Soul Flower by En Vogue (CD, Feb-2004, 33rd Street Records)

Album Features
UPC:	806403332621
Artist:	En Vogue
Format:	CD
Release Year:	2004
Record Label:	33rd Street Records
Genre:	Contemporary R&B, R&B

Track Listing
1. Losin' My Mind
2. Ez-a-lee
3. Ooh Boy
4. All You See
5. Dissed Him
6. Ooh La La
7. I Do Love You (Piece of My Love)
8. Stop
9. Heaven
10. Everyday
11. Nearly Lost
12. Million Different Ways
13. Careful
14. How Do I Get Over
15. New Day Callin'

Details
Distributor:	Bayside Record Dist.
Recording Type:	Studio
Recording Mode:	Stereo
SPAR Code:	n/a

Album Notes
En Vogue: Rhona Bennett, Cindy Herron, Terry Ellis (vocals).Producers include: Denzil Foster, Thomas McElroy, Troy Johnson, Dwayne Morgan, The Track Headz.En Vogue: Cindy, Clark Terry, Rhona.Personnel: D'Wayne Wiggins, Earl Cooney, Marlon McClain, Steve Counter (guitar); Dorian Cheah (violin); Denzil Foster, Dillion F. Gorman, Phillip Scott, Jara Harris, Thomas McElroy, Troy Johnson , Sauce (keyboards, drum programming); Rochad Holiday, Matt Theriault, Robbie Nevil (keyboards); Rick Campbell (percussion).Liner Note Author: Vannesa Ellis.Photographer: Arnold Turner.Four years after their last true full-length (the nearly Internet-only Christmas album from 2002 barely counts), En Vogue return as independent women, not only in record label but also in attitude. Soul Flower benefits from more of an eye on the groove than on the charts and better than ever tricks from longtime producers Denzil Foster and Thomas McElroy. Within the first five seconds of the album listeners get a slinky shuffle of a beat, '40s-styled harmonies, and a confident, soulful lead vocal. A ton of winning ideas follow, and Foster and McElroy seem to be having as much fun as ever. The 2004 version of En Vogue -- original members Terry Ellis and Cindy Herron with newish member Rhona Bennett -- harmonize as well as the original four, adding a mature attitude that's still sexy and strong. "All You See" is Sex in the City in a song, with the women delivering their "can't live with 'em, can't live without 'em" lyrics in elegant fashion. The plea for men to stop acting like boys on the slinky "Dissed Him" could make the lowliest player straighten up and "Nearly Lost" is a wonderful bit of light chamber funk. This isn't a return to form -- there's nothing reaching for the brassy heights of "Free Your Mind" and nothing as gimmicky as "My Lovin'" -- but Soul Flower finds the band revitalized, learned, and with a whole new set of opportunities in front of them. ~ David Jeffries