Classic Soul – Ms. Monique – Soul Sessions Chapter 1

Album Review: Ms. Monique – "Soul Sessions Chapter 1"

(Soul/R&B/Southern Soul/Slow Jams/Southern Fried Erotica)

Let me cut to the chase, Soul Sessions Chapter 1 is one of my favorite releases of 2006. This album is a modern day piece of art that is a part of the legacy created by such female slow jam masters from the 1970’s such as The Fuzz, Brenda & the Tabulations, the Emotions (when they were on STAX), Barbara Mason, etc. Nah it doesn’t recreate the 70’s sound, in fact far from it. This is an album for young men of 2006 to sit in their rooms, cars, etc and fantasize about what it must be like to be with a woman as supa foine, sexy and straight to the point as Ms. Monique. Of course in 2006 little is left to the imagination as young men have sexually explicit songs, videos, etc up the wazu at their beckon call thanks to TV, Internet and god knows what else. Songs like Lollipop, Love Therapy, Slow & Easy, I’m Looking For A Good Man can be clearly linked back to songs such as "Show Me How" by the Emotions or "Tonight Is the Night" by Betty Wright.

Back in the 1970’s with the advent of the women’s liberation movement, songs from artists like The Fuzz, Brenda & the Tabulations, the Emotions (when they were on STAX), Barbara Mason demonstrated that females could be literally demand sex from potential mates without seeming to be ‘slutty". In that sense I suppose that this album could be considered "retro" because Ms. Monique doesn’t really go all of the way", but she certainly does take "raging male hormones" right to the brink, staying romantic and never entering the realm of the obscene. And isn’t that what all of the very best female singers are supposed to do? So what’s my recommendation? I say that if you are a male between the ages of 15 – 60 that you should own a copy of this album so that you can be "brought to the brink" and that if you are a female between the ages of 15 – 60 you should buy a copy of this album for your mate so that you can take him "over the brink".

1. Intro

2. Mr. Do Right

3. Get Up

4. Lollipop

5. Interlude (WSOL)

6. Love Therapy

7. Slow & Easy

8. I’m Looking For A Good Man

9. Interlude (Radio Spot)

10. Do You Wanna Step Wit Me

11. Ooh Baby

12. You Did It To You

13. Love Therapy (Continuation)

14. Single Mama

15. Prayer