“WU TANG is forever,” says Genius/GZA, using this live rendition of his classic Liquid Swords set as a chance to remind us of the clan’s impact on hip-hop. Fair point, but it does start to lose its sting the twentieth, booze-slurred time. Too much talk and not enough tunes blunt the blade, though things start well, with the album’s chilling opening monologue. Living In The World Today is heavy too, the crowd screaming every word back at GZA’s lanky, hoody-clad figure. However, a sound system that doesn’t satisfy Genius and his support MCs, Killah Priest and Dready Kruger, leads to weak versions of Investigative Reports and Gold. Genius’ authoritative delivery and intricate metaphors get frustratingly lost in a soupy mix. Liquid Swords is also a guest-heavy solo album. On record, the other Wu members’ lyrical swordplay gives it depth. But their absence sells some of the best cuts short and the show is over too quickly. And instead of letting the music do the talking, moaning at the commercialisation of US hip-hop overshadows the fantastic tunes.
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