrapped 3 bricks, put in Charlie Brown, and made Beauty Jackson and Barbershop atleast 3 minutes +

Fishscale

Artist: Ghostface Killah
Title: Fishscale
Rating: http://www.allhiphop.com/dev/images/star_full.gif http://www.allhiphop.com/dev/images/star_full.gif http://www.allhiphop.com/dev/images/star_full.gif http://www.allhiphop.com/dev/images/star_full.gif http://www.allhiphop.com/dev/images/star_half.gif
Reviewed by: Martin A. Berrios

The evolution of Dennis Coles has been colorful, to say the least. It began with the mask and shortly progressed to the silky fly sh*t. From there he freaked it with robes, championship belts and a gold Versace dinner plate piece, propelling him to cult icon status. As Wu-Tang’s most thorough member, Ghostface Killah has held down New York during the Clan’s untimely slump. Pretty Tone steps it up once again with Fishscale (Def Jam), giving its title justice by delivering a raw and uncut fifth album.

On the opener “Shakey Dog” you get Starks at his best. He vividly paints a story about setting up a coke connect with a push in robbery during a routine visit. No detail is left untouched, as he covers everything from the cab ride over to the spot (“Got the whip smelling like fish from 125th”) to the actual drama popping off with his accomplice getting busy during the break in (“Frank’s scheming blowing shots in the air”). Ghost connects with Just Blaze to cook up the album’s strongest track on “The Champ”, though. Blaze takes inspiration from the Rocky series as he implements interpolations of the films classic dialogue throughout song. The blaring horns compliment the track’s competitive theme. Ghost goes for the belt with lines like, “My wallos I did ‘em up/the bricks I split ‘em up/my raps ya’ll bit ‘em up/for that now stick ‘em up,” to make it all the way official.

In regards to subject matter, Starks doesn’t disappoint. Ghost Deini switches the mood up on “Whip You With A Strap.” The late great J-Dilla (R.I.P.) loops up a sullen soul sample with finesse to compliment the song’s sincerity as Ghost reflects on his childhood and the old school discipline that came along with it, thanks to a heavy-handed mother. As a pleasant surprise comes “9 Milli Brothers.” All nine original Wu members once again form like Voltron over MF DOOM’s sweeping production. The metal fingers don’t fail as the masked wonder comes through with some dusty piano keys.

Beat wise Ghost sticks to his usual sample heavy script. Even though RZA didn’t put any work in, the album still maintains a strong Shoalin feel to it. Soul brother number one Pete Rock uses bouncy guitar licks and light conga drums on “Dogs Of War.” With “Jellyfish,” DOOM lays down some playful synthesized bass notes as Starks and Theodore Unit address the ladies on some “Camay” ish.

While Tone goes hard for eleven rounds, the questionable closer hinders him from dropping an undeniable classic. On “Three Bricks” Raekwon and Ghost bring back B.I.G. via borrowed vocals from “Ni**as Bleed.” The uninspired Cool & Dre production behind this awkward collaboration (remember: “Ni**as bit off of Nas sh*t!”?) does nothing but make posthumous appearances look bad.

Overall Fishscale doesn’t disappoint. It picks up right where The Pretty Toney album left off. Point blank Ghost is one of the best doing it. The ziti is still banging.

from www.allhiphop.com

Todays the big day. I'm def going to cop 2 today one for me and one for my younger brother that thinks g-unit is god. I got him hooked on pretty toney when it came out. Hopefully I will get him hooked on this. It's crazy cause I know when I was in high school like 10 years ago wu-tang was a s popular as g-unit is today. Now my brother asks his friends and 90% of them never even heard of wutang. The only ones who did have older siblings.

yet another fantastic review of FISHSCALE from www.allmusic.com

4.5/5 stars

Whenever a veteran artist professes disinterest in modern music, a safe retreat into the past — a tired attempt at recapturing the magic of classic material — tends to follow. Since Ghostface Killah towed that line after the two least-thrilling albums of his career, Fishscale seemed destined to be just another part of his discography; if his fans were lucky, they'd get a couple flashes of his mad maverick genius and nothing as clumsily foul as "Tush." Fishscale is much more generous than that. It's evident that Ghost knows where he's at in his career, and it's directly acknowledged by the Mickey Goldmill-like boxing coach during "The Champ": "You ain't been hungry...since Supreme Clientele!" Ghost responds by pouring all that he has, both lyrically and vocally, into every track on the album. The scenarios he recounts are as detailed and off-the-wall as ever, elaborate screenplays laid out with a vocal style that's ceaselessly fluid and never abrasive. This is especially remarkable since each one of Ghost's lines, when transcribed, require one-to-five exclamation points, and every frantic scene's details — from the onions on the steak, to the show on the television, to the socks sticking out of the "big Frankenstein hole" in a shoe worn by an accomplice — are itemized without derailing the events. Since no active MC sounds better over obscure-'70s soul samples, Ghost was wise to select productions that are best-suited for him, no matter how bizarre or un-pop. Just Blaze, Lewis Parker, MoSS, Crack Val, Pete Rock, Doom, the late J Dilla, and several others supply Ghost with a tremendous round of productions. "Underwater" is the loopiest of all, even by Doom standards; its balmy Bobby Humphrey flute and slippery beat, aided by burbling water effects, backs a hallucinatory journey in which Ghost swims with butterflies, casts his gaze on numerous riches (rubies, the Heart of the Ocean, "Gucci belts that they rocked for no reason from A Different World") and bumps into a Bentley-driving, Isley Brothers-listening, girlfriend-smacking SpongeBob Squarepants before hitting spiritual paydirt. "Back Like That," featuring Ne-Yo, is the lone apparent crossover attempt, and it hardly compromises Ghost's character the way "Tush" did in 2004 ("In the summertime, I broke his jaw — had to do it to him quick, old fashion, in the back of the mall"). Another completely unique track is "Whip You with a Strap," where Ghost recalls the pain of being whipped by his mom with more than a hint of misty-eyed wistfulness. How many other MCs are capable of making you feel nostalgic about leaking welts you never had? More importantly, how many MCs entering their late-thirties have made an album as vital as any other in his or her career?

from www.allmusic.com

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http://www.hiphopdx.com/images/icon_comment.gif comments Ghostface Killah - Fishscale

Monday - March 27, 2006

J-23

Ghostface Killah isn’t the best emcee in the world, he really isn’t even the best emcee in his crew. His lyrics often make little sense to those unfamiliar with the Wu vernacular and he even made an entire album where he said nothing but shit that “sounded fly.” That album, Supreme Clientele, was worshipped and hailed as the return of the Wu. Why? Cause Ghost has it. What is it? No one knows, it is that intangible that an A&R can’t force on a new artist and a marketing team can’t put in an ad campaign. It is what makes Ghostface one of my favorite emcees ever. Of course, there is a bit more than just it. Pretty Tony happens to have incredible taste in beats and prefers to make his own rules rather than follow them (like say just rapping over a Delfonics song). The man has more style and swagger than perhaps anyone in the game, be it telling the heartbreaking story of his childhood or talking shit about choppin’ them bricks. For those who are wondering what exactly Fishscale means, it is quite simply the finest cocaine money can buy. So you shouldn’t be surprised when he unites with partner-in-crime Raekwon to dedicate a song to the white as only they can on Kilo. Ghost and Rae connect several more times here, most notably again on the Pete Rock laced standout R.A.G.U. where they converse through story. Rae also pops up on the irritating Dogs of War with Trife, Sun God and Cappadonna, and on the bonus cut Three Bricks featuring Biggie that sounds like it’s from the Duets cutting room floor. Bonus cut or not, it has no business on this album. Of course Rae and Ghost are also together for 9 Milli Bros., along with all 8 other Clan members. I don’t remember the last time they were all on one track, but they sound great over a typically dope MF DOOM beat.
Guests aside, Ghost holds shit down in classic fashion as he always does. He gets his storytell on over the flavorful Lewis Parker banger Shakey Dog and the abbreviated-but-dope Barbershop. He takes it from the streets to the ocean for the DOOM-produced Underwater where he gets crazy bizarre; “Sponge Bob in a Bentley coupe.” Yeah, like that. As expected, Ghost has some words for the ladies and all that shit is on point. He pens thoughtful songs for the struggling (Momma), the drug-addicted (Big Girl), and the trifling (Back Like That), and of course the tale of a dime piece over a sultry J-Dilla beat (Beauty Jackson). It’s his mother who inspires him the best again though as Whip You With A Strap has Ghost fondly remembering the beatings that kept him in check as a youngster.
Fishscale’s finest moments come when Ghost links up with two of hip-hop’s best past and present producers. Be Easy, the lead street single blessed by Pete Rock, is as ridiculous as it gets as Ghost talks reckless over the minimalist thumps. Just Blaze takes it back to PR’s days with drums that bring tears to my eyes as Ghost spits his trademark darts, out to prove he is indeed The Champ. To no surprise, Ghost delivers yet another dope LP, long cementing his status as the best solo artist outta the Wu. But much like 2004’s Pretty Toney, Fishscale has its flaws. A couple lackluster songs aside (Dogs of War, Clipse of Doom), the album doesn’t really flow too well and it’s a bit bloated at 24 tracks. While the album length isn’t overwhelming like the 24 tracks would indicate, Ghost could have easily lengthened some of painfully short tracks (Beauty Jackson, Barbershop), and cut out a couple others. Plus I must say, the continual presence of Cappadonna, who is getting worse by the bar, did irritate me quite a bit. Even with some missteps, Ghostdini knocks another out the box in his own unmistakable way. It certainly is that raw, uncut…

Fishscale is my favorite album this year so far. "9 Milli Bros" I've had on repeat for the past couple days. I'm feeling every song even "Back Like That" for what it is (A radio single that I can actually listen to). Supreme Clientele is my favortie Ghost cd, but I will be listening to Fishscale for a while.

Great review from Pitchfork, they love Ghost though.

http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/record...ishscale.shtml

Ghostface Killah
Fishscale
[Def Jam; 2006]
Rating: 9.0


More than 12 years after he emoted all over the first verse on the first track on the first Wu-Tang Clan album, the now 35-year-old Ghostface is still starving-- for respect, understanding, and acceptance. His isn't a hip-hop hunger marred by purposeless bouts of binging en route to an inevitable fizzle. Still hypnotically restless, this East Coast purist has homed in on an rap palette full of vivid hurt and strafing alarm. Bursting forth with some of the most pungent yarns, potent barbs, and peerless production of his remarkably consistent career, Fishscale is the choice outcome of an endlessly creative mind using experience as a compass en route to triumph.
Though his veteran status informs much of Ghost's fifth solo album, the father-knows-best pose is led by breathless rhymes, not lazy nostalgia. To wit, "Whip You With a Strap" rails against the lack of consequences brought upon today's youth with a smooth cleverness, while "Big Girl" moans about three fast-living women wasting their potential on stretched out mounds of cocaine. Tellingly, it's Ghost's coke the girls can't stop sniffing. Such ambiguities eschew didacticism for a lived-in wisdom that's as wicked as it is worthwhile. Ghost's godfather-cause is most noticeably directed at ostentatious modern-day rap hustlers who largely cook up tales with broad lines and no consequences, as he devotes four of Fishscale's 18 songs to the booming drug-rap subgenre he helped launch with Raekown's Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... in 1995.
On both "R.A.G.U." and "Kilo", Rae turns up to assist his close friend describe, more than anything, the perils of selling drugs. Hardly akin to the "dealer as infallible ghetto champion" guise currently purported by the likes of Young Jeezy, Fishscale's dope peddlers are harried and frayed. Between broken wrists, familial strife, and self-inflicted gunshots to the groin, "R.A.G.U." is anything but glorifying toward its stressed-out, drug-running protagonists. But the album's most vivid illicit spectacle belongs to Ghost alone; "Shakey Dog" takes the rapper's penchant for eye-popping lyrical imagery to its extreme, offering a twisty Mamet-style narrative about a botched two-man robbery attempt.
"Fasten your seatbelts," warns the Staten Island son before unraveling a scene so perfectly lucid that an accompanying video would be redundant. Whether describing the alluring smells coming from his victim's apartment or the ruthless history of an ancillary little old lady ("She paid her dues when she smoked her brother-in-law at her boss' wedding") he passes on his way up to the place, Ghost touches on myriad senses and memories. Uncanny and gripping, it's the kind of song that requires several close listens to understand at all. It also strongly suggests that, if Ghost should ever lose his appetite for rap, he should have no problems achieving success as a screenwriter or director.
As the album's other startlingly specific tragedies-- shitty haircuts, bus stop infatuation-- fly by with deft everyman flourishes, it's the surreal "Underwater", with its strange spirituality, that proves most trenchant. The dreamy account finds our hero playing out a possible afterlife allegory while swimming at the bottom of the ocean. "I'm not on my turf," he confesses as mermaids "with Halle Berry haircuts" offer guidance along the way. In the tourist role, Ghost is as compelling as when he's recounting pavement-bred stories of his familiar youth. Sometimes on "Underwater", the two come together brilliantly like when he notices "SpongeBob in a Bentely coup, bangin' the Isleys." Eventually arriving at the "world's banginest mosque," Ghost finds comfort in Muslim chants; the rapper's rare moment of peace is well deserved amidst Fishscale's enthralling agony. Aiding in the track's calming vibes is a mysterious, flute-laden beat courtesy of MF Doom, who's responsible for four beats on the record. The masked supervillain is in the company of a reputable bevy of soul-stacked sample-masters on Fishscale and their musical backdrops match Ghost's focus and vision.
In an interview with RZA last year, he told me, "Listen to how Ghost sounds rappin over one of my beats and then over another beat...he sounds like a grown man [on my beat] and he sound younger on [other] producer's beats because they don't know the frequency." But, as this album-- the first Ghost solo disc without a RZA production-- attests, he was wrong. Whether it's the late Dilla providing his off-kilter vinyl-hiss haze for "Strap", Pete Rock cutting up Sly Stone's "Family Affiar" on the hollow funk of posse cut "Dogs of War", or Just Blaze doing his Banger 101 thing on "The Champ" (which, stripped of its bootleg Rocky sound snippets and samples at the last minute thanks to copyright issues, still packs a fair amount of heat), each producer takes their opportunity to envelope today's most soulful rapper with deep swaths of vintage samples and deep drums. The RZA's sonic influence is strong-- and he even shows up briefly on the excellent Wu reunion cut "9 Milli Bros"-- but his absence behind the Fishscale boards is largely inconsequential.
Considering his continued status as one of hip-hop's most revered, relevant elder statesmen, it seems odd that Ghostface's name was seldom bandied about in most King of New York debates over the last decade. As Fishscale reiterates with cinematic verve, the most vital current Wu Tang Clan-er's striking storytelling can match Biggie's in both excitement and humor. Yet Ghost's songs are unrelenting in their slavishness to density and credibility, and that can turn off casual listeners even as it intoxicates hip-hop purists. "My arts is crafty darts, why y'all stuck with 'Laffy Taffy'?" he asks with utter sincerity on "The Champ". As long as inevitable questions like that continually re-up this heavyweight's unswerving drive, they're probably better left unanswered. -Ryan Dombal, March 28, 2006

lol at grandmasters been iller than fishscale...come on..that shit was sleepy rap..gza flow fell the fuck off

FUCKKKKKK!!!!!!! i waited so long for this ghostface album and here it is finally and i accidentally snatched the EDITIED version off the shelf......the album is seriously hot wit the exception of a non-swearing Ghost (lol)....as for fishscale being better than grandmasters..........hmmm...i don't think but hey thats just my opinion but both are great albums in an era of very weak music

fishscale is definitley better than grandmasters because cause its a hot ass cd but grandmasters is pretty ill i got both of them and i listen to grandmasters alot

solid 8/10, well worth the $7 and change. i aint doing no long ass review i'll just give some comments

- they yanked the sample out of the champ. doesnt sound bad but the original was better

- the fucked up 9 milli, deck is mixed off beat and the mastering was garbage

- i was suprised to find that momma wasnt that bad, much better then the cheesy back like that and be easy. the chick singing in it takes away from the song some.

-big girl is a nice track. i like the song that ghostface jacked, but ghost gets no props for beatjuksing.

-whats with the hate for clips of doom? by far the best herbs beat ghost picked from doom.

-underwater isnt as good as its been hyped to be but its tight still.

-best song...RAGU, clear cut.

skippables: kilos, back like that, be easy, jellyfish, three bricks

well done ghostface :clap: . good to see you back :thumbup:

All the tracks on Fishscale is dope,I have no big gripes because not one track did I have to skip thinking what the hell is this...NOPE...all ill.And once again I have to give it to Ghostface for holding it down himself without Rza....I know people wish there was some Rza beats...but look at what Ghost cooked up for his fans.

So many classic songs on this album....Momma amazed me because I was ready to skip asuming it was some corny filler type of song or Def Jam pushed on Ghost to help promote this new artist,But I like this Megan Rochell chick...she has good chemistry with Ghost...good song.

Im surprised though that RAGU was produced by Pete Rock? You know the next Ghostface album it would be dope if Pete Rock can produce more tracks like that for Ghost....shit was vintage OB4CL vibe!

Ghostface is what hiphop needs refreshing our minds to what we hear eveyday.......dude aint afraid to stay true to his art! 4.5/5

RAPREVIEW.COM REVIEW OF FISHSCALE

Ghostface Killah is an institution unto himself. While the Wu-Tang Clan has suffered a general decline over the years, for reasons that are their own fault (poor solo albums, lack of unity) and reasons that aren't (Ol' Dirty's untimely demise), Ghost has stayed immensely popular. Any year that Wu affiliated albums are released, the Ghost one tends to be the most anticipated (only GZA even comes close). What's his secret? Ghost is simply a great rapper, hands down. His voice is very emotional and descriptive, his lyrics are superbly visual narratives on the level of Rakim or G. Rap, and his personality shines through on almost every track. In all fairness the Wu needs Ghostface far more at this point than he needs them, because if nobody else holds up the banner for the crew, he always comes through to carry the weight.

"Fishscale" is no exception to this trend, as Ghost continues his tradition of being the Wu's most consistant soloist. There are a few other Wu affiliates to be found on the album - Raekwon on "Kilo," a bunch of Clan fam on "9 Milli Bros" and such, but there's little doubt this is Ghost's showcase and that he owns it. The lead single "Back Like That" featuring Ne-Yo doesn't come in until track 13, but for the purposes of this review skip to it right now if you're listening on your Discman or iPod. Pay attention to the subtle background snaps, the smooth harmonizing, the beautiful piano keys and the strong chorus breakdowns and thank Xtreme for producing a beautiful track. Then peep the Ghost lyrics closely and realize that combining with Xtreme on this shit results in true cinematic drama.
"Aiyyo, I thought we was iller than that, all them kisses
And love yous, when Jake came, you hid my packs
It was time a brother went to war, vests banged up
Stainin in the kitchen, yo, holdin a four
Sweatin and breathin, bounced out of town for a weekend
Heard you had homey in the passenger seating
Honey, look, I'm a monster don, I do monster things
That's why I put your ass under my arm
Messing with him can bring bodily harm
And where you gonna hide in the streets when the body is gone
If it's one thing I learned that, never trust a female
On no scale, you just confirmed that
Bounce to your momma house, pack your shit
I don't care if you crying, youse a ruthless chick"
Dizamn, shawty played Ghost foul! That's Ghostface for you - he makes beautiful songs about ugly incidents. On "The Champ" he comes with straight kingpin shit over a fantastic Just Blaze beat while telling foes "you're burnin up like David Koresh." The late great J Dilla blesses Ghost on "Whip You with a Strap" on a track that comes off like the long lost sequel to "All That I Got is You," and indeed Ghost gets his butt whipped by momma and raps vividly about being a bad little kid. Ken Lewis comes correct on "Big Girl" with some smooth old school soul, a popular refrain on Ghostface albums. For anybody who misunderstood Ghost as a misogynist over the years, this song is a whole new perspective:
"Word life, put you to school when the clubs'll stop
College girl, pay for your books at 200 a pop
And all I ask in life's for you to be careful
Stay focused, take care of your health
Have kids and marry a prince
Good luck and happiness
And no longer shut yourself in, taste the pain, the sorrow
The sun'll shine and still come out tomorrow"
The only major complaint I have about "Fishscale" after listening to it are that there are just too damn many skits. This isn't always a bad thing, especially if they're as clever and closely connected to the album's theme as they were on "Ironman," but these don't seem to enhance or detract from the presentation - they're just there. Otherwise "Fishscale" falls right into line as another classic album from the man who has consistantly brought heat for 10 years and 2 different labels.
Music Vibes: 8 of 10 Lyric Vibes: 9 of 10
TOTAL Vibes: 8.5 of 10

While Tone goes hard for eleven rounds, the questionable closer hinders him from dropping an undeniable classic. On “Three Bricks” Raekwon and Ghost bring back B.I.G. via borrowed vocals from “Ni**as Bleed.” The uninspired Cool & Dre production behind this awkward collaboration (remember: “Ni**as bit off of Nas sh*t!”?) does nothing but make posthumous appearances look bad.

Overall Fishscale doesn’t disappoint. It picks up right where The Pretty Toney album left off. Point blank Ghost is one of the best doing it. The ziti is still banging.

from www.allhiphop.com


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i agree wit the review but i think the 3 Bricks is the only track that awckward n doesn't fit the puzzle right nahmean other than that the album is fire

I bet half of the people with a "reserve" on the first page don't even post a review, that's corny.