Kelis - Kelis Was Here

Most people with working ears and/or MTV will remember Kelis (pronounced Kuh-Lease) as the artist behind 2003's megahit "Milkshake." That song and the album it appeared on, Tasty, were Kelis' mainstream breakthrough. Previously, she had released two albums, only one of which had been distributed in the United States, and she was primarily known for singing choruses on a handful of Neptunes-produced hits for other musicians. For her first effort post Tasty, Kelis returns with Kelis Was Here, a solid album which proves to be an exciting exercise in her diverse musical talents. Thanks in part to the successes of "Milkshake" and Tasty, Kelis appears ready with this album to continue her trek toward the privilege that is becoming a household name. Kelis Was Here's first single, the sassy, attitudinal "Bossy" featuring Too $hort, is a fun and empowering number that will do little to convince skeptical buyers that Kelis is more than bitchy R&B and milkshakes. Let it be known, however, that Kelis is not an artist to be pigeonholed. Aside from the radio-ready urban shakers like "Bossy" and "Aww Shit!" (featuring rapper Smoke), the album offers a diverse array of genres from rock-tinged pop numbers ("'Til The Wheels Fall Off" and "I Don't Think So") to mid-tempo pop and soul ("Trilogy" and "Living Proof"). One of Kelis' main assets as a predominately urban artist is that she refuses to conform to the styles set by popular urban radio. Kelis' music stands out from most other modern R&B because it is far from becoming formulaic. Of course, it also stands out because of Kelis' distinctive smoky vocals that allow her to successfully crossover between genres. Pop, rock rap, soul: Her voice will do it all, and chances are you'll never mistake her voice for someone else's. Kelis' willingness to dabble in colorful music allows her to create an album that plays well because no song really sounds like the one before it. When she was working exclusively with The Neptunes her albums suffered when songs would begin to resemble one another and, even more frustratingly, other Neptunes-produced songs getting massive airplay on the radio. Kelis Was Here avoids this pitfall and manages to remain fresh from start to finish. Not every song is repeat-worthy. The flat "Weekend" (featuring Will.I.Am) grates slightly on the ears and is not especially interesting. Of course, it doesn't help that it precedes the frenetically operatic and fantastic "Like You," which makes it almost too easy to skip. "What's That Right There" is a decent track, but it, like "Bossy," fails to showcase the diverse talents of its artist. But Kelis makes sure to go out on two extremely high notes with "Appreciate Me," the album's absolute best track, and "Have a Nice Day." In the intro to Kelis Was Here, Kelis explains that she wants to make music that will leave a mark for generations. Though this record might not make its way onto any "Best Albums of All Time" lists, it should, if it is given its proper accolades, resonate loudly through speakers and headphones for a good while. [www.kelis.co.uk]