It's worth remembering that many early ska, rocksteady, and reggae hits were actually local adaptations of popular pop and R&B songs from the U.S. Many songs that are now established reggae classics ( ) got their start on the American charts, and in some cases the originals were eclipsed in popularity by the reggae versions. So it should come as no more than a mild surprise to see that this French band is covering contemporary songs in a reggae style -- though the diversity of the artists featured is a bit startling: songs by ( ), ), and even ) all make an appearance, as do others by ) and ). It's an ambitious project, and one that succeeds quite well. The rubbery rocksteady groove they apply to ' fits more perfectly that you might reasonably expect, as does their sultry version of Their ska arrangement of 's is hilarious, and if their take on is maybe just a bit dry, well, so was the original. This album is lots of good, surreal fun -- and how often do you get to say that about a reggae album? Recommended. ~ Rick Anderson