Tasty

by

Kelis

Edit

You can always count on Kelis to be the innovative one in terms of sound, and with this third offering, "Tasty", she pretty much nails a bull's eye. While it's obvious that her voice still isn't developed (as in, she sings the same notes [rarely ever hitting higher ones] & the fact that she sometimes sounds off key), it's evident that it's improving; it's becoming more & more appealing & hypnotic. The album works mainly on the production, which by the way is nearly flawless. In the custom of keeping things `different', Kelis chose a sort of rock r&b/old school funk type of sound.

"Tasty" offers numerous appetizing tracks: "Rolling Through The Hood" is one of the best r&b songs I've heard in a while: It has an innovative sound, a strong hook and flows very nicely as it progresses. It's a song about the bittersweet truth of life, but then goes on to depict a message of "how life goes on":

Baby I want you to know

That how it works in the ghetto

Joy is joy and pain is pain

One day is sooner than you know

We'll be living tomorrow

We'll be laughing about today...

The song ends optimistically, with the yearning of potential possibilities when she chants "...maybe tomorrow". "In Public" featuring her fiancé Nas is one of the better r&b/rap collaborations of 2003; there is actual chemistry between Kelis & Nas in which her sexy and mesmerizing vocals compliments his rapping (and vice-versa). "Keep It Down", which is roughly about gossiping girls, has a heavy rock sound to it, while "Glow" with Raphael Saadiq is a love song that has a slow/mid-tempo melancholy feel. Another track with Raphael Saadiq is "Attention", an upbeat track about being noticed and appreciation. "Trick Me" is a fun sounding song based on the quote "Trick me once, shame on you, trick me twice, shame on me." And who could not like "Milk Shake", a spicy, exciting, bass heavy song about Kelis making the public aware of her `assets'.

There are, however, some minor problems; "Sugar Honey Iced Tea" has a nice mid-tempo flow, but with repetitiveness of the mediocre lyrics, it fails to really go anywhere. The Prince-esque "Millionaire", although unique in its own way, sounded a bit odd during the initial listen. The beat sounds...different, sort of resembling a cheerleader's anthem (you can literally almost hear somebody shout "READY? OKAY!")

But nonetheless, this album is one of 2003's best. Yes, this album has a few tiny flaws, but with that fascinating voice and unique hooks, the album manages to pull together with a breeze. She might not have the widest vocal range, but she knows how to use what she has. Kelis also has an excellent sense of rhythm; there is at least one part in each song that sounds appealing (not necessarily the hook). It's sad that Kelis is still known only as "that girl from the Neptunes", because to be straightforwardly honest, she is one of the better R&B singers out. So good that she makes the line "damn right! Its better than yours" a fact... rather than a belief.

Kelis's deeply funky, sensual music has never truly gotten the recognition it deserves. Although it sounds like a cliche, Kelis is really like nothing else on radio. While R&B heavy hitter Beyonce churns out explosive hip-hop charged singles and comrade Ashanti crafts smooth and silky soul, Kelis is in the middle. Utilizing the ever-present, all-funky beats of the mighty Neptunes, she retains hip-hop credibility with smooth beats. It seems, though, that Top 40 radio has opened up to new sounds: "Milkshake," the first single off of this worthy set, is hitting it big at radio.

"Milkshake" is the perfect example of Kelis's fine form. The song's sharp beats (courtesy of the Neptunes, natch) easily surpass any of their recent work with hip-hop supremes Busta Rhymes and Jay-Z. The rest of the album, of course, is hard pressed to live up to its opus of a debut single, which some of it does and some does not. Perhaps the best move Kelis makes on this album is choosing other producers besides the Neptunes, despite their infinite wisdom. Producing just 5 cuts (as opposed to the entire album) they appear as almost a send-off, releasing Kelis into her musical freedom. Some of their tracks could even be described as lackluster material, such as the weak "Flashback." Perhaps the most welcome additions are Raphael Saadiq (who produces the deeply funky, old-school "Glow") and Dallas Austin (who produces and pens one of the album's best moments, the crunching "Keep It Down"). There are, of course, weak tracks, such as (surprisingly) her duet with Andre 3000, "Millionaire"; the previously mentioned "Flashback"; and the merely OK "Protect My Heart."

"Tasty" is, however, a very welcome change from the conventional hip hop and R&B that clutters the radio these days. Kelis's latest is a cohesive, relatively low key set of material that probably won't spawn another radio smash like "Milkshake" (although the saucy duet with her fiance, Nas, "In Public," has a fair chance), but it does remain one of the better albums of late 2003. Congrats, Kelis, and please continue in this novel direction.