After recovering from drug addiction, Boy George has come out with his first solo record. Other than being heavily produced, "Sold" bears little resemblances to a "Culture Club" album (his former band).

Of the three non-original songs, the most pleasing is a reggae version of "Everything I Own." The Boy's raspy "Next Time" is the vocal high point of "Sold." But his active title track, filled with brass, is the album's centerpiece.

I am somewhat disappointed with "Sold," because, despite its great sound, most of the songs are instantly forgettable. With excellent Culture Club albums like "From Luxury to Heartache," Boy George has proven that he is capable of writing better material than this. In one song he states "I'm not another factory/ about to be shut down." Unfortunately, much of "Sold" suggests the opposite. n