Meshell Ndegeocello – Synonym
This is an album which has so much to give. The chosen repertoire is amazing. The collaborators both surprising and fitting, the arrangements superb throughout. Just check on “Don’t Look Any Further” where Meshell and Lianne La Havas change the lyric and actually stop after the word “stop” where the original says “Here I am, stop where you’re standin'”. Hilarious and stunning! To come up with an album which includes songs by Bob Dylan, Roberta Flack, the Bee Gees, Dolly Parton, the Human League, and many more, is pretty ingenious and bold at the same time. A few singles came out prior to the album’s release, which was last Friday: on “I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)”, Meshell teams up with Cynthia Erivo and they change the song into a festive celebration, moving the overall mood away from the original Aretha Franklin & George Michael duet and its more lugubrious mid 80s feel.
One of the highlights for me is “Guilty”, originally recorded by Barbra Streisand and Barry Gibb (and still a monster track). Here, the stripped-down version, which is still amazingly rich and loose, has some electrifying percussion work by co-producer Abe Rounds and a thrilling vocal performance by Michelle and Ink. I also absolutely adore the fade-out with the slowly meandering sax work by Josh Johnson. It’s actually a contender for best song of the year I think. And what a joy it is to hear Chaka Khan in a more unpretentious way on the cover of Dolly Parton’s “Islands In The Stream”. Here, she sounds way more convincing than on her lackluster and primitive new album “Chakzilla”. On “The Closer I Get To You” (Roberta Flack & Donny Hathaway), the atmosphere is so intense and incredibly sexy that Destin Conrad and Moses Sumney can’t help but totally enhance the crackling mood. Great Rhodes sprinkles by Larry Goldings.
Michelle turns “Don’t You Want Me” by The Human League into a reggae-fied version with the strong Cat Power and her own signature fat and funky bass playing. And Bob Dylan’s “It Ain’t Me Babe” gets powerful support from Madison Cunningham on vocals and electric guitar. I also like the special sound with Banjo (Béla Fleck) and Mellotron (Larry Goldings). Exquisitely produced by Meshell, Abe Rounds, and David Gamson, we also get a sensual and soulful “Always On Time”, originally by Ja Rule & Ashanti. Here, singer Laura Lee swings softly and gently over the light percussion and Rhodes backing. What a joy it is always to hear Lizz Wright. On “Be Real Black For Me”, another Flack/Hathaway original, she teams up with the great Emily King and Wendy Melvoin on 12-string guitar. Together with Meshells deep voice, the three turn this poem into something else. Jake Sherman’s organ takes the tune further into church. From church to country: the George Jones & Tammy Wynette classic “Golden Ring” is another highlight and with Brandi Carlile and her flamboyant backing vocals, it is actually not so far away from the church. Both Brandi and Meshell gel exceptionally well.
There is an extravagantly brilliant version of Sonny & Cher’s 1965 “I Got You Babe”. Meshell has the otherworldly ANOHNI as duet partner here. The track offers a thrilling horn and flute arrangement (Elena Pinderhughes on flute). Love their “let them talk” part and the vocal arrangement per se. Together with highly imaginative interpretations of Brian Eno’s “Here We Come (Here He Comes)” with Evann McIntosh and Temple of The Dog’s “Hunger Strike” with Willow, this is an album with indulging passion. The only two tracks which don’t really get to me? Maybe that will change with more listens but “Don’t Stop The Music” (Yarbrough & Peoples) with Nick Hakim and Robert Glasper, and “With God On Our Side” (Bob Dylan) with Chris Thile and Bill Callahan sound a bit odd to these ears. Go grab the vinyl copy! I always return to “Guilty” over and over again. “It oughta be illegal”!
