In the song "Taxi Cab," from R. Kelly's 2010 album Love Letter, the 44-year-old R&B superstar paints in broad strokes a picture of an unforgettable backseat fling. It just sounds like a pop smash, from its epic melody to the appropriately melodramatic vocal delivery. It's the kind of song with which Michael Jackson could have returned to the top of the pop charts, had he not prematurely left this world.
"Taxi Cab" is actually one of a few moments on Love Letter that purposefully pay homage to the King of Pop. Kelly builds to a "Remember the Time"-like screaming ad-lib on "Not Feelin' the Love," and he includes as a bonus track his own tribute version of "You Are Not Alone," the gorgeous tune he wrote for Jackson's HIStory record in 1995. And Kelly's far greater than a mimic in these instances: He manages to make MJ's golden, heartstring-pulling tone his own.
Love Letter – an album I heard for the first time a few weeks ago and instantly regretted overlooking on my 2010 year-end lists – finds Kelly confidently entering the realms of a few other legendary crooners. He damn near out-Sledges Percy on "When a Woman Loves," and enlists K. Michelle to help update the Marvin/Tammi duet style on "Love Is."
What I like most about the album is that it's not a stale attempt to cover old standards by an artist who's just out of ideas. In other words, it's not Rod Stewart beating Motown with a bloody stick.
Look through Love Letter's liner notes and you'll find the "produced, written and arranged by R. Kelly" line. Complete creative control has been the default on most of the singer's releases, from the sexed-up New Jack R&B ballads of his 1993 solo debut, 12 Play, to the adult dance-floor staples of Chocolate Factory.
Even with endlessly publicized sex scandals, court cases and industry feuds, Kelly's remained one of the most prolific and successful artists of the modern era.
It's only now, though, that he's finding the perfect balance between his sacred and profane sides. On previous records – monster hits that they are – the singer presented two warring sides. There's the spiritual soul-searcher belting "I Believe I Can Fly" or trading verses with Celine Dion, and then there's the leering bad boy casing his next hook-up on "Fiesta" or "Thoia Thong."
Love Letter throws out trend-chasing beats and lowest-common-denominator lyrics of Kelly's past in favor of soulful simplicity. Expect the same throwback vibe when he stops at Verizon Theatre this weekend.
I'll hope against hope that he can extend this creative peak he's hit. Don't get it completely twisted, though: I'll still welcome the occasional piece of beautiful ridiculousness like "Ignition (Remix)."
"Taxi Cab" is actually one of a few moments on Love Letter that purposefully pay homage to the King of Pop. Kelly builds to a "Remember the Time"-like screaming ad-lib on "Not Feelin' the Love," and he includes as a bonus track his own tribute version of "You Are Not Alone," the gorgeous tune he wrote for Jackson's HIStory record in 1995. And Kelly's far greater than a mimic in these instances: He manages to make MJ's golden, heartstring-pulling tone his own.
Love Letter – an album I heard for the first time a few weeks ago and instantly regretted overlooking on my 2010 year-end lists – finds Kelly confidently entering the realms of a few other legendary crooners. He damn near out-Sledges Percy on "When a Woman Loves," and enlists K. Michelle to help update the Marvin/Tammi duet style on "Love Is."
What I like most about the album is that it's not a stale attempt to cover old standards by an artist who's just out of ideas. In other words, it's not Rod Stewart beating Motown with a bloody stick.
Look through Love Letter's liner notes and you'll find the "produced, written and arranged by R. Kelly" line. Complete creative control has been the default on most of the singer's releases, from the sexed-up New Jack R&B ballads of his 1993 solo debut, 12 Play, to the adult dance-floor staples of Chocolate Factory.
Even with endlessly publicized sex scandals, court cases and industry feuds, Kelly's remained one of the most prolific and successful artists of the modern era.
It's only now, though, that he's finding the perfect balance between his sacred and profane sides. On previous records – monster hits that they are – the singer presented two warring sides. There's the spiritual soul-searcher belting "I Believe I Can Fly" or trading verses with Celine Dion, and then there's the leering bad boy casing his next hook-up on "Fiesta" or "Thoia Thong."
Love Letter throws out trend-chasing beats and lowest-common-denominator lyrics of Kelly's past in favor of soulful simplicity. Expect the same throwback vibe when he stops at Verizon Theatre this weekend.
I'll hope against hope that he can extend this creative peak he's hit. Don't get it completely twisted, though: I'll still welcome the occasional piece of beautiful ridiculousness like "Ignition (Remix)."
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