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Tical (album)

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Tical is the debut studio album by American rapper and Wu-Tang Clan member Method Man. It was released November 15, 1994, by Def Jam Recordings. It was the first Wu-Tang solo album released after the group's debut, Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers). Similar to all first generation solo Wu-Tang projects, Tical was mainly produced by group member RZA, who provided a dark, murky and rugged sound. The album features guest appearances from RZA, Raekwon, Inspectah Deck, as well as several affiliates, who would later appear on future group projects. In 2017, Method Man revealed on the Viceland talk show Desus & Mero that the album's title is an acronym for "taking into consideration all lives."[2]

Tical
Studio album by
Method Man
ReleasedNovember 15, 1994
Studio
GenreEast Coast hip hop
Length43:49
LabelDef Jam
ProducerRZA
Method Man chronology
Tical
(1994) 		Tical 2000: Judgement Day
(1998)
Wu-Tang Clan solo chronology
Words from the Genius
(1991) 		Tical
(1994) 		Return to the 36 Chambers: The Dirty Version
(1995)
Singles from Tical
  1. "Bring the Pain"
    Released: October 25, 1994
  2. "Release Yo' Delf"
    Released: January 11, 1995[1]
  3. "I'll Be There for You / You're All I Need to Get By"
    Released: April 25, 1995

Tical was a critical and commercial success, reaching number four on the US Billboard 200, and number one on the Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums. On January 18, 1995, the album was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), and on July 13, 1995, the record was certified platinum for the shipment of one million copies in the United States.[3] The success for the album was driven by two singles: "Bring the Pain" and "I'll Be There for You / You're All I Need to Get By".

Background

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In 1991, rapper GZA assisted Method Man in shopping him to label executives at Cold Chillin' Records.[4] Though this would turn out to be unsuccessful, he formed the Wu-Tang Clan with his cousins RZA and Ol' Dirty Bastard, and Method Man was included in the group. Method Man went on to perform on eight of the twelve tracks on the group's acclaimed 1993 debut album, Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers), and even had a solo song entitled "Method Man". That song as well as "C.R.E.A.M.", on which he performed the chorus line, reached #69 and #60 respectively on the Billboard Hot 100.[5] These two songs had higher chart positions than any other tracks on the album, and thus caused much anticipation for Method Man's solo career. At the time of Wu-Tang Clan's debut album, Method Man's rhymes, charisma, and smooth, deep voice made him the group's most visible, popular member.[4]

With the exception of "Sub Crazy" and "P.L.O. Style", which were co-produced by 4th Disciple and Method Man respectively, group member RZA produced Tical in its entirety – leading Jason Birchmeier of Allmusic to refer to the album as "a two-man show".[6] As with the rest of the first round of Wu-Tang albums, RZA would recreate the distinct "Shaolin" sound while tailoring it to the featured rapper. On Tical, his production was especially gritty, dark and murky, complementing both Method Man's distinctly smooth-yet-rugged voice and his raps of cannabis smoking, project love, and traditional hardcore hip hop lyricism. During this time period of the Wu-Tang Clan, RZA was the sole provider of beats for all of its members, whom he would then have battle over the rights to record over them. This competitive approach to quality control would result in Tical's "Meth vs. Chef", a recorded battle between Method Man and Raekwon.[4] "Meth vs. Chef" was recorded in 1993 before RZA's 36 Chambers Studios was flooded, destroying reportedly fifteen beats per Wu-Tang Clan rapper.[4] Many of the beats for Tical would be hastily recreated, and mixed.[4]

Singles

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In 1994, the lead single "Bring the Pain" (backed with "P.L.O. Style") was released. "Bring the Pain" was a RZA-produced track with an understated but funky groove, capped with the ragga vocals of Booster. The single would reach number 45 on the Billboard Hot 100, and number 1 on the Hot Dance chart. The follow-up single, 1995's "Release Yo' Delf", was a more upbeat track, and featured Wu-affiliate Blue Raspberry singing an interpolation of Gloria Gaynor's disco anthem, "I Will Survive". "Release Yo' Delf" reached number 98 on the Hot 100, failing to match the success of "Bring The Pain", but fared better in the UK, peaking at number 45 on the Official Singles Chart.[7] Tical remains the only Method Man album with two singles reaching the Billboard Hot 100.

To continue the album's promotion, "All I Need" was remixed and released as a single in the summer of 1995 as "I'll Be There for You/You're All I Need to Get By". There are two remixes of this song: "Razor Sharp Mix" by the RZA, and the remix by Puff Daddy, both featuring Mary J. Blige. RZA's version proved to be more successful, with its accompanying music video aiding the song to reach number 3 on the Billboard Hot 100, and number one on the Hot Rap, Dance and R&B charts.[8] "Razor Sharp Mix" also won the two a Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group in 1996.

Critical reception

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Initial reaction

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Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic     [9]
Christgau's Consumer Guide [10]
Entertainment WeeklyB[11]
Melody Maker     [12]
NME8/10[13]
Pitchfork8.4/10[14]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide     [15]
Select5/5[16]
The Source     [17]
Spin Alternative Record Guide6/10[18]

Tical was well received by music critics. Tracy E. Hopkins from Entertainment Weekly stated: "Method Man proves to be one of rap's most formidable players. On his solo outing, Tical, the Wu-Tang Clan's standout MC wages lyrical warfare. His gripping rhymes creep out of the darkness and take listeners hostage".[11] Melody Maker wrote that "Meth comes correct with this beamed-down-from-Planet-Mars making music that's way darker and more disorienting than was previously thought possible".[12] NME commented: "The East coast hip hop renaissance continues apace... supremely laid-back, mooching along at a bass-weighted amble, whether it's framing the monogamous lover's lament of "All I Need" or the 'I Will Survive' hook of "Release Yo Self".[13]

Rolling Stone praised the album's singles, but stated: "It's with its heaviest numbers that Tical delivers the primo goods".[19] Writing for The Source, Mitchell Pierce described the album's production as "dark bass and distorted wails that sound like someone is being hacked to death". Pierce concluded that "Tical combines verbal terrorism, tenebrous grooves and home-demo lunacy to produce a gritty production".[17] Michael A. Gonzales from Vibe described Tical as "incredible", and further stated that "the production wizardry and vocal complexity build with each listen."[20]

Retrospect

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Although Tical failed to achieve the critical success of several other Wu-Tang solo albums of its era, such as Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... and Liquid Swords, it has acquired a fair amount of acclaim over the years from various music writers and publications. In 1996, Select ranked it number 28 on their 100 Best Albums of the 90s list,[citation needed] and in 1999, Ego Trip ranked it number 12 on their list of the greatest hip-hop albums released in 1994.[21]

In a later review for Tical, Jason Birchmeier from AllMusic praised Method Man's charisma and RZA's production and stated, "Tical strictly spotlights the group's two stars and does so with refreshingly straightforward flair. There's none of the epic overreaching that mars so many rap albums of the era; rather, there's just over a dozen tracks here, and they're filled to the brim with rhymes and beats and little else; no pop-crossover concessions, nor any heady experimentation for the sake of experimentation. Just good ol'-fashioned hip-hop, albeit with a dark, deranged twist".[9] In 2005, Robert Dimery included Tical on his list of 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die,[22] and in 2008, Tom Moon included it on his 1000 Recordings to Hear Before You Die list.[citation needed]

Accolades

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  • (*) signifies unordered lists
Publication Country Accolade Year Rank
Ego Trip United States Hip Hop's 25 Greatest Albums by Year 1980–98 1999 12
Muzik United Kingdom Albums of the Year[citation needed] 1994 11
NME Albums of the Year[citation needed] 1994 40
Pop Sweden Albums of the Year[citation needed] 1994 3
Q United Kingdom Albums of the Year[citation needed] 1994 *
50 Heaviest Albums of All Time[23] 2001 *
Robert Dimery United States 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die[22] 2005 *
Rock de Lux Spain Albums of the Year[citation needed] 1994 29
Select United Kingdom The 100 Best Albums of the 90s[citation needed] 1996 28
Albums of the Year[citation needed] 1994 18
Tom Moon United States 1000 Recordings to Hear Before You Die[citation needed] 2008 *

Commercial performance

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Tical debuted at number four on the US Billboard 200 chart and number one on the US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, becoming his first US top-ten album and his first number one on the latter.[24] On July 13, 1995, the album was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for sales of over one million copies.[25] As of October 2009, the album has 1,613,000 copies in the United States.[26]

Track listing

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All tracks produced by RZA, except where noted.

Tical track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Tical"
 3:57
2."Biscuits"
  • Smith, Jr.
  • Diggs
 2:50
3."Bring the Pain"
 3:10
4."All I Need"
  • Smith, Jr.
  • Diggs
 3:16
5."What the Blood Clot!?!"
  • Smith, Jr.
  • Diggs
 3:25
6."Meth vs. Chef" (featuring Raekwon)
 3:36
7."Sub Crazy"
2:14
8."Release Yo' Delf" (featuring Blue Raspberry)
 4:15
9."P.L.O. Style" (featuring Carlton Fisk)
  • Smith, Jr.
  • Diggs
  • Carlton Fisk
2:36
10."I Get My Thang in Action"
  • Smith, Jr.
  • Diggs
 3:46
11."Mr. Sandman" (featuring RZA, Inspectah Deck, Street Life, Carlton Fisk, and Blue Raspberry)
 3:38
12."Stimulation"
  • Smith, Jr.
  • Diggs
 3:46
13."Method Man (Remix)"
  • Smith, Jr.
  • Diggs
 3:16
Total length:43:45
European bonus track
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
14."I'll Be There for You / You're All I Need to Get By" (featuring Mary J. Blige)
RZA5:08
Total length:48:53
International bonus tracks
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
14."Bring the Pain (Remix)"
  • Smith, Jr.
  • Diggs
  • RZA
  • Carlos Bess
3:26
15."Release Yo' Delf (Prodigy Remix)" (featuring The Prodigy)Smith, Jr.
5:55
Total length:53:06
Deluxe Edition bonus tracks
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Release Yo' Delf (Prodigy Remix)" (featuring The Prodigy)Smith, Jr.
  • RZA
  • Neil Mc Lellan
  • Liam Howlett
  • Keith Flint
5:55
2."Release Yo' Delf (New Blood Mix)" (featuring Blue Raspberry)
  • Smith, Jr.
  • Diggs
  • Perren
  • Fekaris
  • RZA
  • New Blood
5:22
3."I'll Be There for You/You're All I Need to Get By" (featuring Mary J. Blige)
  • Smith, Jr.
  • Diggs
  • Ashford
  • Simpson
RZA3:44
4."I'll Be There for You/You're All I Need to Get By" (Razor Sharp Mix Instrumental) RZA3:45
5."I'll Be There for You/You're All I Need to Get By" (Puff Daddy Mix) (featuring Mary J. Blige)
5:09
6."I'll Be There for You/You're All I Need to Get By" (Puff Daddy Mix Instrumental) 
  • RZA
  • Diddy
5:05
7."I'll Be There for You/You're All I Need to Get By" (Soul Inside Edit) (featuring Mary J. Blige)
  • Smith, Jr.
  • Diggs
  • Ashford
  • Simpson
  • Wallace
  • Combs
  • Thomas, Jr.
  • RZA
  • Dodge
4:15
8."I'll Be There for You/You're All I Need to Get By" (Keep It Tight Mix) (featuring Mary J. Blige)
  • Smith, Jr.
  • Diggs
  • Ashford
  • Simpson
  • RZA
  • Dodge
4:35
9."Bring the Pain" (Chemical Brothers Remix)
  • Smith, Jr.
  • Diggs
5:59
10."Bring the Pain" (Carlos Bess Remix)
  • Smith, Jr.
  • Diggs
  • RZA
  • Carlos Bess
3:25
11."Bring the Pain" (Instrumental) RZA3:15
12."The Riddler"
RZA3:31
13."Wings of the Morning" (Dynamik Duo Mix) (with Capleton)
3:52
Total length:101:42

Personnel

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Charts

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Weekly charts

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Chart (1994–1995) Peak
position
Canadian Albums (Billboard)[27] 50
US Billboard 200[28] 4
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[29] 1

Year-end charts

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Chart (1995) Position
US Billboard 200[30] 75
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[31] 9

Certifications

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Region Certification Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[32] Platinum 100,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[33] Gold 100,000*
United States (RIAA)[34] Platinum 1,000,000^

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Insanul Ahmed (2011-10-19). "Method Man Breaks Down His 25 Most Essential Songs". Complex. Retrieved 2019-09-09.
  2. ^ "Method Man Tells Desus and Mero What 'Tical' Means". www.vice.com.
  3. ^ "RIAA Searchable Database". Recording Industry Association of America. Archived from the original on December 21, 2006. Retrieved November 15, 2006.
  4. ^ a b c d e Cowie, Del F. "Days Of The Wu". Archived from the original on April 28, 2005. Retrieved November 15, 2006.
  5. ^ "Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) Billboard Singles at AllMusic.com". Retrieved November 15, 2006.
  6. ^ Birchmeier, Jason. "Tical at AllMusic.com". Retrieved November 18, 2006.
  7. ^ "Release Yo' Delf UK Chart Performance". Official Charts (UK).
  8. ^ "Method Man Billboard Singles at AllMusic.com". Retrieved November 18, 2006.
  9. ^ a b Birchmeier, Jason. "Tical – Method Man". AllMusic. Retrieved February 24, 2010.
  10. ^ Christgau, Robert (2000). "Method Man: Tical". Christgau's Consumer Guide: Albums of the '90s. St. Martin's Griffin. ISBN 0-312-24560-2. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
  11. ^ a b Hopkins, Tracy (December 9, 1994). "Tical". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on 2015-11-18. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
  12. ^ a b "Method Man: Tical". Melody Maker. May 23, 2000. p. 56.
  13. ^ a b "Method Man: Tical". NME. January 28, 1995. p. 47.
  14. ^ Kearse, Stephen (October 9, 2022). "Method Man: Tical Album Review". Pitchfork. Retrieved October 9, 2022.
  15. ^ Ex, Kris (2004). "Method Man". In Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian (eds.). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (4th ed.). Simon & Schuster. p. 539. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8.
  16. ^ Hall, Matt (January 1995). "Method Man: Tical". Select. No. 55. pp. 80–81.
  17. ^ a b Pierce, Mitchell (January 1995). "Method Man: Tical". The Source. No. 64. p. 85.
  18. ^ Aaron, Charles (1995). "Wu-Tang Clan". In Weisbard, Eric; Marks, Craig (eds.). Spin Alternative Record Guide. Vintage Books. pp. 437–438. ISBN 0-679-75574-8.
  19. ^ "Method Man: Tical". Rolling Stone. December 29, 1994 – January 12, 1995. pp. 178–80.
  20. ^ Gonzales, Michael A. (November 1994). "Method Man: The Tical / Redman: Dare Is a Darkside". Vibe. Vol. 2, no. 9. pp. 125–26. Retrieved February 24, 2010.
  21. ^ Ego Trip's Book of Rap Lists. St. Martin's Publishing Group. 1999. p. 335.
  22. ^ a b Dimery, Robert, ed. (2005). 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die. London: Cassell Illustrated. p. 353. OL 27874280M.
  23. ^ "50 Heaviest Albums of All Time". Q. No. 178. July 2001. p. 88.
  24. ^ Sha Be Allah (November 15, 2019). "METHOD MAN'S DEBUT ALBUM 'TICAL' TURNS 25 YEARS OLD". Retrieved March 1, 2020.
  25. ^ "RIAA Certifications - Method Man". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved March 1, 2020.
  26. ^ "XXL SCANS: DEF JAM'S ENTIRE DISCOGRAPHY & RECORD SALES". October 18, 2009. Retrieved March 1, 2020.
  27. ^ "Method Man Chart History (Canadian Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved December 20, 2021.
  28. ^ "Method Man Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved December 20, 2021.
  29. ^ "Method Man Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved December 20, 2021.
  30. ^ "Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1995". Billboard. Retrieved December 5, 2018.
  31. ^ "Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 1995". Billboard. Retrieved December 5, 2018.
  32. ^ "Canadian album certifications – Method Man – Tical". Music Canada.
  33. ^ "British album certifications – Method Man – Tical". British Phonographic Industry.
  34. ^ "American album certifications – Method Man – Tical". Recording Industry Association of America.
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