Me'Shell NdegéOcello – Plantation Lullabies

Even though I've given this vinyl copy four stars while giving the original CD five stars, I STILL prefer the event of playing the vinyl. The CD is a masterpiece and this issue only has the Tiramisu mix of 'Boyfriend' (which is great, but come on, the original version is better!)...but hey, the thing is, I've gone off CDs. Too long, too neutral and no character...(anyway, let's not fall out about it here!).

What about this pressing? I realise there's the recent reissue of the album on 2 LPs and I can imagine it'll be lovely. Well, you can't have everything...I'm sticking with the 1993 pressing. Why? Well even if it has been squeezed onto one LP, I like the BALANCE of the frequencies here. I appreciate the convention is to enjoy this music with more bass. Nothing wrong with that. Much as I love 90s soul music/RnB (probably the last era of soul music for me!), I'm comfortable with how things sounded from 1971 to 1982. So, I suppose (and I can't resist saying it), I'm digging this like an old soul record. See what I did there?

All smart alec nonsense aside, this is a wonderful album (full stop) and I'm glad I've got it on CD for the complete songlist with alternatuve mixes but happy enough with this original 1993 pressing. It's not 180g and it's not heavy sounding either...but it's nice.
Recommended if you see it!

Slick fluid grooves that resonate and drive and bass work that Mick Karn would be proud of. An excellent production and recording, beautifully represented by this CD edition.

Hands down the best album of the entire 1990s from this genre. Just exquisite from start to finish.

Beautiful sounding LP. One of the best I’ve heard from MOV. Such full, clear sound. This is much better than the original pressing - having the album spread across two LPs gives it more room to breathe.

It's a damn shame that a musician as brilliant and uncompromising as Meshell Ndegeocello is severely overlooked. Equally telling is the undervalued status this landmark debut of contemporary R&B is among music purists and press alike, who will wrongly ascribe the constantly lauded Brown Sugar/Maxwell's Urban Hang Suite/Baduizm trifecta as the tipping point that ushered "neo-soul" (God, I loathe that label!) While there are several progenitors and noteworthy albums we can point to that built the foundation of "neo-soul" even before Meshell's Plantation Lullabies dropped, it's obvious this album set both the pace and tone for what was to follow. Not to mention, the emotional and musical scope of this album still sounds remarkably fresh now: her anguish and pain complement the sonic intensity of the bass, synths, and drums. But then she mellows out, flaunts her vulnerability and romanticism, and takes you to another world like no one quite can. A master of groove and mood, Meshell made a vital mark in contemporary black music with this album than many give her credit for, and this isn't even her crown jewel nor is it my top favorite in her unparalleled catalog either. It may, however, be her most important contribution and for that, I will always be indebted to her artistry and courage.

This 1993 promo pressing is wonderfully cut—lots of dynamics and depth here. The 1993 CD was superbly mastered, too.

Clean flat pressing. Bass heavy but still good. They did a good job with this pressing.

Such a wonderfully diverse record with incredible lyrics and sentiments.

plantation lullabies what a debut first lp
From this remarkable musician,
Sublime!