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Read the review on "Shadow Girl"
Chaos, Gleaner's entertainment writer
Shadow Girl, Jana Bent`s
sophomore effort, is a good listen. The lead-off track
is her biggest hit to date, which she has decided to
include on this album, You So Fine. The song is saved
from being just another piece of pop trivia by the
hilarious lyrics from the gravel-voiced Herbie Harris,
who deejays Me too damn sexy as if the same was an
irrefutable fact.
The next track, Shadow
Girl, is the most gorgeously produced song on the album.
Produced by her brother Rupert Bent III, the
instrumentation and background vocals are beautifully
lush and underpin Jana`s nice vocals as she sings about
not leaving lipstick marks on your collar and not about
making tender love while offering herself as a potential
mistress, with no strings attached. Sing follows
and again the production is outstanding. Another aspect
of Jana`s vocal prowess is displayed on the up-tempo,
joyous song. Despite being an unabashedly pop album, the
fact that was produced in the island and is the
brainchild of a Jamaican come shining through. Superhero
has a distinct reggae/dancehall feel and both it and
Never Seen You Cry are absolute delights to listen to.
The latter has a distinct familarity with regards to its
melody which was impossible to put a finger on. The
biggest hit on this album, and deservedly so, Shadow
Girl aside, will probably be No Regrets, a rollicking
combination with deejay Bounty Killer. The pair work in
perfect tandem in making a song that drives everything
before it with sheer energy while at the same time
sucking you in. Bounty deejays with incredible skill and
Jana sings like someone possessed over gorgeous
background vocals.
The one slight
misstep on the album is My Man Dat, the video for which,
together with pictures, is available on the multimedia
CD. Something of an attempt to revisit the days of
Anthea and Donna, who did Uptown Ranking, the song, done
in collaboration with Belinda, comes across as a mite
silly.
The following track, Baby
Boy, is an immediate redemption however. On Me and My
Boo Jana demonstrates she can rap. Life Too Short which
reminds of a Christmas carol has Jana celebrating her `Jamaicaness`
as well as paying homage to songs like Michigan and
Smiley`s Nice Up The Dance as well as saying Mi body
slim but yuh know mi b..y `round like bwile dumpling.
Shadow Girl is closed off
by four remixes. You So Fine comes in for dance
treatment, My Man Dat is somewhat improved by the
`Fierce Extended remix`, Sing undergoes the
`England Dance` remix and You So Fine gets the `2Hard`
treatment with good results.
Shadow Girl features
Rupert Bent III for Gypsy Music, Derrick Brin on My Man
Dat, Sly & Robbie on Baby Boy, Steven England on the
remix of Sing and Jeremy Harding on the remix of You So
Fine. Background vocals were provided mostly by Jana,
with help from Italee Watson, Herbie Harris, Rupert and
Michelle Bent, Tony Gayle, Richard Sven and Guila and
Brian Bernal.
With production values
well above par, Shadow Girl is an excellent, fun listen
courtesy of Gypsy Music and was released locally last
Friday.
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