Once part of the legendary, record-breaking Destiny’s Child, R&B songstress Kelly Rowland has been paving a path of her own with a solo career that has seen its equal share of ups and downs. For the release of her fourth solo studio album, Talk A Good Game, Rowland focuses on her adult contemporary suited vocals instead of the dance/pop material found on her previous effort. Preceded by two moderately successful singles, “Kisses Down Low” and the personal “Dirty Laundry”, the new album is a brand new introduction to a talented artist who has been fighting to remain out of the shadow of her famous former sister and groupmate.
With a beat that sounds half “Thriller” by Michael Jackson, half theme song from the television series “Charmed”, Rowland claims that everyone is somebody’s freak at night on the dark, slightly- uptempo “Freak”. The opening track is slow, seductive and a fantastic start to the new R&B project. Featuring a hot spoken word portion and top notch production, this hope-to-be single is powerful and dance worthy.
Released as the lead single of the album, “Kisses Down Low” is the naughtiest we have ever seen the artist, even after the releases of “Motivation” and “Ice”. “I like my kisses down low, makes me arch my back”, Rowland sings on the steamy track of a lust-filled affair. While the track may have only peaked at a disappointing 72 on the Billboard Hot 100, it is definitely a memorable moment.
With the help of Wiz Khalifa, Rowland slows things down on the adult contemporary/R&B moment “Gone”. A relationship seems to have ended, the past has been swept under the rug and the artist is moving on, stronger and wiser. Khalifa is talented with his verses and adds something a little extra for the track. You don’t know what you have until it’s gone, according to Kelly.
The title track showcases Miss Rowland taking the safe approach towards a new relationship, taking into consideration the past upsets. “Talk A Good Game” comes off as a sweet song of caution and sentiment until featured guest Kevin Cossom lends his vocals for a guest verse. Otherwise, the song remains a vulnerable and innocent addition to the album.
“Down On Love” is the track for anyone almost ready to give up on finding their significant other. While Rowland sounds beaten, that is anything but true. “If I could change everything overnight, I just might try”, she sings as she contemplates giving her man a second chance. The message seems to be fix what’s broken or just move on. A strong effort.
On the most personal release of her career, “Dirty Laundry”, Rowland lets everything out. From problems with abusive relationships to jealousy she might have felt by Beyonce’s enormous success, the song is her therapeutic expression. With her candid vocal performance and emotional lyrics, “he turned me against my sister, I missed ya”, Rowland lets the world in on her secret thoughts and experiences.
Destiny’s Child returns once again as both Beyonce Knowles and Michelle Williams assist Rowland on “You Changed”, a track where each girl takes a shot at a jilted former lover. This is a Rowland piece, that is clear, but it is nice to hear the three’s voices together after years of patiently waiting. There’s chemistry present, the lyrics sound honest and overall is an effective addition.
Rowland experimented with dance and pop on her last effort, but the closest she comes to the sound this time around is on “I Remember”. The track never becomes a full-fledged, pulsating creation, stopping short before a dance breakdown approaches, but in a way it’s stronger than the typical dance effort. Essentially a ballad with electro/pop influences, Rowland’s vocals impressively take center stage where they belong.
“Red Wine” immediately comes off as a dream state of synths as the artist’s vocals are extended and soar over a simple 80s-inspired beat. “Whatcha know about loving me till the sun comes up?” Rowland asks in the song’s opening, while the rest of the track becomes a moment of realizing true love may actually exist and filled with simple “la da da”’s.
The artist’s heart starts to race on “This Is Love”, a track which bares some similarities to past releases from Jennifer Lopez and Christina Milian. Rowland is completely overtaken by the love from her new man, trying to hold all of her feelings in before they finally explode. Being a pop/R&B influenced effort, the cute love song has strong crossover potential.
Featuring production from Pharrell and a featured verse from Pusha T, listeners get to see another side of Rowland. Gone is her vulnerable, soft exterior and out comes a powerful, attitude-filled woman. “The recession ate me alive, tryin’ to get where the breeze is nice, so I can breathe”, she sings on the track that becomes a closer look on politics and the state of society.
The standard edition of the album closes with the 50s sounding “Stand in Front of Me”, a song that strangely would have fit in perfectly with the material found on Beyonce’s 4. Rowland tells woman to keep their men by showing their love, every single day. As a closing track, everything is kept simple, the vocals are sweet, but not really what I was hoping for towards the end.
Talk A Good Game may be the fourth studio album from Kelly Rowland, but it seems that the artist has finally found her true voice and a sound she is comfortable with. There are no club-ready dance tracks this time around, just personal lyrics and an R&B flare she has perfected. The new album has its strong, uptempo moments, such as the opener and first single, but most of the track list finds Rowland dealing with the pros and cons of any relationship. No subject was off limits, there was no fear in experimentation, and in the end the album became the artist’s strongest effort today. It receives an 88%.
Tracks to Hear: “Freak”, “Down On Love”, “Dirty Laundry” and “I Remember”
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