Ironman

The first wave of classic Wu-Tang solo albums — Method Man’s *Tical*, GZA’s *Liquid Swords*, and Raekwon’s *Only Built 4 Cuban Linx* — were spare and cerebral. Ghostface Killah’s *Ironman* brought a burst of unbridled vulnerability to the crew’s aesthetic. Ghostface’s style fuses detail-oriented storytelling with stream-of-consciousness word association, but his delivery has the emotional urgency of a man perpetually on the verge of tears. Brilliant works like “Wildflower,” “Fasta Blade,” “Assassination Day,” Winter Warz” and “Box In Hand” adhere to the Wu-Tang’s spare, mysterious blueprint, but *Ironman* is defined by its references to ‘70s R&B. Ghostface is perfectly matched to the deconstructed Memphis soul samples of “Iron Maiden,” “260,” “Fish,” and “Motherless Child,” while the drumless Jackson 5 sample used in “All That I Got Is You” sets that song’s poignant tone. *Ironman* closes with its most overlooked but also most interesting songs. Arranged in a haunting trilogy, “Motherless Child,” “Black Jesus” and “After the Smoke Is Clear” are ruminations that fuse Black Nationalist theology, ghetto portraiture, and ancient blues.

On his solo debut, Ghostface recreated the New York underworld of his adolescence in impressionistic fits over scythelike RZA beats. It is lean, vulgar, and irresistible.

Every Wu-Tang Clan solo project has a different flavor, and Ghostface Killah's Ironman is no exception.