Mind, Body & Soul [Audio CD] STONE,JOSS

These days, it seems that anyone can record a R&B album. However, recording a soul album takes that special something?that intangible element. Joss Stone has it. The 17-year-old Devon, England native first proved that with The Soul Sessions, a collection of rare soul grooves. She does it here again with Mind, Body & Soul, her first album of original material.

For those who thought that Stone could only interpret vintage ballads, witness the midtempo attitude of "Jet Lag." Backed by a thumping backbeat, Stone tells of a love of so all-encompassing that it is physically draining. On lead single, "You Had Me," Stone takes the persona of a woman done wrong with biting edge. A funky wah-wah guitar introduces her "get lost" sentiment over an infectious hook.

Mind, Body & Soul also features a host of moving ballads that are reminiscent of The Soul Sessions' more downtempo fare. The choir-backed "Security" is an organ-touched tale of love and support in the wake of tragedy. "Spoiled," a song Stone wrote with the legendary Lamont and Beau Dozier of Dozier-Holland-Dozier, is a romantically lush offering in which Stone's alto caresses the piano-driven arrangement.

Other Mind, Body & Soul highlights include the hypnotic "Snakes & Ladders" and the roots reggae vibe of "Less Is More." While The Soul Sessions introduced Stone to the world, this album will make her undeniable. --Rashaun Hall