I Miss (Resin, 2001)

I generally view dancehall artists outside of the Caribbean with a cautious eye.  Admittedly, my exposure is somewhat limited, but with a few exceptions (such as Germanys Gentleman and France's Freedom Fighters), I've found that dancehall a foreign tends to become a poppy, diluted amalgam of dancehall, hip-hop, pop, R&B, electronica, and whatever local tastes dictate.  Some of what I've heard from British DJ Tippa Irie represents some of the best foreign dancehall I’ve heard, but some of it justifies my hesitant attitude.  I Miss, for the most part, does the latter.  There's actually not much of a pop/fusion sound to this album, beyond the electronica edge of the "Sinsi" remix and perhaps "The Most High."  The remainder features a steady dose of light dancehall, a little roots, and lovers rock.  So what's wrong?  Well, for whatever reason, the songs themselves are just plain bland.  We have generic modern dancehall in "Leaf & Branch & Stem" and the overwhelmingly frenetic, less-than-moving "Tribute to Bob Marley," generic old-school dancehall in "I Miss" and "Bredda Manny" (despite their touching dedications to Irie's late sister and father), and generic lovers in "Love in Me" and "Chill Out."  Often the music is woefully pedestrian (the fault spread out over some 10-plus producers), and the melodies often aren't good enough to cover up this deficiency.  It's a shame, too, because Tippa Irie actually has a rather likeable sound, an exuberant throwback to the old school '80s where he began his career.  He shows flashes of his capability on the more rootsy, conscious tunes, namely "Divide & Rule," "Tippa Vex," the anti-violence rant "Make a Duppy Yet," and the fun, ganja-themed "Sensi."  And although, again, the sound of "No Talent" is just so blah, the lyrics are a welcome message to the Britney Spearses and Ashlee Simpsons of the world: "Them nuh have no talent, yet them a make all the money.  It is not a joke and not funny."