Ashanti: Concrete Rose

(Herald rating: * *)

It's four years since Ashanti launched her career as the flowery voice on Ja Rule's Always On Time. Somehow since, she's sold in the vicinity of 7 million albums, despite the fact she lacks Beyonce's X factor, Christina's oomph or Britney's sheer tabloid appeal. Without looking at the album cover, can you even picture her face? On her third album, Concrete Rose, the R&B princess shows no sign of straying from the formula that has served her well in the past - sultry hip-hop breaks, breathy delivery, forgettable tunes.

Only occasionally does she break free of the mould and prove she's gone from shy good-girl to seductive woman. Take this, from Love Again: "When you put your hands in certain places, boy I can't help but make those silly faces."

Then there's Focus, a sort of hyper version of Justify My Love by Madonna, Only U, which spits out a dark jittery groove and Turn It Up, a Philly soul-powered disco anthem with Ja Rule that the album craves more of. But for the most part, this concrete rose is heavy on florals, light on the grit.

Label: Universal