The World has Made Me the Man of My Dreams

Eclectic singer-songwriter and bassist Me'Shell Ndegeocello has made a virtue out of being uncategorizable over the course of her lengthy career.

On her seventh musical wonder to the world, 'The World Has Made Me the Man of My Dreams' finds Me'Shell largely supplanting the funk-inflected, singer-songwriter pop of early albums with a thornier brew of political lyrics, hard-edged modern jazz, and confessional vocals. With guests the likes of guitarist Pat Metheny and pianist Robert Glasper, Me'Shell has serious jazz credibility this time out, and songs such as "Virgo" and the scorching opener "Haditha" come closer to fusing modern jazz with singer-songwriter pop than anything since Joni Mitchell's controversial late-1970s album, 'Mingus'. Meanwhile, the funky "Headline" and the tender ballad "Shirk" should appeal to earlier fans as well.

"Call it Sade unlite: jazzy atmospherics meant to evoke spiritual fundamentals rather than zoned-out surfaces."
-ROLLING STONE

"[T]he mellifluous-voiced bassist coasts from punk rock to orchestral ballads to seductive grooves."
-ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY