Intoxication

Saturday, November 10, 2007

Shaggy uses "Intoxication" to once again show that while he and his crew can crank out solid pop, they can match it with cuts that genuinely rock the dancehall. The thing is, everyone knows he can do pop. What he needs to do now is just crank out a full disc of bangers. It's the point proved by his new album's boastful opening track, "Can't Hold Me," and the raunchy rhythm driving the sexy title song. The foundation of the disc is aimed at the airwaves, and a few songs could easily see chart action. Most are collaborations, like the Rik Rok vehicle "Bonafide Girl" (which lifts the guitar part from Desmond Dekker's "007 Shanty Town"). But best is "Mad Mad World." With Sizzla's soulful hook strewn over a Dre-worthy beat and head-nodding rhymes, it's a fusion of both sides of Shaggy.—Wes Orshoski

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