Erykah Badu New Amerykah Part One
Janet Jackson Discipline
February, 2008
It's no secret that Erykah Badu is one of the most innovative and thought-provoking artists of the past decade. Ever since her 1997 classic debut, Baduizm, this Dallas native has marched to beat of her own drum. You just never know what she will bring to the table and the beauty of it is that no matter what, she always brings food for thought that satisfies the need for good music. On her latest endeavor, New Amerykah Part One (4th World War), Badu continues to trail her own musical path and delivers another solid project.
The album kicks into high gear with the opening track, "Amerykhan Promise." This is a straight-up funk jam that takes it back to the days of Parliament-Funkadelic with a tight horn arrangement, a groovy wah-wah guitar, and Badu's layered vocals sounding as if she's harmonizing with the Brides of Funkenstein. "The Healer," produced by Madlib, gives homage to the power of hip-hop with a shout-out to former collaborator J-Dilla (who passed away in 2006) that is sure to make the heads nod. "Everything around you see/ the Ankhs, the wraps, the plus degrees/ and yes even the mysteries/ it's all me" goes the first verse to the Sa-Ra produced "Me." Here, Badu speaks as if she's telling us that regardless of what you think about her, she is who she is and offers no apologies. She delivers a very powerful message about the pitfalls of drugs in "The Cell" and continues the vibe as Bilal and Georgia Anne Muldrow, a singer and musician in her own right, contribute their talents to "Master Teacher." As the disc comes to a close, Badu tells us to "please stay tuned for New Amerykah Part Two (Return of the Ankh)" before launching into her hit single, "Honey." Produced by 9th Wonder, this cut is classic Badu. The accompanying video is set in a record store and from the perspective of a customer browsing the racks. The various records shown are parodies of popular records which feature altered titles and Badu portraying the artist instead such as Labelle's Chameleon, Minnie Riperton's Perfect Angel, and of course, Funkadelic's Maggot Brain.
Erykah Badu never ceases to amaze and on New Amerykah, and she illustrates why she is the musical version of Jean-Michel Basquiat: Painting lyrical portraits that challenges the listener to think and feel with an open mind. She continues to weave unusual musical influences together creating a rich texture of sound and the results are spellbinding. Part One of this double disc set is excellent and a must have for admirers of Badu. She definitely leaves you anticipating Part Two, which is scheduled to arrive in July of 2008. Highly recommended.
February, 2008
Like many of Janet Jackson's fans, I was very skeptical about another Janet album in which producers/songwriters Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis were not involved. I didn't know what to expect from her latest CD, Discipline, and I was even more leery of her move to Island Def Jam, home of Mariah Carey. Considering that her last two outings (2004's Damita Jo and 2006's 20 Y.O.) were critical and commercial disappointments, I was hoping that Janet would release an album that would remind us that, at one point in time, she was an innovative artist who influenced everyone from Beyonce to Rihanna. I can't tell you how good it makes me feel to say that Janet Jackson is back!
Although it's not Control or The Velvet Rope, Discipline is the album that returns Janet Jackson to greatness. With Jam and Lewis no longer behind the boards, a production team consisting of Jermaine Dupri, Ne-Yo, Johnta Austin, Rodney Jerkins, D'Mile, Maddscientist, Stargate, Shea Taylor, Tricky Stewart, and The Dream provide Janet with a fresh and invigorating sound. "Feedback," with its sing-along hook and distinctive melody, gets this disc jumping courtesy of Jerkins, and Jackson backdoors that with the ever-bangin' "LUV," which is classic Janet. However, the track that places Janet in another league is the Ne-Yo helmed "Rock With U." The futuristic sound of this soon-to-be hit single works beautifully. Ne-Yo is becoming a very sought-after producer/songwriter in his own right and listening to this makes you wonder what kind of magic would be created if he wrote an entire album for Janet. On "Can't B Good," Janet takes a page from brother Michael by creating her own version of "Human Nature" and the result is marvelous. Dupri and Austin drop a gem on the piano-laden "Never Letchu Go," bringing her voice front and center, and "Greatest X" speaks of love lost in typical Janet "Come Back to Me" fashion. Missy Elliot drops in on "The 1" as the two divas engage in some frank conversation. The title track, at the tail end of the CD, is destined to go down as a classic Janet Jackson slow-jam with it's breathy vocals and risque lyrics not fit for this review.
With the exception of the overdone interludes that have become the staple of Janet's albums, Discipline is a great project. This is the Janet Jackson that many fans have been waiting on perhaps since 2001's All For You, and this new album should return her back to the charts as well as the dance floor. Listening to this CD gives you the sense that she enjoyed making the album and after all she has been through the past several years, she is refreshed and ready to have some fun. Highly, highly recommended.
