Denials Delusions & Decisions
The latest soul singer to break out from the thriving Philadelphia scene is singer/songwriter Jaguar Wright. (The City of Brotherly Love is the birthplace of legendsPatti LaBelleandTeddy Pendergrassas well as more recent arrivalsJill Scott,Musiq Soulchild,Jazzyfatnastees, andBilal.) Like Scott, Wright came to prominence through her association with hip-hoppers theRoots, contributing her considerable vocal skills to the rap group's "What You Want" (fromThe Best Mansoundtrack) and "The Lesson, Part III" (fromThe Roots Come Alive). Wright's powerhouse alto works lusty rumbles and righteous wails with an ease that would do Lady Marmalade proud, so it's a shame much of the material on her debut relies heavily on repetitive, ho-hum grooves that mask her potential to let loose and sing. Things work best when Wright taps into the blues-woman/bad-girl vibe you'd expect from a girl named Jaguar, like on the Etta James-style opener, "What If"; the sassy, street-hardened soul of "Same Sh*t, Different Day"; and the tell-it-like-it-is ballad "Self Love," one of the few cuts on which Wright's pipes really get to shine.--Sylvia W. Chan