Me'Shell Ndegéocello -'The World Has Made Me The Man Of My Dreams'
On her 7th LP Me’Shell takes every album made and skillfully consolidates it into one of the most underrated albums of 2007. The bassist extraordinaire has traversed funk, folk, reggae, rock, jazz and is obviously on her own personal cathartic mission. Taking on suicide bombers, Muslim and Christian extremism, capitalism, sexism, and politics, she offers an interesting inner dialogue and self critique documented for the world to hear. The album only clocks in at 48 minutes but traverses such an array of styles. On the “Sloganeer” she tells the suicide bomber to “get a bang out of life” and “if you are the chosen than why don’t you kill yourself now”. Within the same song she also condemns those bible thumpers that would use religion to judge all the while musically channelling the Cure. It’s a dark rocking song that looks at two sides of the same coin. Elsewhere there is the reggae sway of “Lovely, Lovely” that breaks down with mid eastern guitar riffs. “Elliptical" is quite a piece of contemplative funk where, in the role of the otherworldly observer, Me’shell breaks out the (vocoder p-funk style) singing with Sy Smith. "I received a message from God in the form of a rainbow.". On Article 3 Meshell enlists the help of a Japanese punk rocker thrashing repeatedly at first and eventually evolving into an incantation. The song that I wish was longer “Headline” merges Rock and Funk giving way to dirty skittering electro beats that seem more D&B but are mellowed by samba piano keys. Me’shell’s ode to her son, “Solomon” is particularly interesting since she is undoubtedly her son’s father and mother. But the spoken intro is pretty moving. Meshell has evolved into this incredible artist that has no problem borrowing from genres, literature or speakers sound bytes to birth music of true originality. Too bad the world at large has not discovered her to appreciate her genius. Working with the likes of Chaka Khan, Basement Jaxx, Lamb, Zap Mama, John Mellencamp, TalibKweli, Common, to name a few and spearheading the Red Hot and Riot: Tribute to Fela album she is a prolific artist with an abundance to offer.
On her 7th LP Me’Shell takes every album made and skillfully consolidates it into one of the most underrated albums of 2007. The bassist extraordinaire has traversed funk, folk, reggae, rock, jazz and is obviously on her own personal cathartic mission. Taking on suicide bombers, Muslim and Christian extremism, capitalism, sexism, and politics, she offers an interesting inner dialogue and self critique documented for the world to hear. The album only clocks in at 48 minutes but traverses such an array of styles.
On the “Sloganeer” she tells the suicide bomber to “get a bang out of life” and “if you are the chosen than why don’t you kill yourself now”. Within the same song she also condemns those bible thumpers that would use religion to judge all the while musically channelling the Cure. It’s a dark rocking song that looks at two sides of the same coin. Elsewhere there is the reggae sway of “Lovely, Lovely” that breaks down with mid eastern guitar riffs. “Elliptical" is quite a piece of contemplative funk where, in the role of the otherworldly observer, Me’shell breaks out the (vocoder p-funk style) singing with Sy Smith. "I received a message from God in the form of a rainbow.". On Article 3 Meshell enlists the help of a Japanese punk rocker thrashing repeatedly at first and eventually evolving into an incantation. The song that I wish was longer “Headline” merges Rock and Funk giving way to dirty skittering electro beats that seem more D&B but are mellowed by samba piano keys. Me’shell’s ode to her son, “Solomon” is particularly interesting since she is undoubtedly her son’s father and mother. But the spoken intro is pretty moving. Meshell has evolved into this incredible artist that has no problem borrowing from genres, literature or speakers sound bytes to birth music of true originality. Too bad the world at large has not discovered her to appreciate her genius. Working with the likes of Chaka Khan, Basement Jaxx, Lamb, Zap Mama, John Mellencamp, Talib Kweli, Common, to name a few and spearheading the Red Hot and Riot: Tribute to Fela album she is a prolific artist with an abundance to offer.
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