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RIHANNA ''Pon De Replay'' The dancehall-reggae crossover hit of the summer, utilizing the same clap-happy beat as 2003's model (remember Lumidee?). This recycled reggae-pop rump shaker will almost certainly expire soon after Labor Day, but until then, its catchy plea to ''Mr. DJ'' is as welcome as a nice frosty daiquiri in August. B

DAMIEN MARLEY ''Welcome to Jamrock'' Another warm-weather reggae single, though this surprise hit flips dancehall's jittery pulse for a dubbed-out roots groove that Damien's dad might dig. The lyrics are more ''Burnin' and Lootin''' than ''One Love,'' portraying a Jamaica (a.k.a. Jamrock) filled with guns, ganja, and gangs. A

BO BICE ''Inside Your Heaven'' American Idol winner Carrie Underwood fares a little better with her version of the same tune, but runner-up Bice's over- the-top version is a formless piece of schlock. Idol may be good TV, but its musical track record is still awfully spotty: Bice's anonymous vocal can't compensate for the song's lack of hooks. D-

D.H.T. ''Listen to Your Heart'' Splenda-sweetened Belgian trance that has somehow managed to cross over from sweaty nightclubs to the pop charts. It's not a big surprise that a Euro dance act sings lyrics that are trite and clichéd, but we would have expected some much cooler synth sounds from our Continental cousins. C-


Posted Jul 22, 2005 | Published in issue #831 Jul 29, 2005 | Order Article Reprints