On her previous album Heaven (2001), Sheila E already professed her Christian faith in word and music. She covered her past as a sexy percussionist a bit. On the cover of this latest album, Sheila Escovedo is indeed depicted with spread arms in the Christ pose, but despite this religious gesture, Icon starts off nicely explosive. Opener Butterfly is a short instrumental track full of heavy thumping
… Afro-Caribbean percussion, which would even bring Lazarus to life. Unfortunately it is not the prelude to the entire album. The singer / percussionist switches between a variety of styles. Sometimes it works out well, such as in the funk song Nasty Thangs or the Latin-ish Leader Of The Band (with a guest role for her old band mate Prince). Very different from the middle-of-the-road sound of I'll Give You That or Rockstar, with which she seems to want to serve the extensive relipop market. So there was plenty of variety, the only constant factor is that Sheila E mainly goes back to the music that was popular in the eighties and nineties. (PdK)more
