Joi - Star Kitty's Revenge (2001)

Revenge is sweet on Joi's latest, a fierce, funky, groove-laden opus that should finally earn the Atlanta-based singer the recognition she so rightfully deserves. Her critically acclaimed (and now out-of-print) 1993 debut, Pendulum Vibe, and her never-released 1997 funk-rock masterpiece, Amoeba Cleansing Syndrome (widely circulated as a bootleg), fell victim to poor marketing and record label shutdowns, and despite her stint as lead vocalist in Lucy Pearl (replacing Dawn Robinson), mainstream success has eluded Joi thus far. But like any righteous diva would, she comes out swinging on Star Kitty's Revenge, packing the disc's 19 tracks and interludes with pure, unadulterated artistry. Mixing raunchy flair (à la Millie Jackson); cosmic, Parliament-style grooves; and her own brand of Dirty South élan, originals like the X-rated "Lick," "Techno Pimp," and "You're a W***e" should send listeners into blissful, funk-induced hazes, while the old-school R&B of "Missing You" and a cover of Chaka Khan and Rufus's "I'm a Woman" are sure to get booties shaking in all the right ways. --Sylvia W. Chan