The Wu could be through

"Hey, so what do you think of '8 Diagrams'? I dunno if I'm really feelin it."

A friend of mine sent me this message on Facebook today in regard to the new Wu-Tang Clan album. I've known him since kindergarten. Growing up, the two of us were bonafied Wu fanatics. We bought the albums, the clothes, the concert tickets; anything with that big black "W" logo on it had to be ours. Long after they were considered washed up, we were still checking for the nine Staten Island superheroes. They were comic book characters come to life, X-Men under the influence of fat blunts and kung-fu movies. Now, after a four year break, "8 Diagrams" is their latest effort as a group. The spotlight has been off of them for years, and this album, with reports of bickering amongst the group, could be their last. I wanted them to go out on top. They're not gonna.

The rejuvenated Clan could have made a great album, but it appears group Svengali/producer RZA let his ego get in the way. Many other Wu members have come forth to denounce him, claiming that he completely micromanaged "8 Diagrams" and ignored all other input. RZA himself admits the album was produced under a "dictatorship" and not a "democracy". He has no one but himself to blame for the results.

The rapping isn't the problem. Other than the intolerable U-God, all the MCs sound great. Method Man, still the group's biggest star, hasn't performed this well in a decade. The underappreciated Masta Killa gets more face time than on past efforts and does an excellent job. Ghostface, always a model of consistency, does his thing, and, although everyone else is past their prime, they're still better than most MCs today.

If the MC'ing exceeds expectations, RZA's beats fail to meet them completely. Almost universally regarded as a musical genius (name another hip hop producer who's done scores for Tarantino and Jarmusch films), RZA has been Wu-Tang's heart and soul from the jump. Now, for the first time, he seems to be lacking inspiration. "Tar pit", "Unpredictable" and "Campfire" are just three of many songs that feature quality rapping over subpar production.

Occasionally on "8 Diagrams", RZA has a flashback to his glory days and creates a sonic palette worthy of his past work. "Wolves" features the great George Clinton filling the role of the Clan's late jester, Ol' Dirty Bastard, while RZA's track combines eerie chanting with an eastern flute sample. It's the rare case of an "8 Diagrams" song with a beat and hook comparable to the rapping. Other quality songs include the ominous "Stick Me For My Riches", despite some awful singing, and the heartfelt tribute to Ol' Dirty, "Life Changes". "Rushing Elephants" takes the title for best song on the album, as Raekwon, GZA, Masta Killa and RZA all drop excellent verses, one after another, with no chorus to slow the momentum. It's the closest they come to capturing that vintage Wu sound.

Were it the debut album of some unhyped group of newjacks, "8 Diagrams" would likely be fawned over by rap critics. There's not a truly bad song on the disc, although the cheesy "Starter" comes close. But from a collective as talented as the Wu-Tang Clan, it's fair to expect excellence from them every time out, especially when delivering an album as important as this one.