Just Dropped (To See What Condition My Rendition Was In)

One of the realities of the music business is that when an artist with a degree of popularity dies, you can count on plenty of their rare and unreleased sides getting repackaged for public consumption once their obituary puts their name back in the news. Thankfully, has been dignified and choosy in mining its vaults for unheard (or underheard) tracks from their flagship artist, vocalist , who lost her life to cancer in 2016. The 2021 collection is only the second posthumous release from the retro-soul diva, following 2017's , recorded shortly before her death. The fact this LP collects 13 covers will probably make a few casual observers imagine these are mostly throwaway tracks, but one listen confirms that's not at all the case. and her band recorded most of these tracks either for tribute albums or film soundtracks (in the case of their remake of 's "Giving Up," and her band were commissioned to record the song so it could be sampled for a hip-hop track). Though a few clearly follow the blueprint of their originals (such as the opener, 's "Signed, Sealed, Delivered, I'm Yours"), on most of the others they bring new thinking and new life to the tunes. They turn 's "What Have You Done for Me Lately" and 's "Take Me with U" into lean, soulful, and organic grooves that recall late-'60s , 's "This Land Is Your Land" is infused with a defiance and flinty passion that reminds you intended it to be a leftist response to "God Bless America," and they strip 's "In the Bush" of its glossy disco affectations while maintaining its powerhouse dance groove and unsubtle sexual innuendo. Their interpretation of "Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In)" is actually a cover of a cover, modeled not on the hit recording by but after 's 1968 take on the tune. On every track, demonstrates she was a masterful soul singer, passionate and expressive but never over-the-top, and have top-shelf chops and a genius for dynamic, full-bodied arrangements. When most artists are commissioned to record a cover, the results often sound professional but short on inspiration. demonstrates gave 150 percent every time she stepped up to the microphone, regardless of the circumstances, and this album is a testament to her great talent as well as her gift for putting her own stamp on any song she chose to try on for size. ~ Mark Deming