Arrrrr! Those eyeing the cover for the latest Reggae Gold offering will no doubt be relieved to find no pirate-themed material or cameos from a slurring Johnny Depp. There is plenty of "booty," though, beyond the cover model, as the 2007 edition shines as brightly as ever. The well-balanced mix of veterans and newcomers provides a steady flow of the quality you'd expect from the likes of Sean Paul, Buju Banton, Morgan Heritage, and Elephant Man, freshened by the energy of relatively unknown commodities like Mavado, Tessanne, and Alaine. Pleasant surprises abound on Reggae Gold 2007, beginning with the smooth blend of hip-hop and reggae that is the remix of Mims' "This Is Why I'm Hot," featuring Junior Reid and Cham. The minimal, electronic beat of "Hot" fits perfectly with Reid's wail, and I wouldn't have minded hearing him sing throughout the whole song, although Cham does a fine job as well (Granted, anything's an improvement over inane rap lyrics like, "I'm hot 'cause I'm fly. You ain't 'cause you not."). Newcomer Mavado's "Top Shotta Nah Miss" likewise raises some eyebrows with its unique sound: a decidedly dark, down-tempo dancehall tune with sing-songy vocals over ominous, militaristic percussion. With this and "Last Night" (not to mention "How High" from Strictly the Best 35), this sing-jay is definitely one to watch in coming months (which is really as far as you can plan for in the ever-trendy dancehall world). The inclusion of Cruzan sing-jay Pressure's gorgeous "Love and Affection" is another great surprise, a long-overdue acknowledgment by the major reggae labels of the "Virgin Islands invasion" of the past several years. It's also nice to hear a couple of female singers join the fray. Alaine's "Sacrifice" is a soothing lovers ballad, while Tessane's "Hide Away" is a real stunner: a dramatic blend of lovers rock, rock 'n roll, and dancehall that's pushed into the stratosphere by perhaps the strongest singing voice in reggae today. Maybe the most unexpected cut, though, is Gyptian's "My Fadah She," a rich slice of roots that presents the singer in a new light that may be unrecognizable to those used to hearing his lovers side on hits like "Beautiful Lady." Indeed, if you close your eyes and listen, you'd be hard-pressed to tell that the craggy roots vocals aren't those of the late Joseph Hill of Culture fame. Buju Banton and Elephant Man meanwhile turn back the clock to deliver old school dancehall numbers in "Bobby Reds" and "Bring It" (the latter over the Sly Dunbar riddim that helped Banton score last year's hit "Driver"). All in all, Reggae Gold 2007 continues the series' recent resurgence, placing it solidly atop of the reggae game -- where it should be, after all, right?