Ventriloquism is a thrill and a surprise, a set of 11 hits from the ‘80s and ‘90s that have been reimagined and turned inside out without losing the joy of the originals.
It turns commonly held conceptions of canon on their head, implicitly asks for a more inclusive understanding of song craft, and—most of all—celebrates a group of songs that resonate in a variety of contexts and arrangements.
The greatest strength of the album is that you don’t think of the original artists while Ndegeocello is singing. Some will feel she’s been reckless with beloved jams, others will fall in love with them all over again, and many will discover a new side of them even if they’ve heard the original a million times.
Tackling a range of R&B radio hits from the 1980s and 1990s, Meshell Ndegeocello treats the practice of covering another’s songs as an act of intimacy and empathy.
Sonically, Ventriloquism is risky. Ndegeocello's blend of funk, folk, bluegrass and soul forces you to forget what you know about the songs you hold dear and at times, it gets uncomfortable. But listen closely — there's a lot being said on this album in deceptively simple ways.
You feel her soul, you feel her singing, you feel like this was real. Ventriloquism exudes magic to transport you to the '80s, and get along with the happiness, caring about nothing and fade yourself on serenity. Because this neo-soul LP slays on every edge.
FAVS: I Wonder If I Take You Home, Sometimes It Snows in April, Waterfalls, Sensitivity, Funny How Time Flies (When You're Having Fun), Private Dancer
LEAST FAV: Nite and Day
A fun collection of 80s and 90s covers from a versatile soul vocalist.
Favorite track: Waterfalls
1 | I Wonder If I Take You Home 4:43 | |
2 | Nite and Day 4:59 | |
3 | Sometimes It Snows in April 7:05 | |
4 | Waterfalls 4:34 | |
5 | Atomic Dog 2017 6:27 | |
6 | Sensitivity 3:43 | |
7 | Funny How Time Flies (When You're Having Fun) 4:33 | |
8 | Tender Love 2:41 | |
9 | Don't Disturb This Groove 4:37 | |
10 | Private Dancer 4:50 | |
11 | Smooth Operator 5:17 |
#12 | / | Albumism |
#39 | / | SPIN |
/ | New York Post | |
/ | Slate |