I've only heard most of her '93 debut "Plantation Lullabies" so far, but have absolutely LOVED it and can't wait to dig further into her catalogue (hell, I may as well just BUY it all since I've heard her work has been consistently excellent and I dig those "PL" songs so much). So for the Me'Shell fans here, what's your favorite album?

DO YOURSELF A FAVOUR...

And get her entire catalogue.

Regards.

peace beyond passion

Bitter.

It is the most difficult, but most brilliant, of all of her fantastic work.

IMHO, her run of albums has been nearly as impressive as that other dude's.

Wow. I actually own her entire catalogue, so it's hard for me to say which one I like the most -- I feel like I'm underplaying the others if I pick and choose.

However, I guess I'll say Bitter since it's the first album by Meshell I purchased and fell in love with, I still remember the first time I played it. Sonically, it was like entering an alternate reality -- especially when heard at night, you really feel transported by that album. Ndegeocello and Craig Street did an incredible job on it. Then again, I can talk up and down about Plantation Lullabies or Peace Beyond Passion[!]

Gah!

Cookie. Though its only 2 of her albums I have (...woman")

prettymansson said:

All of them are great... all of them have a different vibe, but this one is my fav too!

I'll vote for "Cookie" cuz that one had the most impact on me at the time, but all of her albums are great.

Definitely Cookie because it is a deep freakin' album and it's also politically charged!
[Edited 3/18/06 22:28pm]

Fave: Comfort Woman, that shit knocks me out (but Cookie & Bitter do too!!!)

Best: Bitter


And like others have already said, get her entire catalogue

prettymansson said:

That's the shit!

Soon as you hear the words Jesus cured a blind man prepare for a wonderful journey.

if you want that gooey funky stuff go with Peace Beyond Passion and Cookie, if you want to see her shine in a different light check out Bitter and Comfort Woman. And after you're done collecting all of that stuff go and pick up Spirit Music Jamia

Everything she has out is undeniable and versatile!

sinisterpentatonic said:

1. Peace Beyond Passion/Bitter
2. Cookie

I like her other albums too, but for some reason I cannot seem to get into 'Comfort Woman' too much. I don't have her newest one yet - what about that one?

I've been on a Me'Shell kick recently. I've been going thru all her stuff. I would pick "Peace Beyond Passion". "Stay", "Bittersweet", "Free My Heart" and "Niggerman" are some great, great songs. This CD is deep all the way thru and has a real serious and sensual feel . "God Shiva" is great and Wendy Melovin (who co wrote it and plays guitar on it) gives the song so much color.

It's also a great CD to f#ck to.

"Comfort Woman" is a great CD too. A little electronic but so warm. "Baptised" is a great song. A great "mellow out" CD.

To me there is no question - "Plantation Lullabies."

One of the greatest R&B albums ever recorded.

A thousand neo-soul wannabes *wish* they could come this correct.


"Step Into the Projects"
"Picture Show"
"ShootNUpNGettin'High"

This album is just the shit from start to finish.

Her later shit was good, sometimes very good, but to me never this good.

darkstranger I agree with you 100%. Me'Shell was the one who started the "neo" movement (even though I hate that word). When gangsta rap was big, she brought the music scene something fresh and new. Me'Shell's music at that time in the 90's blew away the music Prince was putting out at that time. I would "Peace Beyond Passion" right up there with "Here, My Dear" or "S.O.T.T".

papaa said:

agreed. but when you get to Cookie.....use headphones only. it's a very cerebral album. and it's stanky.

Get them all. There are all SPECIAL.

I agree with the others: although my favorite is Peace Beyond Passion, her entire catalog is worth checkin' out....


...

Milty said:

I thought my fav was Cookie until I sam Comfort Woman Live. That was a NICE live concert. Damn.....They had my boy Chris Dave from Mint Condition on drums, he had his own section of fans. They TORE it up man.....

Peace Beyond Passion or Comfort Woman

Peace Beyond Passion. Which I reagrd as her only solid good as album as well.

My favorite is Peace Beyond Passion...

but yes... get all of her albums.. including Dance of the Infidel.

prettymansson said:

Co-sign. With the exception of the slightly boring drone of "Who is He and What is He to You?," the utter waste of "Stay" and the somewhat clumsy hook (although no allusion to Marvin Gaye can be all bad) that interferes with the narrative of "Make Me Wanna Holler," this CD is golden all the way through. ...And "Mary Magdalene" is at once soooo beautiful yet painful, it's one of only maybe three songs that can occassionally have me crying like a little... (when no one's around, of course.)

Bitter is nipping at its heels, but this is my favorite.
[Edited 3/22/06 21:31pm]

peace beyond passion and bitter tied. runner up is "cookie"

Agree with everyone who said get 'em all.

However, Bitter is the best. Hands down.

Saw Me'shell at a nearby bar a couple years ago. GREAT show. Met her outside and she signed PBP for me (as she was mackin' on a honey ).

Plantation Lullabies is my favourite, but I love Bitter too. Id do yourself a favour and get all her albums, but one at a time and in order, just to appreciate how her sound evolves.

My 2nd favorite artist next 2 Prince. Brilliant, underrated and VERY unappreciated. I got in2 her seriously back in 2002, but I had always been up on her and her talents. When I read the reviews 2 "Cookie" in Rolling Stone, they said something like it was the album "that Prince keeps trying 2 make" and I had 2 check it out. What I heard FLOORED me and I kicked myself 4 waiting 4 so long 2 get in2 her music. I then went and bought her previous cds, and spent MONTHS in heaven, just indulging in all of this new music. I saw her here in Detroit in support of her "Comfort Woman" cd and it was a great experience with that being my first time seeing her live. I was right at the stage, directly in front of her microphone and was surprised at how small and petite she is. It's hard 2 pick a favorite cd of hers but if I had 2, I'd pick "Peace Beyond Passion". Even the "Dance of the Infidel" cd is great, and U can see her evolution from her first cd thru this last one. A truly great artist...

sinisterpentatonic said:

That's mine

This is my favorite of her albums. 3 song titles use books of the Bible:

Deuteronomy: Niggerman
Ecclesiastes: Free My Heart
Leviticus: Faggot

Quite brilliant in light of her struggle. Musically this album is amazing. But you need to go deeper and listen to the lyrics. I believe the lyrics are in the booklet, however if they're not I would advise you google them and read them as you listen to the album. The lyrics on this album are amazing. Transforming. Transcending. I am so moved by this album, still crying to it to this day.

The album starts out with "Womb", look at this song from the standpoint of birth.

“The Way"...Jesus Cured the Blind man so that he could see the evils of the world. Perchance blindness is but dark thought overcome by the light.....they say, you're the way, the light, the light so blinding. Am I not to question? Your followers condemn me, your words are used to enslave me.....My sweet Jesus, I heard that you could save me.

"Deuteronomy: Niggerman".....”All I ever wanted was a nigger who would be true, all I wanted was a niggerMAN.....One night on a love high we metamorphasized to gigantic black butterflies and for the first time I saw the God inside, realizing that my nigger redefined was a black man divine. He could take me higher and higher and higher

(in the voice of God) from the tree of knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die. To the woman he said I will greatly multiply your pain in your conception, in pain you shall bring forth your children. And you shall be dependent upon your husband and he shall rule over you.....

Let's go back to the time when the mind and soul were divine faith unquestioned.... “


A nigger....redefined as a black man divine. Better yet, black man divine, redefined.... for if it weren't for redefinition in the first place he never would have been perceived as something he wasn't.....

This woman’s music!!!!


Ecclesiastes: Free My Heart "Free my heart so my soul may fly. Free my mind from my worldly wants and desires. I look towards heaven with my arms open wide, take my hand....come and take my hand.


“Leviticus: faggot".... “Better learn to run run learn to run cuz daddy's home. Daddy's little boy's just a little too sweet..

Go to church boy Faggot you're just a prisoner of your own perverted world
No picket fence acting like a bitch that's all he sees ain't that what faggot means, No love dreams

Only the favors sweet Michael performed for money to eat 'Cause the man kicked the faggot out the house at 16. Amen mother let it be

Before long he was crowned QUEEN for all the world to see bloody body face down

The wages of sin are surely death that's what mama used to say
So there was no sympathy....

Who will care for me? Who will love me? Just searching and searching, searching and searching trying to figure out....life.”

And that is just the first 4 songs.


I am currently writing a piece that I will share on Prince.org about my growing up in the church as a gay person. This song "Leviticus Faggot"....truly I have such a religious experience when I give in to it because she is taking up the banner for her brothers and truly addressing the issue in such a powerful way.

This song inspires me to be the strongest, most loving, most compassionate and aggressive fighter for my community. The gay community has been completely abandoned by the church and it is my honor in this life to minister to my community and let them know that they don't have to let other people steal their relationship with God.

It took me many years to reach that point but I am inspired to help others to realize their glory and their place in God's plan. We are all loved and I will stand against hatred disguised in the form of righteousness as long as I draw breath.

This album came at a time in my life where I was in the depths of my searching. I found answers in this album. There are a handful of albums that spark my drive for searching. This is one of them. It has me thinking and feeling and connecting. I can't ever begin to truly say how important this album is to me. In so many ways. The way she fights for the truth. Fighting for the nigger, for the faggot, for the bitch. Always elevating each group to their proper place.

This album is Me'Shell refined. She has continued to grow from this point but I thought you should delve into the album I consider her most important. After that I'd suggest Plantation, then follow the albums as they were released. Bitter is heartbreaking. Uncompromising. And Cookie is her commentary at it's best. Infidels is a departure, more experimental jazz. I am so proud of this woman. She is my hero
[Edited 3/21/06 13:06pm]

bitter...

for all that it is..for all that it makes you feel...and for all the hope that it conveys.