Wu-Tang albums show up in Pitchfork mailboxes more frequently than issues of Jane and Lowrider. In 1999, we can look forward to twelve assorted Wu-Tang records. They should consider pooling all their records and just releasing a third proper Wu-Tang Clan album. Make it a decuple album-- call it Encyclopedia Wu-Tannica. But no. Of course, every Wu-Tang member has to step aside to do a solo project to prove that, yes, in fact, even alone, he sounds just like the Wu-Tang Clan. But with less people.

First up for the nine-nine is RZA's Underoo-Tang fantasy "concept" album, Bobby Digital In Stereo. Yes, your "extremely drug induced" bells and whistles should be flaring right about now. Think: "Stan Lee presents... Da Muthaf*&%in' Ghetto!" Supposedly there's a plot, but you wouldn't know it from listening to the album. Bobby Digital, who sheilds his anonymity with a bedsheet and plastic party mask, embodies the alter-id of RZA. According to the story, Bobby's list of superpowers contains smoking lots of weed, shooting Glocks, disrespecting women, smacking women in the face with his penis, and talking on a cellphone. Like an x-rated "Blankman."

As far as hip-hop concept albums go, this concept looks quite circuitous. Here's the concept in a nutshell: RZA, a rapper, has an alter- ego that's a hardcore gangsta rapper. The thinly veiled plot, about as sturdy as the script for "Twister," provides a cheap vehicle for RZA to cruise through tired cliches. If further removed from the genre, it might be considered satire. But like I say, just because "Scream" makes fun of lame, teen, horrible, unscary horror movies, doesn't mean it isn't a lame, teen, horrible, unscary horror movie.

RZA (real name Robert Diggs) undeniably cooks spooky beats. Early- century strings, brisk beats and bleeps, and female soul- crooning percolate through the minimal mix, coming off in its best moments like Portishead and Bjork on a hip-hop trip. However, at this point in his career, RZA can crank out heartbeat tracks like this from his hypothalumus in his sleep. And with the glut of all things Wu, hip-hop is supersaturated with such sounds.

Lyrically, RZA has proven in the past that he can do better. Randomly stringing anime references, martial arts lingo, crotch- grabbing bravado, and product names, RZA's rhymes tumble from his lips like marbles and vomit. A creative vocabulary saves some grace, but the "pussys," "bitches" and "motherfuckers" far outweigh the "tighter than prescription bottles" and "Mr. Potatohead Ore Ida deep fried krinkle cuts." Sometimes I wonder if Wu-Tang members look around the kitchen and read labels for lyrics. I mean, it's a clever technique, but it's an empty one.

Bobby Digital earns the dubious distinction of having the most annoying rap song of the year, "B.O.B.B.Y." For the chorus, RZA spits out the spelling "B-O-B-B-Y- D-I-G-I-T-A-L" over and over, sounding like a street- tough Cookie Monster. There are some keeper tracks, such as the Isaac Hayes-ish "Love Jones," but mostly this album is a result of RZA having a recording studio in his den.

-Brent DiCrescenzo