Wu-Tang Clan - A Better Tomorrow

1. Ruckus In B Minor - banger, great choice 4 the opening track. 5/5

2. Felt - banger, lovin the slow tempo & the guitar lick, can't stop bobbin

my head. 5/5

3. 40th Street Black/We Will Fight - not bad, feelin it, nice up tempo track.

Everybody came correct, RZA's verse stood out 4 me though. 4/5

4. Mistaken Identity - great beginning, nice progressions, a lotta going on

here, feelin the chorus, great track. 4.5/5

5. Hold The Heater - dope, the drums (that snare) especially. Nice

shouted hook by RZA. 4.5/5

6. Crushed Egos - lovin the live drums. Great title. 4.5/5

7. Keep Watch - banger, feelin it since day 1. Nathaniel's sung chorus fits

the track and compliments the beat very well (u can hate me now). Most

of u fags are scared to admit that ya'll feelin the hook too. 4.5/5

8. Miracle - goosebump track, especially on Killa's part, Rae came correct.

Initially didn't feel the sung chorus, but it grew on me. 1 of the best, if not

the best song on the album. 5/5

9. Preacher's Daughter - feelin this, good music, lovin the horns. Kinda

lame they used the same kung-fu samples as on 8 Diagrams @ the end.

4.5/5

10. Pioneer The Frontier - headnodder, feelin U-God's verse. Nice spoken

hook by RZA. 4.5/5

11. Necklace - classic, grimy Wu-Banger, lovin 4th Disciple's production on

here, GZA takes the cake here 4 me. Lovin the voice samples, vintage Wu

shit. 5/5

12. Ron O'Neal - nice entrance with the live bass, 1nce again Nathaniel's

vocals fit & are very well used here (haters can eat a dick), all in all a

banger. 4.5/5

13. A Better Tomorrow - lovin this, the message, the vibe, Meth's intro,

Killa's verse, Rae's. Can't understand the criticism towards Cappa on this

LP, he does his thing on every track he's on, this here's no exception. 1

of the standout songs on the album. 5/5

14. Never Let Go - dope verses by Killa & GZA. 4/5

15. Wu-Tang Reunion - nice close up track, serving it's purpose, ending

the album on a positive note. 4/5



Verdict:

This is good music (not just by Hip Hop standards), great production -

RZA's vision and execution are exquisite, he knew what to do to please

himself, the Generals, the fans, win new ones, also outside of Hip

Hop, by refreshen the classic Wu-Tang sound through usage of live

instrumentation. This is an album of it's time, like all the previous ones,

but it can hardly be compared to it's predecessors because of it's up to

date sound. RZA once again reinvented the Wu-Tang formula, just like he

did with Wu-Tang Forever in '97. But unlike Wu-Tang Forever this album is

diverse and cohesive at the same time, something which they didn't

achieve since their classic debut Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers). If this

is the Wu-Tang sound AD 2014 I'm all 4 it, enjoying it & supporting it

100%. Congratulations 2 the Abbot & the Clan.

4.5/5

Good album.

you give ABT five perfectly flawless tracks? To each their own I suppose.

I would give ABT a 5/10.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Mumm Ra

you give ABT five perfectly flawless tracks? To each their own I suppose.

I would give ABT a 5/10.

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Yup I said 2.5 it's got a few moments overall very disappointing

It's a very solid album. If u sit there and was hoping 4 a 93-97 sound, ur gonna to be very disappointed. U have to judge the LP for what it is. It's 2014 and the Wu will never go back to that classic stage. However,u can enjoy the album... if u don't try to compare it. Meth sounds hungry again & even U God sounds motivated. Cappa could have been left off the album.

It's a 2014 Rza- album ft the Clan. A lot of live instruments. What made Rza great,was his ability to put the Clan in the best position to succeed. Rza was great making tracks for each member to sound dope. Some verses sound forced. While others were outstanding. Most of the beats are good,just not for every Clan member to spit to.I'll be bumping it. It's better than most of the trash that's out there. IMO,its better than the last LP. Rating 3.75 out 5 stars

Wu-Tang Forever isn't diverse and cohesive? It's very cohesive and diverse. It felt like one piece, a fully collaborative effort...unlike this album.

Voted dope. Album's grown on me. I think it's pretty cohesive. Not really feeling 40th Street Black (chorus), Crushed Egos (beat) and Wu-Tang Reunion (too corny). Some other choruses which were initial turn offs have grown on me like everything going on in 'Miracle' and Nathaniel on 'Keep Watch'. (Not so much on 'Ron O'Neal'.)

Cappa wasn't worse on here than in the last few years, but it's not as if he's peaking here either. From all of his verses I liked the one on 'Felt' best.

At first I was feeling kinda indifferent to Ghost's verses on the album but they have grown on me.

Meth, Rae, Masta Killa and U-God came correct. INS was solid in places, someone on here stated I expect too much from him and that poster is probably right. GZA's verses were good but they didn't always seem to fit the other verses. But I gotta admit sometimes parts of GZA verses kinda go over my head at first (not a native English speaker), I gotta listen some more. I do get the impression GZA unloaded some 'Dark Matter' verses here without rewriting them for specific songs on ABT.

Dopest songs to me are, in this specific order:

1. 'Hold The Heater' (absolute classic, love the verses and the simple but very effective chorus)

2. 'Felt' (extremely dope 2014 Wu, this is the kinda song I would have expected on U-God's next solo album)

3. 'Pioneer The Frontier' (sounds like a Wu joint for a soundtrack in the 90s, excellent song, I don't share the feeling that there's too much going on with the beat)

4. 'Necklace' (4th nailed it, what else can I say, the chorus doesn't stall the song imo)

5. 'Never Let Go' (very good concept song, RZA did have some good ideas for concept songs but I do understand some generals not feeling RZA telling them what to write about)

6. 'Ruckus in B Minor' (good verses except for INS and Cappa ; Rae and MK really shine, I like the beat switch up for Rae and MK and in fact I like the constantly changing beat earlier on in the song as well, good call by Rick Rubin to get some ODB ad libs on here)

7. 'Preacher's Daughter' (just a fun song)

'Mistaken Identity', 'Keep Watch', 'Miracle', 'Ron O Neal' and 'A Better Tomorrow' were okay to solid.

I have the feeling I will be playing this album a lot.

for me it's about 3.5/5.. it's not mindblowing but i still find myself wanting to go back to it over and over again. i don't know how many times i've heard "Never Let Go" and "Miracle" at this point.

Claasic

4,5
Im listening it now, for cca 40 times. Every time is better and better.
But on the first listening, was on many songs like wtf is that. But now, this album is crazy more and more.
Wu 4 ever and ever!
yea

3.5 I feel like listening to it again and again though. If u let it will grow on you.

It’s the review of my brother The Dark face Killer because me I don’t give a fuck of this album.
Wu tang clan is certainly the greatest hip hop group of all the time. 9 motherfuckers who changed the face of the hip hop game. Countless great tracks, many great albums, unpredictable style and numerous diehard fans around the world like me. When I heard that they wanted to release a new album, I said what the fuck? The previous album was not exactly what I expected. And I don’t like the way some motherfuckers like Rae and Ghost dissed the album. Fuck that! I hoped this time they would be on the same wavelength. I don’t give a fuck what Rae or some motherfuckers like him say. He is not my favorite member and the only great album he released is OBCL. When your discography is pure crap just shut the fuck up. Let’s talk about the new album. I listened to the singles but I didn’t like them at all. I hoped they would grow in me but I expected the album to be cohesive and these singles to be just like pieces of a puzzle. I listened to the album many times and what I can say that certainly will be the last Wu album I will buy.
Good tracks: 40th Street Black/We Will Fight, Mistaken Identity, Miracle, Necklace (really dope), Never Let Go (could be classic without that awful hooks)
Average tracks: Preacher's Daughter (That fucking hooks ruins it), Ruckus In B Minor, A Better Tomorrow, Pioneer The Frontier (it could be a great track without these crappy noises that ruin it)
I don’t like the other songs at all! I don’t give a fuck what someone else thinks. I don’t say it’s wack even if some tracks are pure crap like Wu-tang reunion and Ron O'Neal. I know Rza worked hard but the results are mixed. He certainly wants to grow as a musician. I am an artist too so I can understand that even if I think he will never be a great musician.
I remember when they released Wu forever Rza said in a French magazine that when he created a beat he asked to his brothers if it was fat. First Wu albums were strong because they were teamwork and cooperation of all of its members. Rza was respected because other members really loved the beats he created. Nowadays they live in different worlds so the group is done. What they did was a terrible example of not listening to each other. He can’t be the de facto leader of the group because he has lost his mojo. So I hope it will be the last Wu album. I advise Rza to create a new group that will understand him and accept him as the leader.
6/10.
The Dark Face Killer.

Good album overall, but I have my gripes.

* This is the least Wu-sounding Wu album I ever listened to. It's so not Wu that it's kinda distracting. I needed to make effort not to think it's the Clan I'm listening to in order to enjoy it.

* Drums. Okay, I'm dumb and intrigued by the drum, but most of those are just big and empty, without LF, if you know what I mean. And they're, mostly, kinda lazy. Cool that they used live drums for change, but you need to make more than kick - snare - kick - snare to get a banging beat.

* It's too long. I mean, at Ron O'Neill I had to make a pause because I stopped caring. Mind that otherwise I can always listen to Wu-Tang Forever in one sitting.

But yeah, apart from that, a good, solid album, no real standouts and no real misfires. And Wu can still rap circles around anyone.

I gave it a 3 on this scale.


EDIT: Yeah, one more thing: the fuck is with GZA's voice and flow? He's supposed to be rapping for forty years and now he sounds like he's trying too hard for the first time in his career.

3.5. Not bad, but there's a few times on here I found myself shaking my head. '40th Street Black/We Will Fight' and 'Miracle' are HORRIBLE! I hate them so much. People actually like 'Miracle'??? It's like a KC and JoJo song or some shit... and the ending with everything building like it's Muse... FUCCkkkKK it shits me.

Necklace, Crushed Egos and Preacher's Daughter are my favourite tracks on here. Not bad overall. I'm glad they didn't have any guest spots (which is something that almost ruined The W album).

3 for me.

It's a good solid album with some nice tracks. But I have mixed feelings on it. Of course it's the Wu and I'll always check for it, but at the same time it just feels like the chemistry is so off with the group and the creative differences still exist.

Miracle could have been such a dope track if not for that hook. It just didn't belong and then that ending part where it got all alternative rock on us. Nah. Didn't work for me. And it's a shame because the beat was nice and the verses were on point, especially Deck.

Wu Tang Reunion was too cliché. Pure filler.

We Will Fight is just underwhelming.

Ditto for the title track. Plus they already have a song they made years ago with that title.

Ron O'Neal and Keep Watch were ok, nothing special.

Felt is weird to me. Maybe it'll grow on me.

The rest of the album I like. But it's nothing close to their best work.

pioneer the frontier, preacher's daughter, crushed egos, hold the heater, ruckus in b minor, mistaken identity are good, don't like the soul songs too much

I'd give it 3.5 for now. I like most the tracks, with We Will Fight, Preacher's Daughter and Wu-Tang Reunion being the ones I listen to the least. I like all the other joints.

To me this is a harder album than 8 Diagrams and I like that there are concept tracks on the album as opposed to a bunch of tracks with verses that don't relate. In that sense this album has cohesiveness.

Hold The Heater, Necklace and Pioneer The Frontier are the most vintage sounding Wu tracks in my opinion.

I feel as though the album should've either ended on Never Let Go or with the title track, with Never Let Go coming before that.

Overall I'm pleased with the album and find myself listening to it daily.

Just listened to this again after a 2 week break and...........classic Wu. ok we all know its not classic 90's Wu, but this more mature Wu is just another chapter in the book of the Wu and I'm loving it. 4.5/5 for the album I think........its really growing on me now, especially as this may be the last Wu group album. Don't get me wrong though, if there was another album I would prefer Tru Master, 4th Disciple, and Bronze Nazareth to just produce it as a final throwback to the 90's style album, but ABT is deffo a top album for me who has been listening to buying the Wu since 1995.

the album is a 4.5/5. the only reason it is not a full 5 is because the album has too much Cappa. The should have removed half his verses and replaced them with verses by either Ghost, Rae, Deck or Street Life.
It is the ONLY album I have been playing in my car since it came out, and I LOVE it more and more each time...hell, even my kids (aged 14 and 5) love the album...
There is not one track on the album I skip.

people that complain about this album because it doesn't sound like old Wu are idiots. music is supposed to evolve. if you want to hear old Wu, go buy their old albums. I love the direction they went in.
I will admit, a few songs took a couple listens to grow on me due to the hooks, but the verses are amazing. U-God, Masta Killa, Method Man and GZA KILL their verses. best lyrics I have heard ANYWHERE in YEARS

When Wu-Tang first came out in 93, I was in high school. I became a die hard Wu-Tang fan and I still am today.
I pre-ordered the special Wu-Tang boom box (80 bucks, +20 for first class delivery), purchased the CD, and bought a digital copy from Google Play for my phone.
Like Tical said,"If You a fan, you need to stand up."

I said all that to say what...?

When I first heard A Better Tomorrow I had the same reaction I've always had after hearing a new Wu-Tang album after Forever.
The album wasn't what I expected. I expected more. Since Wu-Tang Forever, each album seems to have strayed from the gritty Brooklyn, Shaolin flavor to a more funk or soul type of flavor. As if Bobby Digital is executive producing instead of RZA.
I was disappointed at first... Like always. But then I simply removed the songs I wasn't feeling, (Miracle, Preachers Daughter, and Family Reunion) and the album played like a classic.
My total outlook of the album changed. I found myself waking up each morning with the songs in my head. This album is dope with the exception of those three tracks. And I'm sure when the time comes I'm going to find myself craving to hear those same three songs. It always happens.

Final verdict? 4.5 out of 5. The lyrics do not slack at anytime during any song on this album. The crafting of the beats is innovative and gives the listener a feel like your in a nightclub with Wu-Tang playing live and Unplugged. This album also has some dope and interesting kung-fu quotes.

Maybe most importantly, the less known Clan members such as Deck, Masta Kills, U-God, and especially Cappa really shine. They make the album in my opinion. And the Raekwon track with RZA, (that's just what it is. A track for Rae to show his stripes and his quality in the rap game; RZA ends the track as the hype man basically saying Raekwon can hold his own with ANY rapper) is topping on the cake. Appropriately allowed for all the clowns in the rap game with huge egos...they know who they are.

If you don't like this album then there's a chance you don't know what good music sounds like. This album is dope. I hope they release another version of it with mad Kills Beez on it. Or a remixed version. I would definitely buy it. Twice.

The album has grown on me. Its still not classic but 4 out 5 would be a fair rating

After 20 years in the game, I really couldn't expect more. It's better than the 8D. I bump this album pretty often. It's the hook on some tracks that bring the album down a notch. It's a dope album...If u don't compare it to the Wu's golden era

Wu felt very PG13 on this album, definitely not the 90s to early 2000s hard R that they used to be. I know they're alot older and dont feel the need to be so hard or agressive...but it's uncomfortably noticeable for me now, too drastic of a change in vibes from early era.

The only tracks I'm feeling are;
Felt
Crushed Egos!!
Preacher's Daughter
Pioneer The Frontier!!
Necklace!!

while Keep Watch and Ron O'Neal aren't too bad.

Ruckus in B Minor is OK, but that verse about TV shows ruins it for me.
A lot of the album also has verses which feel way too short.
Obviously the hooks are an issue too. What ever happened to Tekitha?
Too much U-God (although his Pioneer verse is wicked) and Cappa.
It's a pretty good album to have in the car, you can listen to it all the way through without things getting too repetitive.

Uey had equal time with the others

Quote:

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Originally Posted by claaa7

for me it's about 3.5/5.. it's not mindblowing but i still find myself wanting to go back to it over and over again. i don't know how many times i've heard "Never Let Go" and "Miracle" at this point.

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I enjoy it, a few complaints just like everyone here, but I appreciate the fact that I can still get a Wu album after 20yrs in the game

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Edgar Erebus

* This is the least Wu-sounding Wu album I ever listened to. It's so not Wu that it's kinda distracting. I needed to make effort not to think it's the Clan I'm listening to in order to enjoy it.

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That's what I thought at first, but the music has changed. The album is still good.
What happened to the song Execution in Autumn?

The album is a 3/5 for me.

Great Album. Rza you did it Big. Rae glad you settled your difference. Meth you were as sharp as ever.

To the group,
Enjoy you surived
Your game changers
Stay humble
A Better Tomorrow

Thanks for all your music

WU-TANG CLAN – A BETTER TOMORROW LP Review

By Sunez
The definitive review of Wu-Tang Clan’s A Better Tomorrow



http://premierehiphop.com/2014/12/16...-review-sunez/

1 year later, still spin this at least every 2 weeks in full. I love the album

Quote:

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Originally Posted by JZA/Jordon

1 year later, still spin this at least every 2 weeks in full.

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intentionally?

one year later

I haven't listened to a single track on this album another time since then

i think it's crazy how people are treating this album like it's a serious piece of shit. it doesn't pack the punch of previous Wu-Tang Clan albums but to call this an all-out wack album is just nuts.. it's a well produced record for sure, there's a lot of really good beats on here, RZA's ill with the combination of live instrumentation and programming. the problem is that much of it doesn't fit the vibe of the Wu-Tang Clan to the full extent, there's not any real hype shit on here and there's not much of the raw, dark and gritty (which "8 Diagrams" had plenty of). the other main problem is that much of the Clan members sound uninspired or doesn't mesh with the beats and/or eachother to well..

it's definitely my least favorite WTC album, with "Iron Flag" as the runner-up, but overall it's a solid album - easily better than some albums that gets praise here like "Golden Arms Redemption", "Birth Of A Prince" or "The Great Migration"


here's a nice, objective review that mirrors much of my own thoughts on the LP (there's obviously some stuff i disagree with but...




also remember when a lot of the major websites were invited to the listening session and publishing their thoughts - every single one of them were blown away by what they had heard but once it dropped and they noticed that many were dissapointed they jumped on that bandwagon instead..

i'm not fucking too much with "40th Street Black", "A Better Tomorrow" (seriously that's a lazy ass track from all aspects) and the corny outro called "Wu-Tang Reunion" but i still pull this out every once in a while and let it play through (listening right now)

I think 'Miracle' is one of the best songs they've recorded as a group. The rest of the album is very good too, although theres a few missteps in there like 'Preachers Daughter'.

Its the worst group album yet from Wu, but then you can't expect a game changer or a more focussed LP than the previous ones at this point. Age does that to everybody, so you can't be mad - how many musical artists have made classic albums past the age of 40?

Most people voted A Better Tomorrow as a 4 Slammin', which has me frankly surprised. This album is no 4 out of 5. Maybe its bias favor for the Wu on this site, but this disappointment is a 2 or 2.5 at best. I voted 2 Needs work. Because it really does need work.

Namely, the beats.

That said, I enjoy a small amount of this collection of songs.

The first two singles, "Keep Watch" & the original version of "Ron O'Neal" (performed on Jimmy Kimmel Live).

"Felt"
"Necklace"

I felt like these were the only ones resembling a slight Wu sound.

I haven't dug Cap in years but he came correct on that first single.

All in all, Raekwon was right to question RZA's new mellow directions on the last two albums, they do need 'punch-you-in-your-face' type beats, they are aggressive as a group, but he was wrong about "Keep Watch". The Nathaniel hook took some warming up to, but Math being an original Wu Element did his thing on that beat. It wasn't trash the way Rae said.

I haven't heard their last album and I didn't want to after hearing 8 Diagrams album hahahahahahahahahahahaha. It's sad that they only did 2 good albums Enter The Wu Tang and Wu Tang Forever.

had a dream last night that I found A Better Tomorrow vinyl in a clearance bin for seventeen cents

probably overpriced

I also have not listened to this since it dropped. Going to have to put it in rotation again soon. I must have really hated it since I have had no desire at all to go back to it since then. I have listened to Eight Diagrams hundreds of times and I pretty much feel the exact same way about it, so A Better Tomorrow must have been really repulsive to me