36 Seasons
Studio album by
Ghostface Killah
ReleasedDecember 9, 2014
Recorded2014
GenreHip hop
Length40:15
LabelTommy Boy
ProducerThe Revelations, Fizzy Womack, Abdul-Rahmaan, The 45 King
Ghostface Killah chronology
Twelve Reasons to Die
(2013)		 36 Seasons
(2014)		 Sour Soul
(2015)

36 Seasons is the eleventh studio album by American rapper and Wu-Tang Clan member, Ghostface Killah. It was released on December 9, 2014, by Tommy Boy Records.[1]

Background

In a December 2014, interview with HipHopDX, Ghostface Killah said it took about 11 days to record the album.[2] Like Ghostface Killah's previous album, Twelve Reasons to Die, 36 Seasons is a concept album. The album follows the story of Tony Starks as he returns to Staten Island after nine years away seeking a quiet life but he finds this will be difficult to accomplish.[3]

Release and promotion

Record store Get On Down was the only retailer to sell 36 Seasons in vinyl format. Get On Down also sold a CD bundle that featured the vinyl version, an instrumental CD, poster, graphic novel booklet, and a T-shirt.[1]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic72/100[4]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[5]
The A.V. ClubC+[6]
Billboard[7]
Consequence of SoundB[8]
Entertainment WeeklyA−[9]
Exclaim!8/10[10]
Los Angeles Times[11]
The Observer[12]
Pitchfork6.0/10[13]
Spin7/10[14]

36 Seasons received generally positive reviews from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from critics, the album received an average score of 72, which indicates "generally favorable reviews", based on 18 reviews.[4] David Jeffries of AllMusic said, "Inspiration flows out of the man throughout the album, and this end-to-end concept is executed with little note-spinning or boring lyrics that just serve the story, and while Twelve Reasons took a big giallo risk and nailed it, this more expected, '70s-favored success still surprises with its vigorous sense of purpose."[5] Homer Johnsen of HipHopDX stated, "36 Seasons may not be Ghostface’s greatest project, but it is another notable addition to his extensive body of work. Rapping alongside Kool G Rap and AZ for the bulk of the album is certainly a treat, and the two have their own moments of glory. Production, on the other hand, simply does not hold on to the lyrical dynamism present between Ghost, Pharoahe Monch, AZ and G."[15] Michael Madden of Consequence of Sound said, "36 Seasons is the result of consummate artistic process and taste--a complete album both lyrically and musically."[8]

Theon Weber of Spin said, "It's a small, controlled, uncommonly focused album, by an artist well into the kind of middle age that prizes refinement and brevity."[14] Olivia Arezes of Exclaim! stated, "Ghost has always been considered a master of storytelling, and on 36 Seasons, he paints the usual sordid pictures in his songs, except this time he's cast an all-star team —Kool G Rap, AZ, Pharoahe Monch and others — as characters in an audio comic that's as action-packed as a kung-fu film."[10] Matthew Fiander of PopMatters said, "His flow is solid on this album, and there’s no reason to suggest Ghostface is done, but if he is trying to recapture something, all we get here is sound and fury."[16]

Track listing

Credits adapted from the album's liner notes.[17]

No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)[18]Length
1."The Battlefield" (featuring AZ, Kool G Rap & Tre Williams)
3:46
2."Love Don't Live Here No More" (featuring Kandace Springs)
  • Coles
  • Angela Johnson
  • Malik Abdul-Rahmaan
  • Malik Abdul-Rahmaan
  • The Revelations
3:48
3."Here I Go Again" (featuring AZ & Rell)
  • Fizzy Womack
  • The Revelations
3:28
4."Loyalty" (performed by Kool G Rap & Nems)
  • Wilson
  • Travis Doyle
  • Mingus
  • Werner
  • Janusonis
The Revelations1:57
5."It's a Thin Line Between Love and Hate" (performed by The Revelations)
  • Jackie Members
  • Richard Poindexter
  • Robert Poindexter
The Revelations3:59
6."The Dogs of War" (featuring Shawn Wigs & Kool G Rap)
The Revelations3:48
7."Emergency Procedure" (featuring Pharoahe Monch)
The Revelations2:42
8."Double Cross" (featuring AZ)
  • Coles
  • Cruz
  • Mingus
  • Werner
  • Janusonis
The Revelations2:20
9."Bamboo’s Lament" (performed by Kandace Springs)
  • Johnson
  • Abdul-Rahmaan
  • Malik Abdul-Rahmaan
  • The Revelations
1:57
10."Pieces to the Puzzle" (featuring AZ)
  • Coles
  • Cruz
  • Mingus
  • Werner
  • Janusonis
The Revelations2:35
11."Homicide" (featuring Nems & Shawn Wigs)
  • Coles
  • Doyle
  • Simons
  • Abdul-Rahmaan
  • Mingus
  • Werner
  • Janusonis
  • Malik Abdul-Rahmaan
  • The Revelations
3:21
12."Blood in the Streets" (featuring AZ)
2:03
13."Call My Name"
  • Coles
  • Cruz
  • Janusonis
The Revelations2:11
14."I Love You for All Seasons" (performed by The Revelations)Sheila YoungThe Revelations2:20

Charts

Chart (2014) Peak
position
US Billboard 200[19] 94
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[20] 10
US Top Tastemaker Albums (Billboard)[21] 13

References

  1. 1 2 "Ghostface Killah "36 Seasons" Release Date, Tracklist, Production Credits & Album Snippets". HipHopDX. Archived from the original on 3 May 2015. Retrieved 16 November 2014.
  2. ↑ "Ghostface Killah Talks "36 Seasons;" Says Rap Is Dumbed Down & Speaks Against Police Brutality". HipHopDX. 8 December 2014. Retrieved 16 December 2014.
  3. ↑ "Ghostface Killah Announces New Album 36 Seasons, Shares "Love Don't Live Here No More"". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved 11 December 2014.
  4. 1 2 "Reviews for 36 Seasons by Ghostface Killah". Metacritic. Retrieved 11 December 2014.
  5. 1 2 David Jeffries. "36 Seasons - Ghostface Killah - Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards - AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 11 December 2014.
  6. ↑ "Review: Ghostface Killah tries to repeat a winning formula on 36 Seasons". The A.V. Club. Retrieved 11 December 2014.
  7. ↑ Paul Cantor (9 December 2014). "Album Review: Ghostface Killah Follows Up Wu-Tang Clan's Reunion Album With Solo Concept LP '36 Seasons'". Billboard. Retrieved 26 December 2014.
  8. 1 2 "Ghostface Killah – 36 Seasons". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved 11 December 2014.
  9. ↑ Anderson, Kyle. Album. Ghostface Killah 36 Seasons. Entertainment Weekly. Page 78. December 5, 2014.
  10. 1 2 "Ghostface Killah - 36 Seasons". Exclaim!. Retrieved 11 December 2014.
  11. ↑ "Review: Ghostface Killah's '36 Seasons' delivers steely hip-hop". Los Angeles Times. 8 December 2014. Retrieved 11 December 2014.
  12. ↑ Killian Fox. "Ghostface Killah: 36 Seasons review – Wu-Tang star makes a myth out of turf warfare". The Guardian. Retrieved 12 December 2014.
  13. ↑ "Ghostface Killah: 36 Seasons". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved 11 December 2014.
  14. 1 2 "Ghostface Killah, '36 Seasons' Review". SPIN. Retrieved 11 December 2014.
  15. ↑ "Ghostface Killah - 36 Seasons". HipHopDX. 9 December 2014. Retrieved 11 December 2014.
  16. ↑ "Ghostface Killah: 36 Seasons". PopMatters. Retrieved 2015-05-24.
  17. ↑ 36 Seasons (booklet). Tommy Boy. 2014.
  18. ↑ "Ghostface Killah "36 Seasons" Album Sampler Mixed by 7L". AllHipHop. Retrieved 16 November 2014.
  19. ↑ "Ghostface Killah Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved December 20, 2014.
  20. ↑ "Ghostface Killah Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved December 20, 2014.
  21. ↑ "Ghostface Killah Chart History (Top Tastemaker Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved December 20, 2014.
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