Monday 29 August 2011

Meshell Ndegeocello - Weather


This fall, Meshell Ndegeocello will return with her latest record Weather, out November 8th on Naïve in the U.S. Her ninth album in 20 years, Weather finds the eclectic songwriter expanding on her iconic style, a lush album of intimate songwriting. And in honor of the album’s release, Meshell has made “Dirty World” available for free download.

Produced by Grammy-winner Joe Henry (Aimee Mann, Solomon Burke, Ani DiFranco), Weather is the latest addition to Meshell’s diverse catalog. A strikingly organic record, the album finds Meshell experimenting with the sparse, orchestral melodies paired with thoughtful lyrics, all performed by a band of fearsome musicians. The album opens with the title track “Weather,” a spacey, soulful groove that sets the stage for the rest of the record. Tracks like “Oysters” and her cover of Leonard Cohen’s “Chelsea Hotel” find Meshell constructing hushed ballads, centered around mournful piano. These tracks are juxtaposed with Meshell’s defiant, soulful stomps on songs like “Rapid Fire” and “Dirty World.” The album also features all-star collaborations with the likes of Chris Connelly (ex-Revolting Cocks, Ministry), Benji Hughes, and Joe Henry.

Born Michelle Johnson in Berlin, Meshell Ndegeocello has spent that last twenty years forging a unique career that’s as distinct as it is critically celebrated. Arriving in New York in the early ’90s with a few bedroom demos and her bass, Meshell quickly struck out on her own, joining The Black Rock Coalition and eventually signing to Madonna’s newly minted Maverick Records. Her politically charged, sexually rebellious music crossed boundaries and norms, all while incorporating a bit of everything into her sound, including hip hop, rock, R&B, new wave, go-go and punk. Her neo-soul anthem “If That’s Your Boyfriend (He Wasn’t Last Night)” topped the charts, and cover of Van Morrison’s “Wild Night,” performed with John Mellancamp, became a ’90s classic. Quickly developing into a musician’s musician, Meshell has shared the stage with The Rolling Stones, Madonna, Alanis Morrisette, James Blood Ulmer, The Blind Boys of Alabama, Tony Allen, John Medeski, Billy Preston, Chaka Khan, and more.

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