4 years?! Has it really been 4 years since Sean Paul released his radio-polluting, music TV-infecting, Platinum-selling album Trinity? Well, it’s definitely been a great 4 years without that Caribbean, stereotypical git releasing songs about “shaking that thing” or “bouncing that thing” or any sort of movement of that thing.

His return album, Imperial Blaze, according to Sean Paul is a more serious affair (this coming from a man that wants to release his own line of Marshmallows and Hats). Consequently the question must be asked, can we take Sean Paul more seriously after this album?

Ehhhh... No. First of all, the promo-single is called So Fine, which isn’t exactly the pre-amble of a political manifesto. In fact the song is about Sean Paul doing anything so he can eventually have sex with a girl who is “so fine” (well when I say anything, the example he uses to show his absolute dedication to this fine girl is that he will “join the longest line”. Swoon! Swoon! Me thinks).

Nearly every other song on the album tends to follow this trend; especially when they all have titles such as Press it Up, Evening Ride and She Want Me. This running theme makes the 20 song album seem longer than it actually is.

However, this is not the only problem with each of these songs; it is Sean Paul’s massive, over-whelming ego that also makes them all irritating too. Sean Paul brags like a 14-year old returning from a summer holiday abroad about all the women he has had his way with, essentially telling his audience; ‘I didn’t even have to try to get off with them.’

There are, on the other hand, 3 deeper songs later on in the album; Don’t Tease Me, Lately, and Straight from the Heart, where Sean Paul’s emotional range seems to be that he loves his mother and all sort of arguments can be solved through loving. Sean Paul’s lack of emotional depth is actually shocking, after listening to this album I believe that he possibly has some sort of personality disorder, malignant narcissism is the one that jumps out.

If you look past Sean Paul’s presence on this album, well then you are left with some amazing Dance Hall Beats. The production on this album makes each one these songs quite catchy and despite myself I found myself resisting the urge to dance. There is almost a part of me that thanks god that Sean Paul’s lyrics are almost indecipherable to the general public, so they can enjoy this unashamedly and pop that booty.

- Peter Downey