Kelis Finds New Sound On New Album

Kelis has always been experimental. From the Neptunes produced rock/R&B/dance/hip hop hybrid of her first three albums to the hip hop inspired fourth record, Kelis Was Here,  Kelis always was outside the box. Then in 2010 Kelis released Flesh Tone which was a dance album that while it was good, was a step back for the singer.
On her sixth album Food, out last month, Kelis has a more throwback soul sound that mixes in rock and electronic elements. Gone is the aggression of her debut single and first hit "Caught Out There." Gone is the sexuality of her biggest hit "Milkshake" and the attitude of "Bossy."
The album starts with three of the album's best songs. "Breakfast" is a joyous love song that starts the album off right.
"So much of who we are/ Is who first taught us how to love," Kelis sings.
First single "Jerk Ribs" is a great track that is soulful with great percussion and a killer saxophone melody. Next is the album's best track "Forever Be." The song is also the poppiest on the record. It's catchy and Kelis' label would be foolish if this wasn't the next single off of her album.
The next song is a boring ballad "Floyd." This song has good vocals from Kelis and a good chorus but the song isn't as great as the previous three tracks. Kelis keeps things midtempo on "Runnin.'" The song is better and has very honest.
"How can I forget you/ You're never late/ You're always right there to my rescue," Kelis sings.
"Hooch" picks things up with a faster tempo and more danceable melody. This song is a highlight of the album. "Cobbler" is very similar keeping the up-tempo part going.
Next is another highlight. "Bless the Telephone" is an acoustic cover of a song by Labi Siffre. It's a duet with Sal Masekela who is the album's only featured artist. The song is soft and vulnerable, something Kelis rarely is.
"Friday Fish Fry" is up next. This up-tempo track has Kelis' most soulful vocals on the album. The song has a Western vibe to the instrumentation. "Change" is another low point of the album. The song is decent but doesn't stick out compared to the other songs.
Second single "Rumble" is another highlight. The song discusses her divorce from rapper Nas. The album hits another snag with "Biscuits n' Gravy." This song is a piano based ballad that is boring and starts out too slow and never really picks up. The album closes on a high point with "Dreamer." This song is a very graceful ballad. It's one of the best songs on the record and it is a great idea to close the album with this.
Kelis keeps changing her sound up and Food is no exception. Hopefully on her next album she keeps up the experimentation.

Justin Timberlake Comes Back With A Bang

It's hard to believe that Justin Timberlake went from boy bander to solo star. 'N Sync, the singer's former band broke up in 2002 and then later that year Timberlake released his solo debut Justified. The album featured a new R&B/hip hop sound that was nothing short of sexy. Timberlake went from cute boy band singer to sexy solo singer in a matter of months and while the album wasn't perfect, it was a great record. It featured his best song and one of his biggest hits "Cry Me A River." The breakup jam was aimed at his ex Britney Spears and showed a new side of the singer. The album featured production by Timbaland and The Neptunes and showcased the singer's falsetto voice.
In 2006 Timberlake released his sophomore album FutureSex/LoveSounds. The album stayed with the same style but Timbaland played a bigger part in the production. The album featured huge hits like "SexyBack," "What Goes Around...Comes Around" and one of his best songs "LoveStoned." The single featured an R&B beat and then went into an experimental rock outro. The album was more experimental and showed Timberlake could be a real artist.
Then the singer took a break from his music to focus on acting. Until January 2012 when Timberlake released his first new single since 2007. "Suit & Tie," which is simply ridiculous is produced by Timbaland and features Jay-Z. Yet those three together came up with a terrible first single. So terrible that it seemed as though Timberlake's new album was to be a mistake.
Then in February Timberlake released the second single and album highlight "Mirrors." The song redeemed Timberlake and does the rest of the album. The 20/20 Experience has a more neo-soul style and contains lyrics about wooing a lover. The triumphant return of Timberlake is risky. The songs are mostly over seven minutes long, yet they work. Songs like "Pusher Love Girl" and "Don't Hold the Wall" showcase classic Timbaland beats and Timberlake showing us that he isn't done yet.
The album's songs are sexy and experimental, not as experimental as his last record, but still experimental. Some highlights include "Tunnel Vision" and "Don't Hold the Wall." These songs are all about his marriage to Jessica Biel. There are no bad songs with the exception of "Suit & Tie."
The album closes with the two best songs, "Mirrors" and "Blue Ocean Floor." The latter is a gorgeous ballad that is experimental and soulful.
This album, while not perfect, shows that Timberlake is back and he's here to stay and with another album due out in November, he is showing no signs of slowing down.