Miss Jamaica

Her appearance on Beenie Man's "Dude" made the song an instant dancehall classic, and now the talented, charisma-overflowing Ms. Thing turns that song's promise into a smoking debut full-length. When it comes to Jamaican riddims, Miss Jamaica grabs the best while coming up with some amazing new sounds of its own. The "Dude" riddim shows up again, this time in the opening "Regular." This talented sing-jay doesn't bother quoting "Dude" again over her flagship riddim, she's too talented and hungry to show it, and "Regular" is proof. "I Want It All" is not only her credo, but also another killer track. Japanese strings spice-up "Jump Up & Rail," "Get That Money" is the Funkadelic-styled singalong you don't expect, and "Muscle Tight" is the catchiest jingle Kegel exercises could hope for. But "Muscle Tight" is also the best example of the album's great blunder. Like her spiritual guide, Lady Saw, Ms. Thing is about sweaty sex, slack, and naming body parts. Who knows what audience they were thinking of, but Sequence — a label that's treated dancehall fans to some great, respect-filled compilations in the past — has decided to edit the tracks making blue numbers like "Muscle Tight" sound ridiculous. It's like making Vanity 6 wear turtleneck sweaters or telling 50 Cent not to mention crime. Even with the horrible lapse in judgment, Miss Jamaica is too good not to support, and if you passed on it you'd miss two of the most quirky and stunning tracks to come out of the dancehall in some time. The fresher-than-fresh "Love Guide" is stuttering electro evidence that Dizzee Rascal albums have invaded Jamaica, and "Sweet Soca Music" makes the brilliant move of copping the same Rolling Stones' riff the Verve did. It's a closing one-two punch that lays you flat after an already thrill-filled album. Even with the editing, Miss Jamaica is crucial, but it could have been classic.