Reviewed by Lins Honeyman

Probably best known for her work with Prince, US drummer-cum-singer Sheila Escovedo has released her first solo album for 12 years. Bar a short percussive interlude at the beginning, proceedings kick off with the Latin exposé "Mona Lisa" which, despite its musical competence and a brave attempt to tell the story of da Vinci's muse, is hindered by somewhat clunky lyrics such as "raised in a place called Tuscany/married in '95/the evidence suggested she was twenty-four or five". Sheila E and her band give strong performances on the positive pop soul of "Lovely Day" (not the Bill Withers classic) and "I'll Give You That" before really getting into their stride with the funk-infested "Nasty Thangs" and the Santana-like "Leader Of The Band" which feature cameos from rapper MC Lyte and Prince himself respectively. Faith references are generally kept under wraps although the thought-provoking "Girl Like Me" does offer up a clear spiritual solution to a victim of abuse to contrast the fairly light subject matter found elsewhere. The inventive funk of "Old Skool" closes this enjoyable enough release.

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