The continuing marketing of
Wu-Tang Clan product hit a new low with the release of
Wu-Chronicles. Though the concept of a
Wu-Tang compilation -- in effect, spanning the dozen or so albums released by members and cutting away the dross -- is perfect for the legion of fans who haven't been able to keep up with the collective's hectic release schedule, this disc stretches everything a bit thin, including tracks by fringe-of-the-fringe groups like
Heltah Skeltah,
Ras Kass,
Killarmy, and some artist known as
Wu-Syndicate. Yes, it's hard to argue with any album that features some great productions by
RZA, and
Wu-Chronicles does include some good collaborations -- notably
Ol' Dirty Bastard with
tha Alkaholiks on "Hip Hop Drunkies" and
Cocoa Brovaz (formerly
Smif-N-Wessun) with
Raekwon on "Black Trump" -- but for the most part it's a wasted attempt at releasing an excellent collection.