Various

This record is an unfortunate case of the sum of the parts not quite adding up to the whole. When Dreddy Kruger — the Wu-filliate who put it altogether — says Wu-Tang, what he really means is Rza, Gza, U-God and a bunch of half-Wus. The "indie” side (what does this mean anymore?), however, does contain everyone from Del to Ras Kass, Planet Asia to Aesop Rock. Lyrically, this album is as sick as you’d expect, which is good, because Bronze Nazareth and Preservation, who handle most of the production, serve up one big pot of tepid, boring beats. Seriously, did this Wu/indie collision need to be tinny little drums and stupid little chop-socky samples? Still, when you’ve got collaborators like Ras Kass and Gza on "Lyrical Swords,” and Rza and MF Doom cranking out some "Biochemical Equation,” any certified hip-hop head has no choice to come along for part of the ride. I’m also pretty sure they’re going to get sued for jacking the Apple logo.