Customer Reviews

Divorcing Neo 2 Marry Soul (Clean)

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Having never heard very little of Jaguar Wright or having heard her sing, I though that I would try her music out. It turns out that I was in for a wonderful surprise. I am a fan of neo-soul music anyway but it seems that 2005 has brought about more contemporary R&B singers than neo-soul singers and they are a dying breed. Angie Stone, one of my favorite proponents of the movement released an album too little support by audiences; she is a great singer, just underrated. I feel the same way about Jaguar. This debut is almost all entirely above average material that my not even see the top of the pop or R&B charts and it is a shame.

Jaguar Wright has a wonderful, unique voice. She is an alto, but I thing that her real grit is acheived when she shows off her upper register and "rises" above the arrangements/production. This whole album makes you feel like you are listening to pure soul music like it was in the late 60s and early 70s. The production is ambitious and for the most part it suits Wrights alto. While the album is 67 minutes long, it doesn't grow as weak as some albums of that length or more do. Naturally, some of the weaker selections could've been cut, but the biggest weight of that lenght is the 11 minute + "Do You Want", which is worth every bit of its duration. This is a well rounded sophomore effort and I wish that I'd heard her debut. Here is a run through of the tracks:

1. Dear John, Pt. 1 (No Score)- You notice right off the bat here that Wright has a unique voice

2. Free- The lead single from DIVORCING NEO 2 MARRY SOUL, there is a variety of sounds that make the song unique. You can feel this is a neo soul song with the arrangement, harmonized background vocals, and Wrights beautiful alto that sounds even more gritty in the upper register. 5/5

3. Let Me Be The One- An old school drum beat with unique production makes this song another solid track. 5/5

4. Timing- another good song with a non-mainstream arrangement; I don't like this song as well as "Free" or "Let Me Be The One", but Jaguar still sings her face off. 3.5/5

5. Told Ya- nice production with the bass line and the guitar & background vocals but it feels like this song lacks something... 3.5/5

6. My Place- While it took me a moment to "feel" the arrangement/production of this song, I grew to like it. 3.5/5

7. Flower- By far this song is one of the most beautiful R&B songs that I have heard for a while. The production is beautiful with lush strings, piano, and acoustic guitar. The words in the chorus are beautifully portrayed by the background vocalist. The bridge is fantastic with Jaguar's vocals harmonized and here voice rising above the arrangement better than it has throughout the whole of the album. My favorite, favorite track. 5+/5

8. Ecstsy- another spare arrangement, it shows off the lower register of Wrights vocals 3.5/5

9. So High- I don't really like his production work here because I think that it is a bit to busy and cluttered to support Wrights alto. Only when Wright ascends to her upper register does she sound more settle witht he production. It is still good production, just may not so much for Wright herself. 3.5./5.

10. Been Here Before- Another ambitious production. It isn't as clutter or unsettled as the production on "So High", but the song isn't particularly memorable. 3.5/5

11. Woman 2 Woman (No Score)

12. Woman 2 Woman- Another truly soulful production highlighting Wright at her best with soulful drums, guitar, strings, and the bass not overproduced. 4/5

13. Do Your Worst- Despite its 11 minute + length, this track is worth every minute of it. Wright does so many different things with her voice that it makes her accessible as both a soul singer and a jazz singer singing in a jazz club. The chords are both unpredictable and beautiful. Reminiscent of Isaac Hayes lengthy 1960s and 1970s songs. 5/5

14. One More Drink- Nice funky arrangement, OK song. 3.5/5

15. Dear John, Part 2 (No Score)

16. Cell Block- nice contemporary, mid tempo arrangment. Nothing stunning here; infact the album could've ended after Do Your Worst and it would've been alright. 3.5/5.

I highly recommend this album. I wish more people appreciated neo-soul and embraced the music. 4 Stars out of 5.

Beautiful. Just beautiful. All the other singers out now that is
getting so much play from the BET, MTV and other shows need to look at this woman and truly gasp. This is what music should sound like. Topics with meaning and not catchy hooks thats demeaning. Hopfully when Lauryn Hill hits the scene they will truly be aware. PEACE!!!!!!!!!!!

I was lucky enough to see Jaguar perform live at the St Kitts Music Festival a couple of years before her first album was released and was completely blown away by her lyrics and talent. This lady truly deserves to be a major star and with the release of her second album really shows what a talent she is and how she is evolving in to a big player in the music industry.

This sophmore release from one of Philly's renowned soul musicians, Jaguar Wright has left behind the heated anger and has exchanged it for a fiery passion.

"Divorcing Neo 2 Marry Soul" is a happier endeavour compared to 2002's "Denials, Delusions and Decisions" which was a course in how to be a sassy woman with an attitude. Here, though still keeping that attitude, she relies more on what her heart feels. Every song is an ode to love and individuality, coyness and self exploration, and she hits each one with such a beautiful sound.

In all, "Divorcing Neo 2 Marry Soul", though lacking some of the heat of her debut, is an effulgent and more joyous musical release. Hopefully, she can keep up the good work on her next release.

I am pretty short on expressing myself, but I love, love, love this cd. It's tight and it's Wright! Jaguar is putting it down for the gurlz. This music speaks for those who cannot!!! It is the utimate Gurlz CD!! From "Let me be the one" to "One more drink", this music is hot!!!

the thing with miss wright is what u c isnt always what u get.Her voice is a powerful machine in which she uses to full advantage.Strong ,angry and very self focused while still maintaining a soft ,sensitive side.Tracks like my place and let me be the one are floaty yet still remain coated in jaguar's fierce sense of self worth and independence.

The highlight for me is woman 2 woman where miss wright adresess her partners bit on the side strong knowlegeable and without dipping into the cliches jaguar maybe neo or old skool but she aint about to get all ghetto on ya ass !x

I was happy to see Jaquar Wright come back with another album. I loved her first album and this album also gets a thumbs up from me. I think Jaquar doesn't get nearly the publicity and credit she deserves in the music industry. But, at least she still strives to move forward and deliver good soulful music.

I love the first cd and I'm really feeling this one Jaq is doing her own thing to the max more power to you Jaq!

THIS OFFERING FROM JAGUAR IS EXCELLENT... MY FAVORITE SONG IS "LET ME BE THE ONE" THAT SONG IS BEAUTIFUL... ALSO "DO YOUR WORST" WILL LEAVE AN IMPRESSION ON YOU LIKE NO OTHER SONG... "FLOWER" ANOTHER STANDOUT TRACK... "MY PLACE" "TIMING" "FREE" DAMN DA WHOLE ALBUM IS HOT. JAGUAR IS WITHOUT A DOUBT ONE OF THE BEST CONTEMPORARY SINGERS OUT THERE NOW... I DONT KNOW WHY SHE IS EVEN BEING COMPARED TO MARY J. I LIKE MARY BUT SHE HAS NOTHING ON JAG... JAGS VOICE OVERPOWERS HERS... GET THIS ALBUM...

This feline is back, and she is ready to capture the attention of those who doubted her return. Jaguar Wright is probably best known for her background vocals on Jay-Z's MTV Unplugged album but she also put out an album entitled Denials, Delusions, and Decisions back in 2002. But with a pending pregnancy (which she happily showcased in her video for the song "What If"), this gritty songstress found herself being looked over and under-promoted by her then label MCA Records. Now having suffered a shelved album entitled And Your Point Is in 2003, Jaguar resurfaces on Artemis Records with the aptly titled Divorcing Neo 2 Marry Soul.

The title is fitting considering Jaguar eagerly breaks the mold of just sounding "new" and different from everything else that is out. You can practically say that she is at times possessed with the sound of old school soul we all grew up with. "Woman To Woman" is a modern twist to Shirley Brown's classic song on dealing with an outsider trying to creep in on her territory...namely her man. But besides remaking a classic, Jaguar dives into a near 12-minute escapade on "Do Your Worst", reminiscent of those 12" singles that some of us might remember from the days of old.

She, like many other artists, gives a vocal tribute to her seed on the song "Flower." Those of you that loved her debut album will appreciate songs like "My Place," "Let Me Be The One," and "One More Drink" (the latter being a spillover track from her unreleased album mentioned earlier.) Her hip-hop influence is demonstrated on the track "Timing," where she uses the same beat from Clipse's "Grindin," and "Been Here Before" provides some of here potty-mouth antics that we became accustom to on Denials, Delusions, and Decisions. Even the first single "Free" is refreshing in that Jaguar isn't scared tell it like it is. One thing is for sure, Divorcing Neo 2 Marry Soul is proof that Jaguar's ready to move on to bigger and better things.