/ 11 May 2001

As pure as snow

Riaan Wolmarans

CD OFTHEWEEK

I must admit that I was not a big fan of Snow_s mix of rap, reggae and ragamuffin on his hit album 12 Inches of Snow back in 1993, especially the single Informer _ unlike millions of others, obviously, since that song is listed by the Guinness Book of Records as the best-selling reggae single to date

in the United States.

Since 1993, Snow_s been bubbling under, doing not too badly on the charts. Only

1997_s Justuss failed completely. Now he_s back with Mind on the Moon (EMI) _

and the bad boy who has been acquitted of attempted murder but convicted of assault is suddenly squeaky clean.

It_s all very soft-edged and radio-friendly. He leaves the babbling Jamaican

patois of Informer behind for smoother pop sounds on tracks likeEverybody Wants

to Be Like You _ sounding a bit like a boy band with a bit of funk, actually.

Even Informer gets sampled melodiously into the background on The Plumb Song.

He still has his naughtier moments _ _Need a jimmy hat before I push it up on in it in it_ on Jimmy Hat should make the LoveLife campaign proud _ but those who

got to love the bad-boy Snow might be left cold. On the other hand, it_s a fun

pop-reggae album _ light but catchy enough to keep you listening.