Erykah Badu - Worldwide Underground

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Music reviews of Worldwide Underground

Music Review: perhaps better left underground..
Rating: 2 Stars

So on to Worldwide [better left] Underground. It starts off with World Keeps Turnin.. Its not really a song nor do I think she intended it to be.. there's some soft music for about a minute and a half and she occasionally tells us in a softer voice that the world keeps turnin'. The next track "Bump It" FT Caron Wheeler & Zap Mama is a bit lengthy.. The first half is okay.. lyrics are weak and repetitive and not interesting, empowering , reflective or insightful or anything that I have grown to love about Erykah. Instead she talks about how she likes to listen to her music loudly.. but the song eventually morphs into something else entirely and you wonder if by chance you are on to a new track. If you are familiar with Zap Mama's music then you will probably appreciate the latter half of this song. It sounds very much like something from "A Ma Zone" (which i highly recommend)It is mostly incomprehensible singing of sorts but sounds fun. The next song "Back in the Day" has grown on me a bit. The first time I heard it I was really annoyed with it but it has since become one of the few tracks I enjoy. Track 4.. "I Want You" is a bit much for me.. it's lengthy and repetitive and I don't wan't it. Which brings us to track 5.. I heard her perform this live in Denver and was underwhelmed with it @ her show. She borrows lyrics from previously released songs "Today- Earth Song" and "Sometimes" .. the two verses in this song are not new.. just set to a background of people hollering "Woo".. while it sounds fun and is one of the better songs on her CD... I wooed myself right along to the next track.. Track 6 "The Grind" Ft Dead Prez... This song should be on a Dead Prez CD FT Erykah Badu.. As she really isnt highlighted on this song.. I wouldnt even call it a duet.. She is more like background vocalist on this track.. as this song fades and the next track starts (Track 7) We are brought to "Danger/Otherside of the Game PT2" I like this song. It is easily the best track on the album but no Bag Lady or Tyrone. The lyrics are great, the beat is good.. its a great song and yet I felt no connection to it.. My lover isnt in jail or prison and im not hustling drugs.. Only Erykah could pull this song off and she does it quite nicely.. Listen to "Danger" with the volumer turned up loud!!! The next track "Think Twice" is great.. Lyrics are a bit weak but it is a pleasant song performed with Roy Hargrove. It's a noice joint. If you like this song check out the CD titled "Hard Groove" by Roy Hargrove and his band RH Factor. Erykah, Q-tip and Roy sing a song called "Poetry" on that CD that is better but with a simliar sound. The next track "Love of My Life Worldwide" is a remake of an old Sequence song title "Funk You Up" It is one of the better tracks on this album and a redeeming end to a bizarre CD. As that song ends we are quickly brought back to where we started as Erykah returns us to the "World Keeps Turnin"

I would recommend this to fans of Erykah.. If you are not familiar with her. DO NOT start with this album.. I think you would have to already appreciate her to appreciate this CD. While I rated it low, I really am starting to enjoy this CD.. The low rating is because I think she is capable of putting out better and more meaningful music than this. In that light it was a bold move to release something like this to her fan base.. Perhaps this should have been released as a B-Sides or something. Bottom Line.. Erykah is still more talented than 90% of what is out there.. she'll be back and she'll bring us something real.. If you ever get a chance to see her live do not pass it up..

Description of Worldwide Underground

Blues CDs

• Music > Styles
• Pop
• R&B