On the piano-driven interlude “Agitation” off of Erykah Badu’s new album New Amerykah, Pt. 2: Return of the Ankh, she sings “Going through a thang now/Finna pull this thang out/but it’s against the law…”. When hearing this, one’s mind immediately goes to Badu’s recent video in which she strips naked on the streets of downtown Dallas and pretends to be shot at the very spot JFK was assassinated 47 years ago. The video not only got her a $500 citation from the Dallas Police Department, but it also garnered world-wide attention and made her the music story of the week. While I’m sure the video is an artistic statement about the artist bearing her soul to the world, or about how we must all cast off the shackles of convention in order to find true freedom, it’s also a brilliant piece of marketing.And, any publicity is good publicity, right? Well, that depends on whether or not the product can back it up and prove to be a worthy pay off.
Return of the Ankh comes after a couple of difficult albums from Badu. 2003’s World Wide Underground seemed more interested in ideas than songs, and even though it’s ten tracks spanned upwards of fifty minutes, it was promoted as an E.P so as not to confuse her audience that this was some serious statement. 2008’s New Amerykah Pt. 1: 4th World War was more accessible with its harder beats and deeper pockets, but its grittier tone and hard-hitting political messages were still a far cry from her single-laden debut Baduizm.
But, does Return of the Ankh match the hype? Yes, mostly. In fact, at times, it matches her best work. “Window Seat”, for which the offending video was made, is a taylor-made hit single reminiscent of “On and On”, and “Turn Me Away (Get MuNNY)” is a funky groove that adds a bit of Badu’s patented levity to the record in the same vein as “Tyrone”. Her sense of humor also shines on the 11-minute finale, “Out My Mind, Just In Time” as her calls to a lover turn to cries of self-pity: “I’d lie for you/and cry for you…Poor Badu/uuuuhhhhhOOOOOOOO!”.
Other tunes, like “Umm Hmm” and “Love” provide excellent filler material; in fact, the album never seems to drag, it just coasts along on Badu’s charm and air-right arrangements.
While Badu’s eccentricities shine through at times, it’s not always to the benefit of the music. On the aforementioned final piece’s second movement and in “Fall In Love (Your Funeral)”, the rhythm is scrambled by a rambling bass or a kick that plays too far ahead of the beat. In both cases, the effect ruins the listeners ability to sink into the pocket, and to be honest, creates an overall feeling of anxiety. As smooth as she can be at times, Badu doesn’t always seem interested in making her listeners comfortable.
While I don’t know if it’s a tag she ever put upon herself, Badu has always been thrown into the “neo-soul” camp. The very name suggests referencing the past as accurately as possible as the goal, not necessarily innovating. To this end, Return of the Ankh is a success; it sounds very much like other good soul/R&B albums, including her own best work. So successful, in fact, that it would have been a hit even without Badu dropping her panties in public.
