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Meshell Ndegeocello – Devil’s Halo
First and foremost Meshell Ndegeocello is one badass bass player and when you start with a foundation as solid as she can concoct, it gives all her songs an undeniable forward momentum. Add in all her life experiences and strong political opinions and you have music with depth both sonically and lyrically.
Born Michelle Lynn Johnson in Berlin, Germany to an army lieutenant father, she later renamed herself Meshell Ndegeocello (the last name meaning ‘free like a bird’) and honed her craft on the Washington DC music circuit playing with a number of bands. She even tried out for the bass position with Living Colour, which eventually went to Doug Wimbish. She signed to Madonna’s record label Maverick in 1993 and released her first solo album, Plantation Lullabies.
Throughout the seven albums before Devil’s Halo, her songs have contained strong lyrics about personal empowerment and politics both sexual and global and the new record is no different. Even in the tracks that are built on slinky and melodious grooves there is often a sting in the tail. The sound this time in contrast to some of her past albums has at times a more rock feel and a number of songs are punctuated by a very guitar heavy sound.
Even though the songs here may be about the betrayal of love and its acidic after effects, it’s far from being a downer as all the songs have such a delicious groove, it’s just as easy to get lost in that sea of rhythm as it is to feel the pain.
Rob Hudson
www.meshell.com
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