I was a massive fan of Kelly's first album "Simply Deep" which had a real acoustic R&B feel to it. I got this album yesterday and she has not disappointed me despite switching up her sound and giving more of a contemporary R&B/Hip Hop feel this time around.
Polow Da Don & Sean Garrett collaborate on the first single "Like This" which is an addictive joint and Scott Storch's productions "Comeback" and "Work" are also energetic and catchy openers. Soulshock & Karlin's "Still In Love With My Ex" and Rockwilder/Loren Dawson's "Every Thought Is Of You" again finds the Hip Hop-influenced producers moving away from the traditional soppy ballad and providing a heavier, more captivating beat. Sadly, Billy Mann's outro "This Is Love" and Mysto & Pizzi's "Love" are rather bland ballads in contrast and considering her fantastic writing on "Simply Deep"'s title track and "Obsession", Solange Knowles disappoints with her writing on "Love".
The CKB (Charlie & Kenny Bereal - Mya's "My Love Is Like...Wo") and Tank (yes, the singer of the massive single "Please Don't Go") tracks are the highlights of the album. CKB's "Better Without You" is an uplifting, gently riding ballad and they really switch it up with the tracks "Flashback" and "Gotsta Go" which are awesome upbeat numbers of which Kelly intended with the album. Tank's "Ghetto" is a nice mid-tempo track with a rap from Snoop Dogg which has a real old school sound and finds Kelly using more breathy as opposed to powerhouse vocals. His second production, which also finds the singer/producer duetting with Kelly, is a gorgeous dramatic retro ballad "The Show" and makes you wonder how much better the album might have been if Tank produced the whole lot!
All in all this is a great return for Ms. Kelly and the writing and/or vocal production by J. "Lonny" Bereal on every track really gives it a tight feel and a nice flow which a lot of albums lack. My only qualms would be the tracks "Love" & "This Is Love", which are much too formulaic as ballads but these don't damage what is mostly a consistent and thoroughly enjoyable album.