Seven Days a Week

by Matthew HilburnIt's hard to take a Rastaman dressed in an Armani suit seriously. On Seven Days a Week, the dapper Don Carlos (formerly of Black Uhuru) collaborates with such stalwart studio musicians as Flabba Holt (bass) and Bingy Bunny (guitar), and one track, "Holiday," is mixed by dub master Scientist. Despite the talent, this is fairly average reggae with nothing to distinguish it from the pack. As a singer, Don Carlos has a smooth delivery, but it's stifled by the very ordinary songwriting. It's not offensively cheesy, but then again, most of the adventuring here involves quirky electronic sounds. The CD's opener, "Movin (To the Top)," has a nice bubbling groove, but the lyrics are trite, as they are throughout the rest of the album. No more synth applause, please.