Erykah Badu
Penitentiary Philosophy
A.D. 2000
Green Eyes
A true tour de force, Mama s Gun is that rare sophomore album that shows a maturing artist at her best. Erykah Badu s voice was always her main attraction its unique sound has been compared to Billie Holiday and Chaka Kha.
more »n. Here, it s her skill with that voice that shines. Badu shapes her instrument to suit her material (all of it written or cowritten by her). A full range is represented: On faster, danceable tracks like Penitentiary Philosophy and Booty, she sounds gritty and funky. On softer, more introspective tracks, like A.D. 2000 and the single Bag Lady, she shows amazing restraint, letting her voice travel lightly over the notes, allowing the songs emotions to guide her performance. The high point of the disc is Badu s duet with Stephen Marley, In Love with You, easily the sweetest, truest love song of the year. That alone is reason enough to buy the disc and you won t regret having done