Before he made hotel rooms his playpens, Finley Quaye released a marvelous, cross- cultural masterpiece. Maverick A Strike will be well remembered and regarded as a major step in the music world. Having been cultivated and embraced in Europe, Finley Quaye has a reggae attitude, a soulful voice and a spectacular production. A kind of post- modern Bob Marley, Quaye's optimism quickly rubs off onto the listener. The big hit (at least in the apparently enlightened Europe) "Sunday Shining" is a spiritual without a religion. In fact, the entire album has a church vibe, with Quaye's Jamaican- English sermons bouncing off old, wooden walls. If you're not somewhat inspired by "Ride On And Turn The People On" perhaps you should rewind and turn it up a little louder.

What makes this album a miniature landmark is the production involved. We're unsure of exactly what was done in the studio, but to the ears, Quaye has made a thick, balanced blend of genres and sounds. It's a complex sonic cuisine and can only be appreciated in today's world. A few examples: "Even After All" is Motown, love- song soul; "Supreme I Preme," introduced with the phrases "this is the future, ya'll" and "wicked satellite" is Tricky trip- hop with horns. "Your Love Gets Sweeter" is underground, railroad folk with a raga beat.

The future of music is clearer with this release. It's a beat- driven, culturally- inclusive music that appeals to a thinner demographic, but a much larger geographic-- kids in Japan, Australia, Brazil, Uganda, etc. Although Quaye's monstrous ego sometimes distracts (i.e. "Supreme I Preme"-- jeez!), his talent is unavoidable.

-David Day