London-born, New York-bred Mark Ronson [ tickets ] went from in-demand club DJ to hotshot producer with credits for Nikka Costa, Chicago rapper Rhymefest and, most recently, potent British exports Amy Winehouse and Lily Allen.

The concept for "Version" is so particular, however, that it would be absurd to describe it as a solo record. It's really about Ronson defining his production aesthetic, which he derives in a large part from ska, '60s soul and '90s big-beat dance music--with flashes of old-school hip-hop.

"On Version," Ronson marries cover tunes, mainly Brit pop-rock from the likes of Coldplay, The Jam, Radiohead and Kaiser Chiefs, with pop singers--not just British ones--and wraps ‘em in his unabashedly retro arrangements.

The song choice might be deliberately bland, as it gives Ronson a chance to amp the tunes as Northern Soul floor-fillers or Motown-style raves. Rather than exposing us to an overabundance of styles a la Beck, Ronson sticks with explosive horns, funk guitar and cowbell patterns, and fatback bass playing. Ronson's command of sounds is the selling point here. The kick and snare sounds are always on point; where they've originated, we may never know.

Phantom Planet guest on Radiohead's "Just," which seems too easy a fit. The Dapking Horns play "God Put a Smile Upon Your Face" and turn it into something off a swinging spy soundtrack. The best moment comes with Brooklyn duo Santo Gold's guest spot on a vaguely Afro-dubby "Pretty Green."

On the downside, it's not much of a pop record. "Stop Me," a re-do of a Smiths classic, was a hit in the UK, but here it's a tedious exercise. Ronson indulges us in a treatment of "Toxic" with the late Dirt McGirt (better known as Ol' Dirty Bastard) that's forgettable, but Winehouse's turn on the dreamy, Bandstand-worthy "Valerie" sends us out on a high note because it's basically a bonus track from her excellent album.

Ronson's one talented cat, but "Version" never quite musters an anthem. Instead, it falls in a kind of no-man's land of great-sounding club music for which a proper venue doesn't exist. But, hey, it's one humdinger of a resume builder, that's for sure.