Between
Gravediggaz
first album,
6 Feet Deep
, and the second,
The Pick, the Sickle and the Shovel
,
RZA
became the most influential producer in
hip-hop
, as his productions for the various
Wu-Tang Clan
side projects established his distinctive, skeletal style as
rap
's cutting edge. So, it's a little surprising that
The Pick
doesn't showcase
, even though there are several tangential
Wu
members on the disc. Instead, the production team of
Poetic
True Master
Fourth Disciple
Goldfinghaz
and
Darkim
mastermind the sound of the album, which is light-years away from the violent horrorcore of
.
has a layered, textured surface, filled with inventive, unpredictable samples that create a hypnotic web. Appropriately,
Prince Paul
Frukwan
have smarter rhymes this time around, exploring social problems instead of wallowing in comic book gore. At times, the album's momentum sags, but overall,
is a quantum leap forward for
. Unlike its predecessor, it's an album that reflects its creators' intelligence. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine