Meshell Ndegeocello “Pour Une Âme Souveraine: A Dedication to Nina Simone” Naïve Records
Tribute records are usually a tricky prospect, as it’s hard to find that balance between honoring the music of the artist and the vision of the performer. But Ndegeocello has done this kind of thing before, performing entire live sets by the likes of Prince.
Here, she performs songs by legendary singer, songwriter and activist Nina Simone. Both Simone and Ndegeocello are influential artists and cross many genres in their music — including jazz, R&B, folk and blues. So this album would seem to be a natural fit for an artist like Ndegeocello.
But, it turns out to be better than expected. Ndegeocello retains the spirit of the original songs but filters them through her own signature blend of soulful and folk-infused rock, R&B and blues.
Ndegeocello goes the extra mile by bringing in guest artists, who add an extra flair to the songs. Sinéad O’Connor’s voice weaves well with Ndegeocello’s on the sparse “Don’t Take All Night.” Valerie June delivers an amazing performance of the bluesy thump of “Be My Husband.” Toshi Reagon is perfect for the gospel-like urgency of “House of the Rising Sun.” But, even when Ndegeocello isn’t giving guest artists the spotlight, she delivers a transcendent performance.
Whether or not the listener is familiar with the source material, it is hard not to be impressed with Ndegeocello’s performance on this excellent record. It’s as vibrant, lush and sometimes funky as anything on her recent albums, but still keeps with the spirit of the artist to whom she is paying tribute.
Nelly Furtado “The Spirit Indestructible” Interscope Records
We know Furtado is a cut above the garden-variety divas out there, but on this album there’s almost a little too much of a pop gloss going on. On the surface, it seems like Furtado is still content to crank out thumping and often formulaic mechanized pop (“Big Hoops,” “Parking Lot,” “Waiting for The Night”), with none of them able to hold a candle to previous hits like “Maneater.” But there is some faint shadow of the more eclectic, soulful side of Furtado to be found in this new batch of songs.
Selections like “Be Okay,” “End of the World” and “Bucket List” are the more organic tracks and offer a breath of fresh air after what seems like being locked inside a sweaty club far too long. And tracks like “Thought” and “The Most Beautiful Thing” bring some welcome, much-needed international influences to the table.
This record can be a polarizing listen but, depending on which Furtado you prefer, there are some moments on the album that make it worthwhile.
Pink “The Truth About Love” RCA
International pop superstar Pink has always had enough attitude and flair to cover a wide swath of styles without sounding like she was chasing trends — and her latest album is no exception. In the hands of a less-skilled or less-confident artist, this album could be just another producer-driven pop record. But Pink’s songwriting, personal lyrics and attitude are all over this album, elevating it above the pack.
“Love” starts with guns blazing with anthemic tracks like “Are We All We Are” and “Blow Me (One Last Kiss).”
But there have always been many sonic dimensions to Pink. She is best when she lets her guard down on tracks like the restrained rock piece “Try,” the laid-back and bluesy “Beam Me Up” and the soulful piano ballad “The Great Escape.”
Equally rewarding is when Pink unleashes her unapologetically rocking brash side on tracks like “Slut Like You,” probably the best song on the album, and “How Come You’re Not Here.”
Pink proves that we can handle the truth.
Down “The Purple EP” Down Records
For its latest release, metal super-group Down keeps things especially tight and focused. With just six songs, “The Purple EP” has no time to mess around, getting right to the point as this sludgy beast of a record comes trudging out of the swamp to crush everything in its path.
It’s hard not to compare this effort to classic Black Sabbath: If Down is mixing its influences with anything else but the classic band (and possibly large pulls on a marijuana-stuffed water pipe) on this outing, you’d be hard-pressed to find it. Luckily for the listener, Down is as much focused on the musicianship of Sabbath. Lesser bands would just cop the tone and the aesthetics, but the true excitement here comes from the care the group puts into the instrumentation. The explosive drumming and fluidly heavy bass line are especially and addictively Sabbath-inspired on tracks like “Levitation” and “Witchtripper.” The epic-in-length “The Fortune Teller” is especially ambitious in scope and worth repeated listens.
If you’re not inspired to buy a black-light poster or get baked in a van decked out with shag carpeting after listening to the album, something is wrong. This is classic throwback metal of the highest caliber.