Me'shell NdegeOcello: Bitter

Me'shell NdegeOcello has experienced dizzying hype, a left-field hit (singing alongside John Mellencamp on the 1994 Van Morrison cover "Wild Night"), a bit of a sophomore slump, and now, with Bitter, an outright masterpiece. Shedding the cumbersome song titles and heavy-handed ambitions of 1996's Peace Beyond Passion, NdegeOcello plays the part of lovestruck chanteuse throughout Bitter, and the results are characteristically dark and ambiguous. But the album is nowhere near the bleak drag some have claimed; if anything, it evolves from darkness to light, opening with heartbreak ("Fool Of Me") and closing with a celebration of redemption through love ("Grace"). In between, it's packed with highlights, from the playful "Satisfy" to the lovely ballads "Bitter" and "Beautiful," with only an unnecessary Jimi Hendrix cover ("May This Be Love") even approaching filler. NdegeOcello's trademark is her deft ability to radiate both femininity and masculinity, and to sound undeniably sexual and exposed in either role; it adds a layer of fearlessness to a collection of songs that were pretty gutsy to begin with. Masterfully produced and elegantly arranged at every turn, Bitter is one of 1999's bravest, truest, best albums.