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Go Fish · by Sach O
Well, there is a guest track about poker.
The thing I hate the most about internet hype is how it fails to contend with the unexpected. Whether a long awaited album actually lives up to the hype is irrelevant: it’s going to get more press and more favorable coverage than a left-field surprise without any blog-chatter going for it. Take Ghostface Killah’s Fishscale: while easily one of the better albums out this year (not difficult) and arguably one of Ghost’s best solo releases (very difficult), there was a fair bit about it that just didn’t click for me despite the scientifically calculated 9.7/10 reviews.
Obviously when it dropped, I was enamored by it same as everyone else was. Besides it’s not like much else was worth bumping in early 06, but as time went on some of the previously ignorable flaws came into focus. The album featured shoddy mixing and recording, with sound quality varying wildly between tracks and even between verses due to the fact that outside contributions were done via internet. Those e-mail collaborations sounded forced and while most of them were still great, the lack of chemistry as compared to previous posse cuts was palpable. Similarly, the recreated cartoon skits ala Supreme Clientele also felt forced, coming off as artificial and unnatural. Still, the most annoying aspect of the album was that for the first time in his career, Ghost was “giving people what they wanted” rather than trying to push his style forward. From an imitation 36 Chambers posse cut (9 Milli Bros) to Bulletproof Wallets storytelling (Shakey Dog, Kilo, Barbershop) to Cuban Linx grit (R.A.G.U) to Supreme Clientele weirdness (Clips of Doom, Underwater) to Theodore Unit material (Crack Spot, Jellyfish) to Holla Redux (Big Girl) to an Ironman sounding cut (Dogs of War) to Dilla’s Rza-light beats (Strap, Beauty Jackson) to even reprising one of his old singles (Back like that is basically Never Be the Same Again), Ghost has practically done every song on the album before.
Now before you start with the angry comments, the irony is that I enjoy every single one of those songs (except maybe Back like That). They’re all well executed Ghost songs in the finest tradition even if they don’t reach the heights of his Rza produced material. (How could they?) But despite their inherent quality, the fact that they didn’t really break new ground for Ghost prevented me from enjoying the album as much as some of his previous releases: it felt a little artificial as it attempted to recreate past greatness.
This brings us to the subject of Ghost’s recently released More Fish and back to the question of internet hype. I’ve seen the record written off as “a glorified mixtape” and “a Theodore Unit album in disguise” on forums already and the indie kids are predictably getting ready to dismiss it as well, having moved on to the next fad and having no time for another Ghost release. Do not listen to these douchebags: by putting together crew tracks, outtakes, outside collaborations and a few original contributions Ghost has recorded his most natural sounding LP since Bulletproof Wallets and has delivered a great complementary album to Fishscale.
In many ways the albums stake out opposing territory with Fishscale being a retrospective of Ghost’s past and More Fish pointing towards his future with his new crew. Obviously those looking for the Ghost-centric solo raps from Fishscale will be disappointed as his Theodore accomplices are all over the album including on their own solo tracks (just like Ironman incidentally). This works to the album’s advantage however as Ghost’s best material has always featured him sharing the mic with his homies. While Trife da God, Sun God and Shawn Wigs may not exactly be the second coming of Wu-Tang they all come through and you can tell that these were actual in studio collaborations as everybody’s on the same page. With the exception of Wigs’ second solo track (mercifully tacked on as a “bonus” for easy removal along with the equally useless Back like that Remix), Ghost’s crew continues to be the best Wu-affiliates since the glory days of Killah Priest and Royal Fam. Even the outside guests seem natural with a rejuvenated Redman and Sheek Louch (basically a bootleg Redman) adding flavor to the proceedings. Still, the album’s best moments are Ghost’s and Ghost’s alone: the Madlib produced “Block Rock” lands somewhere between Rza’s most eccentric work and El-P’s hardest, “Ghost is Back” does Rakim justice and “Alex (Stolen Script)’ ends the album just as strongly as “Underwater” did Fishscale. That’s not even counting Ghost’s remix of Amy Winehouse’s “You Know I’m no Good” which if marketed well, could become Ghost’s biggest hit since Cherchez La Ghost. Don’t make me spank you twice Def Jam.
The album’s best feature has got to be how natural it flows: the skits are seamless, the Theodore contributions are well sequenced, outside material from Hi-Tek and the aforementioned Winehouse fit in perfectly and the whole thing comes together as well as Rza-deprived Ghost album could hope for. In fact, by actively choosing beats that don’t sound like Wu imitations this time around, it’s far easier to take the project for what it is since we’re not constantly being reminded of the maestro’s absence by sub-par imitations.
It’s far too early to say how More Fish ranks compared to its predecessor, though the internet cult-of-Ghost will probably side with Fishscale due to its brand-name production and lack of guest. Hell, 6 months down the line I may have to surreptitiously delete this post once the honey-moon is over and the album’s faults become clearer like its prequel’s. Still, More Fish deserves a fair chance: it’s not a big and flashy as Fishscale but it’s also a lot less forced, features equally impressive stand out tracks and proves that all Ghost needs to put together a dope CD is a couple of homies, a mic and some beats.
And as far as I’m concerned, if you think We Fly High was a good look for New York, you’re (un)officially not allowed to complain about Wigs’ poker track.
personally, I loved “pokerface.” I am pretty much in agreement with you, and I would definitley put this on par with FishScale
— dronkmunk Dec 4, 12:40 PM
Great review. I agree with you somewhat about Fishscale in that it really stood out compared to its contemporary releases this year – not a whole lot to get excited about. Ghost has pushed the envelope with his style so much throughout the course of his career that I think he can be forgiven for one album of familiarities.
And I’m kinda looking forward to the Trife joints – he’s no Rae, of course, but him and Ghost complement each other nicely.
— floodwatch Dec 4, 01:22 PM
Great review…you aren’t gonna have to delete this one..this album is easily on par with fishscale maybe better Alex (stolen Script) is prolly better than anything on Fishscale. Both are classics in my book. Dude’s like the Led Zeppelin of rap, seriously has anyone put out two albums this good in the same year since Led Zep I and II?
— Jeff Dec 4, 03:48 PM
That sample on Gunz and razors….Someone gotta remind me where it’s from; I know I knew that song at a moment in my life. I know I knew.
The whole album is really good.Funny line about pocker face, the whole review is great anyway. And as a wufam ex-stan I must point out the high quality of the killa sin verse, cause, you know… killa sin is just what we all wish our favorite rapper’d be.
— djeff Dec 4, 04:45 PM
Gunz and razors was previously used twice, it was part of the audio collage on Mmm Food and MF Grimm used it on special Herbs and Spices.
I’d be mad, but the new track is fuego. You’d think SOMEONE would have snatched up some of those unused herbs by now though. Matter of fact sounds like a post…
— Sach Dec 4, 05:11 PM
Needless to say the Herbs and Spices Beats are the best albums made for freestyling ever.
— Jeff Dec 4, 05:43 PM
Really looking forward to hearing this. I actually feel like Fishscale is amongst the best albums of any genre released this year, warts and all. It just has so much personality, I find it hard to get hung up on the technical details and lack of innovation. That’s really always been Prettey Toney’s strength, dude always comes across as so engaging and dynamic.
— R-Lex Dec 4, 07:54 PM
LOL @ the ‘We fly high’ jab..BAALLIIINNN!!!
— esbee Dec 4, 08:11 PM
“has anyone put out two albums this good in the same year since Led Zep I and II?”
Wailers – Catch a Fire; Burnin’
MF Doom – Take Me To Your Leader; Vaudeville Villain
or
Madvillainy; Mmm…Food
Mr. Lif – I, Phantom; Emergency Rations
Ice Cube – Amerikkka’s Most; Kill at Will
Fela Kuti, numerous times (of course, most of his albums were like two long songs)
Al Green – Let’s Stay Together; I’m Still in Love With You
Grateful Dead – American Beauty; Workingman’s Dead
Burning Spear – Social Living; Hail H.I.M.
James Brown – Black Caesar; The Payback
Santana – Caravanserai; Love Devotion Surrender
The Sea and Cake – Nassau; The Biz
Bruce Springsteen – Greetings from Asbury Park; The Wild….
Nas – nahhh….
just some possibilities…
— nesta Dec 5, 12:29 AM
This is hot shit, the ipod is getting charged on the daily. been banging it the second I could get it. Like I said before the Winehouse joint is the shine of the album, The wigs pokerface cut while an interesting idea, was kinda wack (I can’t take money seriously, he sounds like he’s drunk and has marbles in his mouth on the intro, and on the rest of the track, what else? Just a watered down Ghost) The MFDoom beats are okay I guess, but if he doesn’t come with new and improved production on the duet album, if I was Tone I’d be insulted with all these reused beats.
Nothing can match the intensity of Shakey Dog, a track so good wack producers have bit it twice since it dropped, never with nearly the same fire.
— Skylar Dec 5, 02:38 AM
Word to James Brown and Al Green. They have more than one set of albums that could have been mentioned here too.
Stevie Wonder—MOMM and Talking Book.
Funkadelic—Free Your Mind and self-titled.
Isaac Hayes—Black Moses, Shaft.
I think that Curtis Mayfield’s Curtis and Roots might have been the same year.
Tons of jazz artists dropped classic albums in the same year.
How did Mr Lif get on that list? And Doom is the shit and all, but his solo joints since Doomsday weren’t all that.
I don’t think that More Fish is as good as Fishscale, but the highs of the former rival those on the latter. And the beats are nice for the most part.
Just when I thought Ghost couldn’t possibly impress me more, he comes with “Alex” and “Street Opera.” Not only is Ghost the illest rapper on the planet, hands down, he has moved into the Slick Rick/old Cube/Face pantheon of storytelling.
— eauhellzgnaw Dec 5, 02:56 AM
Yesss it’s that mf doom beat!
— djeff Dec 5, 03:17 AM
a few points on this post and more fish before i write my own review:
01/Sach, you are the man.
02/How come whenever they say MF Doom produced a Ghost track, it just sounds like Ghost bought the Special Herbs comps and spit over that instrumental?
03/I can see you saying “Strap” sounded RZA-lite… with the bits where he muddies the vocal in the beat, but RZA couldn’t pull Beauty Jackson out even in his heyday—not really his style with the switching of the beats. RZA was a don but his shit wasn’t that funky.
— khal Dec 5, 07:01 AM
Completely agree on Fishscale, there’s something not quite right about it, doesn’t push anything forward. He gave people what they wanted and big chunks kinda bore me.
More Fish—eh. I prolly need more time with it. Also, I’m not sure what’s natural sounding about Bulletproof Wallets. That record has huge holes where tracks were supposed to go that couldn’t get cleared. I like it, but it’s maybe the most skip-around-able album in his catalogue.
— Sean Dec 5, 03:02 PM
The Shaft soundtrack is a good soundtrack, but not a good album. It’s mostly elevator music aside from the title track.
Roots dropped a year after Curtis.
Not to get all Stanley Crouch, but there ain’t been too many classic jazz albums since ‘69, esp from the same artist in the same year. Probably some though.
Those Mr. Lif joints are dope. One is an EP though.
I think Ghost did just listen to the Herbs and Spices and picked beats he liked. I’ve heard Doom told him the beats had already been released, but Ghost insisted, so he used them.
Completely agree w/ Sean on Bulletproof Wallets. The music is great, but it always felt patched together to me.
— nesta Dec 5, 07:50 PM
In the I-Pod era, I see no reason why people would not put together the intended version from the sessions. Just remove “Love sessions” change Flowers for the original (a Wu classic) insert The Sun, The Watch and Good Times and you’ve got something far closer to Ironman and Supreme than Pretty Tony and Fishscale.
I guess “technically” that’s unfairly viewing the album, but I’ve eventually removed tracks from almost every single release out this year anyways.
— Sach Dec 5, 11:33 PM
great article
http://www.maximonline.com/video/662/theghostwiththemost.video?src=gm43
heres a decent interview with ghostface if you can get the video to work
— steve Dec 6, 02:03 PM
I gotta agree about Fishscale…I play it and I like it…but after the two albums before it something wasn’t quite right.
— Amadeo Dec 6, 02:12 PM
^^^^^^^^^^
I don’t listen to much post-69 jazz, but Mingus’ Changes albums, while not his best, are certainly worth mentioning. There are Weather Report’s early albums. And obviously Miles’ ridiculous career-long run was still intact from 69 until the hiatus… to name a few.
Everything folks are saying about Fishscale, I felt about Pretty Toney. I like most of the songs, but it just doesn’t feel right to me. I also never bought the retail Bulletproof Wallets; the modified version with the original uncleared tracks (and minus “I’m Bitin Off You” “Ghost Showers” and one of the Theodore joints) make it classic. I listen to that shit on the regular.
As for the criticism that Fishscale is creatively stagnant, I just don’t see it. “Big Girl” is only formally a retread of “Holla.” The content makes it a step forward. Yeah, ghost has done gritty stories before, but “Shakey Dog” is completely different from “Maxine” in terms of Ghost’s tone, his narrative voice and judgment, etc. And while Ghost has done several joints for/about the ladies, these contain some of his weakest lyrics (“Wildflower” and “Never be the Same Again” being the exceptions); however, “Beauty Jackson,” his ridiculous verse on “Jellyfish” (the cat metaphor is one of his best ever), and again, “Big Girl” show vast improvement as far as I’m concerned. Yes, “Underwater” is not really “The Forest” beneath the sea; he could have pulled a GZA-like Labels/Publicity/Fame, but didn’t.
Yes, he gave the fans what they wanted, but he did it in a strange and unexpected way that I think yall are slighting somewhat unfairly.
— eauhellzgnaw Dec 7, 03:14 AM
http://rockthedub.blogspot.com/2006/12/ghostface-killah-more-fish-review.html
finally finished my review. dunno if i dig this as much as Sach does, mainly due to the TheoUnit malarky, but when Ghost is spitting, it’s fire. I wish it was more of just that…
— khal Dec 7, 04:02 PM
“Ghost has practically done every song on the album before. ”
Yo I said this when the album dropped. It is real talk and shit is super disappointing from my end, its a decent album but ghostface has never been about ‘decent’ albums.
— David Dec 7, 10:01 PM
Doesn’t look like this was mentioned – my love for the Metal Fingers beat for “Guns N Razors” goes beyond being Doom, but because its a sample straight from the original Spider-Man cartoon. Even though it was played on Mm Food, Doom didn’t even rap over it, so I’m glad someone can make further use of it.
My main disappointment (relating to a later post on this site) with recycled Herbs and Spices is more so a grief with marketing.
If I’m looking forward to an album because it features a new MF Doom track, that’s like looking to catch a new Biggie verse only to hear that they ripped the acapella off some Junior MAFIA song that no one remembers.
Don’t get me wrong, I still enjoy it – the same way that Donuts lent tracks – but I like to be surprised.
And yes, great post.
— jimminy Dec 10, 03:35 AM