First off I picked up the new cd this morning but only heard the first 4 tracks and so far so good! I was just wondering why some people still don't get her. She is in the same league as Outkast and Gnarls Barkley IMO but people just don't dig her as much as them. Why is that? Is it just more acceptable for a male artist to be "weird" or alternative? What the dilly yo?

dancerella said:

I think Kelis is great - a unique talent in a field of soundalike interchangeable mannequins - BUT I think the new album is her weakest to date, and she's made nothing but strong ones.

Shapeshifter said:

Kelis is without a doubt one of my favorite artists of today. She is unique in that she's not trying to be Beyonce or even Xtina, therefore think some people think that she's not talented. She doesn't do choreographed moves in her videos and she doesn't "wail" like Mimi. Plus she dresses very funky. She almost reminds me of Grace Jones in that she is pretty fearless at taking risks. I need to listen to the new cd before I can comment on how good or bad it is but Tasty wasn't very strong in my opinion. Wanderland is her best cd!

Because she's a female making R&B and soul music.

People already have negative connotations of today's R&B music. Folks these days DON'T expect an R&B artist to be leftfield or adventurous lyrically... and when you get on MTV with a novelty tune like "Milkshake"... it compounds the problem.

Kelis is more in the company of artists like Neneh Cherry, Grace Jones, etc.

I'm sorry [I'm going to be frank in my language here...] but you will never hear Cassie, Ashanti, Beyonce, Ciara or whatever X,Y,Z R&B shit @ the indie club. KELIS is one of the FEW acts that you will hear at a rock, underground or electronic club next to lots of different kinds of music. That says A.LOT.

[A SECTION OF THIS WAS SNIPPED OUT BY ME, BECAUSE I WROTE THIS POST BEFORE I WENT TO THE RECORD STORE TODAY...]

Read Part 2 of this. This was before I went to the record store this evening...
[Edited 8/22/06 16:26pm]

She's cool. I like 'Bossy'.

If folks don’t get Kelis by now, too bad. I actually like that she’s not super popular and her name doesn’t get tossed in with these other chicks but I do wish she had more success (on her terms) and more control over her projects.

From what I’ve heard, I don’t think this album is as strong as her previous ones but I’ll get it anyway because I want to support her and my ears love her.

Oh yeah, her husky voice on Trilogy is killer.

beret1022 said:

This song, and video, is horrid. Nothing original or remotely interesting about it at all.

And to Mara's post above, if she is indeed in the company of artists like Nenah Cherry and Grace Jones, than what the hell is "Bossy" then? It's generic tripe is what it is. I swear, I didn't even know it was her. I finally had the displeasure of seeing/hearing that Fergie song, and these two songs are interchangeable IMO.

I was never a Kelis fan, but when I saw this I thought "Wow, she's REALLY sold out".

Anyway, I've been making a point to actually watch new videos and listen to new music that's coming out these days, just to see if I might actually like some of what's popular. But this? No. Sorry.

Mara said:

I can co-sign that.

I hate Bossy. Of her discography, it’s is the odd song out, IMO. It’s not really indicative of her music at all but it also goes to show with Kelis, you never know.

minneapolisgenius said:

A new post is coming...

Mara said:

I take it you don't dig the new cd?

JackieBlue said:

It's funny because I really love Bossy, even though it may not be her signature sound. It's different but it's hot and I love the video and her new look!

Well, folks...

It pains me to say this.

It saddens me to say this. Really.

But...

This is the FIRST Kelis album I cannot support with my dollars.

Why? Well there were a few huge errors:

1) I viewed the actual packaging of the album today at the record store and the tracklisting was not polished. On the track "Lil Star" it does not say "featuring Cee-Lo" which leads me to believe there may have been some behind the scenes drama regarding Cee-Lo's involvement with this project. I can only wonder if the success of Gnarls Barkley earlier this year lead to a lot of economic back-and-forth betwixt Kelis' and Cee-Lo's people. That does not bode well with me as a record consumer.

2) The inclusion of "Fuck Them Bitches" without Kelis' wishes. It surprises me that KELIS HERSELF would issue a statement about not wanting that track on her album and her not standing behind it. I've never heard Kelis NOT standing behind her material before and talking about she "is fighting for creative control" that leads me to believe that this is not her "voice" or her "stamp" on this record -- which makes me think that she DOES NOT stand behind the album. So why should I stand behind it with my dollars.

3) The riotgrrrl, leftfield artist that I vehemently defended in my earlier post was mostly absent in the tracks that I previewed at the record store this evening. The songs sounded like radio shit. They didn't sound as avant-garde and innovative as the material on her debut or Wanderland (which in my opinion are her two best albums). Kelis Was Here follows the same road of Tasty, and that does not sit well with me because Tasty was an album I borderline liked. This new album just doesn't do it for me production-wise and lyrics-wise.

In conclusion, I've supported Kelis and her artistic endeavors since the start of this decade, but on this trip, I can't get on the bus. I don't stand behind this album and I don't recommend it or support it. There are a few songs I like, but I will cherrypick them off this disc. Sadly, I can't buy the full thing.

Hopefully the next album will be Kelis and she will have more "control" over it. I can't support something, she didn't support herself.

dancerella said:

There are a few really strong songs on it, but overall I don't feel like it is HER. I cannot support it with my money. I'll download the songs I do like off of it, though.

This album comes off as rushed, clunky and unpolished.

TRUST ME, Kelis is going to issue some statement in the not-so-distant future saying how she doesn't stand behind this album. That news item that surfaced about her not wanting the song "Fuck Them Bitches" and the creative friction betweeen her and her label shows me that this is an album she does not stand behind.

That says A LOT when a statement like that gets out BY KELIS right before the album drops, I don't read minds, but I'm definitely intuitive.


...
[Edited 8/22/06 16:43pm]

dancerella said:

Well I like alternative acts. However Kelis I don't like because:

1) I hated that "Milkshake" song

2) I loathe that "Bossy" song

3) I listened to a couple of tracks from her current album and she drops the N-bomb for no reason at all.

4) She can actually sing but chooses to record garbage like numbers 1 & 2 mentioned above.

Mara said:

damn, it's sad to hear you're not feeling it but tomorrow i'll write and let you know my thoughts on it. perhaps i can get you to change your mind?

Ifsixwuz9 said:

I liked "Milkshake" before commercial folks got a hold of it. That was a song that I never really was "all over."

"Bossy" is semi-decent. It's not one of my favorite Kelis songs and I can take it or leave it.

Yeah, the "N-word" stuff is stupid, but she's been doing that since her debut. I take it it's a hip hop thing with her. The girl used to smoke weed afterall before she became a "born again Christian."

I was disappointed with the will.i.am tracks. Weekend was garbage and it sounded like some Pussycat Dolls shit. I can't support that. Sorry.

dancerella said:

I can't support something she doesn't support herself.

My money is my voice.

I didn't know she also had a song on the soundtrack for Step Up. 80s Joint. Sounds pretty good.

I want to like her, but she lost me after her first album. I'll give the new one a listen, but Bossy doesn't have my hopes up.
[Edited 8/24/06 9:10am]

JackieBlue said:

Well, you are definately entitled to your opinion...

Of course I am. We all are.

ElCapitan said:

'Wanderland' is the album to get. It's like the first album, but better.

sextonseven said:

I got that ages ago. meh.

dancerella said:

I don't dig or get her AT ALL. What the hell am I missing? We have this album here at my job so I might pick it up. Convince me.

ElCapitan said:

I liked Kaleidoscope, but thought it didn't quite get there. Wanderland had the songs that I was expecting on the first record.

Ifsixwuz9 said:

I also noticed that she is using the N word now for some reason which I was very dissapointred in. Other than that I think the album is great and much better than Tasty.

SupaFunkyOrgangrinderSexy said:

Well now that I have finally heard the album I think it rocks. There's a couple of rock tracks, some tracks with bumpin beats for the cars and clubs and some softer tracks as well. I really think you should give her a chance. At least she tries to do something a bit different. She's the anti Beyonce!