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I think Sony SERIOUSLY dropped the ball with Des'ree when she first came on the scene. Her 1992 'Mind Adventures' debut was a fully-realized effort that showcased a truly exceptional contemporary soul artist whose roots just happen to reach all the way down to notable "old school" influences such as fellow UK native Joan Armatrading and Anita Baker, for example. Hard to believe all the songs on this album were written by Des'ree back during her adolescent phase, I sure wouldn't have guessed it (lol). Feel So High was the eventual breakthrough single from it, but drew quite a bit of controversy several years later when it was discovered that female pop icon Janet Jackson sampled the melody for her own hit single (Got Til It's Gone from her 1997 'Velvet Rope' album) without legal permission. Des'ree ended up winning the lawsuit in the end, thank goodness! It was also included on the US version of her breakout sophomore album (1994's 'I Ain't Movin''), but curiously left off the 1995 US release of her first album for whatever reason. The title track, Why Should I Love You, Stand On My Own Ground, Competitive World, Laughter, and Momma Please Don't Cry are also noteworthy cuts that should've seen some real action on the Pop/R&B charts back then too. My 4-star rating is about right since Des'ree's 2nd album (UK version to be more specific here; different album cover photo and running order, with Feel So High included STRICTLY as a bonus track on some releases) I still consider to be her most definitive by comparison. Shame she immediately flamed out after her first two incredible studio offerings and eventually left the music industry to study natural medicine. I honestly felt she had all the tools for a long successful career as a recording artist under the right circumstances. Oh well, hope she's doing alright in the meantime...Read full review
Verified purchase: No
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