Although it has been nearly five years since her last studio release, Erykah Badu's fourth LP New AmErykah was well worth the wait. From the CD artwork - an image of her oversized afro made up of ankhs, needles and malnourished babies - to the production, everything is well thought out, allowing anyone to relate to it. The track "Me," is one of the most honest revelations put to music, with her singing about the changes in her body to the fathers of her two children. In "Soldier," she expresses a very strong political sentiment while managing not to come across as preachy, as she lends her support to anyone who is trying to affect change within our society.
Badu makes sure to keep it smooth with her organ-infused track "That Hump" and the ?uestlove and James Poyser produced "Telephone," a tribute to the late J Dilla that makes you close your eyes and simply nod your head.
But despite her powerfully charged and honest lyrics, there are some other surprises that Badu offers us, such as the fact that her lead single "Honey" is included as a bonus track and its sugary lyrics about love doesn't exactly fit with the scheme of the album. A few of the tracks completely switch gears in the middle and may confuse the listener. However, it thankfully keeps the listeners on their toes. This album is definitely not meant to be played as simply background music.
