Diamonds on the Inside [Slipcase] by Ben Harper (CD, Mar-2003, Virgin Records USA)

it is almost comical how easily fooled people are today;

take this joke of an artist, for eaxample; his first work was Pia Zadora laughable at its best, a middling garage-band mismash of various styles the very first indication of a paucity of ability when all are aped no better than the Partridge Family or Up With People;

of course, the lead singer there saw fame somehow as a solo act among the bubble-popper set the same way the lead singer from the Backstreet Boys did--or was in N-Synch, i forget--they ALL sound alike!

if those two modern day Fabians are a cut above Milli Vanilli, then Harper is the slice in between--a grating talentless vanilla voice trying so hard to mime Marley but coming out as a cross between Michael Bolton and David Clayton-Thomas, the two of which make the Righteous Brothers sound like Sam & Dave;

i'd have much more respect for Harper if he didn't take himself seriously a la Tom Jones, or just went along with his vapid singing skills and tainted them with an earthy blues of a Meatloaf or even smooth blues like say, Sade;

but after just thirty seconds of his constant naying like a homesick lamb backed by a band that is bad as the cook in the local diner who cooks fish, chicken and beef so that it all tastes the same, and you just don't care what he's trying to say--which is also a sickeningly middling rendition of Bob;

all this album proves is Harper is the first American Idol-level talent to be recorded--Ruben Studdard, watch out--and what a terrible mistake that was;