Inside My Head

This is Ranking Roger's first solo album in three years, and it is the best material he's committed to tape since leaving the English Beat. He's joined by former Beatmate Andy Cox on guitar and former Specials bassist Horace Panter, along with several other guests, but most of the music is written, played (i.e., programmed), and produced by Ranking Roger himself, and runs the gamut from jungly electronica ("Ambient 2") to digital reggae ("Inside My Head") and modern Two-Tone ska ("Muscle Ska"). Not everything is equally compelling -- "They Know" plods along for an excessive six minutes, while "You'll Learn Someday" harks back drearily to the bad old days of his post-General Public solo work. But the high points greatly outnumber the low ones; Inside My Head marks a welcome return to form for one of the most influential artists of the '80s.