Congo Square is very much in the spirit of Teena Marie’s work as a whole. The album’s warm, sensuous grooves showcase the singer/songwriter’s sultry whispers and passionate vocal flights, mixing contemporary urban touches with a classic R&B vibe. As before, Marie’s lyrics are at once witty and seductive, with “Ear Candy 101” and “The Pressure” offering some particularly tasty bedroom patter. Her wordslinging on “You Baby” rekindles the erotic charge of her classic hits “Square Biz” and “Lovergirl”. When she’s not casting love-spells, she salutes Americans in uniform (“Soldier”), pays homage to Coretta Scott King (“Ms. Coretta”) and toasts the musical heritage of New Orleans (the title track). Marie shares the spotlight with daughter Rose LeBeau on the sweetly funky “Milk n’ Honey” and duets with Howard Hewett on the caressing “Lover’s Lane”. The closing number “The Rose n' Thorn” is an aching torch ballad in the style of Sarah Vaughn that serves as a poignant coda to Marie’s own recording legacy. It was released a year and a half before her death.