Wu-Tang Clan

As most collections of rare or unreleased tracks are bound to do, Wu-Tang Clan's Unreleased reaffirms that there was in fact a reason why these tracks did not make it onto proper full-length albums or onto singles as B-sides in the first place. Compiled and mixed by Mathematics, the songs on the record feature more Wu affiliates than full-fledged members, and while there are some decent cuts (the funky soul remix of "Queens Day '88," the old-school feel of "Wu Banga" -- originally found on Ghostface Killah's 2000 album, Supreme Clientele) -- a lot of the remixes (the lackluster production of "Wise," for example) fall short, and the scarcity of Meth and Raekwon don't help matters. When the Wu do show up, like in "Da 'N,'" they sound good, and remind fans why they're so popular and respected in the first place, but the tired sex rhymes from M Speed, Streetlife and Drama on "Eggs, Hash & Grits" or the empty braggadocio and threats from Shyheim on "Non-Equivalent" don't live up to the standards that Wu-Tang have already set up. The group promised a new studio album later in 2007 (their first since 2001's Iron Flag), meaning that Unreleased can slide off as just acting as a means of whetting listeners' appetites before the real thing appears. ~ Marisa Brown, All Music Guide