India.Arie - Testimony: Vol. 2, Love & Politics (2009)

Message-laden songs about love and peace laid against a soulful backdrop have been India.Arie's mantra ever since she popped into national consciousness with 2001's multiple Grammy Award-nominated "Acoustic Soul." Reinvigorated after the painful breakup chronicled in 2006's "Testimony: Vol. 1, Love & Relationship," Arie provides a multicultural dialogue about love and human politics. "Testimony: Vol. 2" encompasses her signature melodic grooves ("Chocolate High," "Yellow"), exuberant roots/folk music ("Therapy," "Better Way"), an Ivory Coast vibe (a revamp of Sade's "Pearls") and hip-hop (the telling "Psalms 23"). Along the way, Arie shares her musical platform with everyone from Musiq Soulchild and MC Lyte to Jamaica's Gramps Morgan and Turkey's Sezen Aksu. Although more upbeat than its predecessor, "Vol. 2" requires some time spent listening. Those who do so will be richly rewarded.—Gail Mitchell 

1. Intro - Grains
2. Therapy
3. Psalms 23
4. Chocolate High
5. He Heals Me
6. Interlude - Grains
7. Pearls
8. River Rise
9. Yellow
10. Better Way
11. Interlude - Grains
12. Long Goodbye
13. Ghetto
14. The Cure
15. Outro - Grains 
16. A Beautiful Day (bonus track)