New York Times: Oct 16, 2007
'A Soul on the Planet' Approaches the Big Questions of Life From a Variety of Directions >>


September 25, 2007 from EMARCY

Canonized, marginalized or just scrutinized, Meshell Ndegeocello has given up with the politics of explaining herself. After 20 years in an industry that has called her everything from avant garde to a dying breed, what unquestionably remains is the fearsome bassist, prolific songwriter and the creativity and curiosity of an authentic musical force. With that, she has earned critical acclaim, the unfailing respect of fellow players, songwriters and composers, and the dedication of her diverse, unclassifiable fans. For the sake of setting the record straight, a few brass tacks remain: Meshell was born in Germany, raised in DC, signed at 23, and has been nominated for 10 Grammy awards.

With the release of "The World Has Made Me The Man Of My Dreams," Meshell Ndegeocello releases her 7th musical wonder to the world. With it, Meshell questions the inevitable, inconceivable brutality of the world with an arsenal of familiar themes: faith, rage, despair, fleeting joy and nagging doubt. For those who jones for the devastating bass lines and aching lyrics of prior releases, "The World Has Made Me The Man Of My Dreams" does not disappoint. A continuation of the journey, it is a quest for truth, a plea for beauty, and an elegy for former selves. That said, the truest hallmark of a Meshell Ndegeocello record is in its honest evolution from the last, from any before, and as another stop on the way to transcendence.