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Lucky Day

(Universal)

Shaggy is big. Really big. The Boombastic former Gulf War marine has sold more than Bob Marley, apparently.

So why don't I like his music? Why do I find him so obnoxious? Perhaps it's the constant references to his Scud-like libido, which form the core of this and virtually all previous releases ('your sexual attache, your love diplomat' on Midnite Lover).

Perhaps I'm naive. Maybe some great irony just passes me by. Perhaps it's the monotonous drone of his voice. Certainly the backing music is hardly sophisticated: what sounds like a cheap Casio keyboard mixed with sparse backing vocals and sampled strings. It all sounds a bit dated.

As for the lyrics, we get such gems as: 'Ladies want to be adored/ Ladies just want a real man to keep them reassured'.

And just when you think he's escaped the slack ragga misogyny bandwagon you hear: 'What do you think will happen when she wants a ride?/ What'll she do when she steps outside?/ What's yours is suddenly mine'. Right. Those are among the more PC lyrics. Some of the rhymes are clever, but they really only work if you're a Chicago pimp with bad taste.

According to billboard.com, Shaggy claims this album is meant to be a 'tribute to the ladies'. Strange, as women take second stage to Shaggy throughout the album. He can do what he likes with them, but they can't even phone him back (he says so on track 10).

Is Shaggy taking the mickey? Is it all a joke? I hope so.

Because Shaggy's songs seem to be haunting most dancefloors in town, mixed into your life like a bad tune you can't get out of your head. But the style seems to shift a lot of units.

Fantastic? Bombastic.



Shaggy