The Clutch Riddim (Truckback, 2008)

It should go without saying that this is a single-riddim album, and as such, your level of enjoyment will be based largely on how much you like that one riddim. For me, the music is pretty generic -- good enough to support a great performance like Buju Banton's "Regular Ting," but not good enough to make a blah performance ("Don't Trust Dem," "When It Strike") any more interesting. It's standard uptempo digital dancehall that would be completely overlook-able if it weren't for an impressive array of artists, including not only Banton, but also Capleton, T.O.K., Spragga Benz, Harry Toddler and Junior Cat. Unfortunately, aside from Buju and Jr. Kid, the big names don't live up to their potential. Instead, lesser-known acts like New Kidz, Monster Hemp Higher, Briggadistas and Blacka Dan do most of the heavy lifting -- and still, they can't prevent the riddim from becoming monotonous long before the 16 tracks are done.