Angie Stone: Mahogany Soul : Music Reviews : Rolling Stone

Album Reviews

As a member of what was probably the first female hip-hop group (Sequence), a singer in the overlooked neo-soul trio Vertical Hold, co-author of several D'Angelo songs and the voice of more African-American hair-product jingles than she cares to remember, Angie Stone has a right to be suspicious of R&B's new naturalism: This seen-it-all sister was real before some so-called soul saviors of today learned to say "mama." Like its title suggests, Mahogany Soul isn't flashy. The sequel to Stone's 1999 debut, Black Diamond, isn't even all that catchy. This South Carolina-born, New Jersey-based traditionalist bucks the man-slamming trend by paying tribute to black maleness with "Brotha" and admits she'd rather collect "Bottles and Cans" than give up her lover. Her melodies sometimes meander, and the one knockout track, "Wish I Didn't Miss You," bites off a fat chunk of the O'Jays' "Back Stabbers." Like D'Angelo, Stone specializes in dramatic moods expressed with mellow methods. Give her understated passion time to marinate, and Stone's soul picnic will satisfy.

BARRY WALTERS
(RS 882 - November 22, 2001)