Soul Flower

Soul Flower

Before there was a Destiny's Child there was En Vogue. Once dubbed the Supremes of the '90s after snaring two consecutive number one hits in 1990 and three Top Ten hits three years later, the Oakland-based group went through an identity crisis when lead singer Dawn Robinson left the band in 1997. In 2003 the band was able to regain their equilibrium after Rhonda Bennett, a former regular on the Jamie Foxx Show, joined founding members Terry Ellis and Cindy Herron in the line-up after talks with Robinson and other original member Maxine Jones fell through. Though Robinson’s dash and sass is sorely missed, this new configuration blends pristine vocal arrangements and close jazzy harmonies that approaches some of the original band’s best moments. While there’s some real gems on the disc--like the coy-but-clever "Ooh Boy," the arch ache of "Dissed Him," and the spiteful "All You See," which is as sneering as anything Missy Elliot is putting out--much of the disc just doesn't live up to high water mark of their '90s releases. But that’s not to say there isn’t hope. En Vogue is working with longtime producers Denzil Foster and Thomas McElroy again--who penned the disc’s two best hits--so there’s every chance that the "Funky Divas" will once again perch atop the charts in their lofty stilettos. --<I>Jaan Uhelszki</I>