Jill Scott: Woman review – a mighty voice returns

“I used to be stuck / How about you?” asks Jill Scott at the beginning of Say Thank You, before a fuzz guitar that echoes Funkadelic’s Maggot Brain kicks in. Woman is Scott’s first album since 2011’s The Light of the Sun, and her first for Atlantic. Assisted by a team of producers including long-time collaborator André Harris, it doesn’t sound as though she’s stuck. According to Scott’s gushing sleevenotes (which could have done with an edit, frankly), songs such as (Put Me) Back Together attempt to blend country sensibilities with 70s Philadelphia soul. She succeeds in this – and a lot else besides. The stomping Coming to You or the deep Can’t Wait will strike a chord with fans of vintage soul without sounding self-consciously retro or kitsch, and she sounds equally at home on opening rap Wild Cookie and jerky R&B workout Lighthouse. Scott’s mighty voice is a commanding presence throughout, whether flying around the melodies of songs such as Prepared, or multi-tracked on the dreamy Fool’s Gold.