Keyshia Cole - Way It Is
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CD Details
Artist: Keyshia ColeEdition: Music CD
CD Release Date: 2005-06-21
Music Label: A&M
Soundtracks:
- (I Just Want It) To Be Over
- I Changed My Mind
- Thought You Had My Back
- I Should Have Cheated
- Guess What?
- Love
- You've Changed
- We Could Be
- Situations
- Down And Dirty
- Superstar
- Never
Music reviews of Way It Is
Music Review: Keyshia Tells It Like It Is (4.5 Stars)
Rating: 4 Stars
Every few years, a new artist comes along that takes audiences by surprise either due to the strength of their material, or the sheer vocal ability. For 2005 newcomer Keyshia Cole, both these advantages were on her side. Facing comparisons to Mary J. Blige due to her vocal stylings and subject matter, it would seem that Keyshia had a lot to prove her with debut. With her readily apparent vocal ability, much of this burden rested on the material itself rather than a need to prove herself as a singer. As with many other R&B artists, much of Keyshia's material centres on themes of heartbreak although she often brings such a fresh style to it that it does not come across as carbon copies of earlier artists' works. Although the album is a little on the short side, the sheer strength of the material is enough to cement Keyshia as an up-and-coming talent.
The Krucial Keys-produced "I Just Want it to Be Over" is a perfect introduction to the album, showing off Keyshia's vocal prowess against rather dramatic backing music. The use of live instrumentation contributes to the feel of it immensely. The track is further enhanced by Keyshia's passionate delivery, as her emotion seems genuine. "I Changed My Mind" carries on with the theme of frustration, describing a woman who decides to stop loving someone who pays her no attention. Fans may also be interested to know that the track features backing vocals from John Legend, although his presence is not particularly noticeable. The bridge is a particular highlight, with softer instrumentation allowing Keyshia's passionate vocals to shine. "Love, I Thought You Had My Back", despite it's somewhat awkward title, once again showcases Keyshia's vocals as she sings about a man who mislead her. The production suits Keyshia's emotive vocals incredibly, without ever overpowering her delivery. The spoken section at the end is a nice touch as well.
"I Should Have Cheated" brings the album into a darker tone that suits Keyshia beautifully. Here she sings about how she might as well have done all the things her man accused her of, since he already thinks she has. The bridge again is a highlight. Unlike the other tracks, Keyshia sounds more resigned that angry, yet continues to sing passion. Her vocals are more subdued, which only adds to the mood of the track. "Guess What?" is a welcome change of style and pace, as it is one of the more upbeat tracks the album has to offer. This is another empowering track, showing Keyshia leaving a man who hasn't been treating her properly. Jadakiss's guest rap is decent, but could have had more of an impact. Nonetheless, it's an enjoyable listen and a solid song in it's own right, although it doesn't quite measure up to other material found here. "Love" is often cited as a fan favourite, although some may find the vocal gymnastics in the chorus on the annoying side. Although it should also be mentioned that these gymnastics work a lot better in the parts where Keyshia does not belt them. The sincerity of the verses more than make up for the potentially irritating elements in the chorus however, making the song quite strong overall.
"You've Changed" starts out with a spoken segment, which sets the tone of the track quite nicely with Keyshia stating "I've already heard your side of the story, hear mine." True to her word, Keyshia outlines the full story of her relationship from the time she met her man to how he began to change. Tracks like this show how Keyshia can deliver without belting the vocals as she did in the first few songs, demonstrating another strength to her voice. "We Could Be" is nice track that brings the album back to its darker tone. Here Keyshia sings about wanting to be friends with a guy she's interested in, telling him that just being friends would be enough. Although it is more optimistic thematically than much of the rest of the material, one can't help but notice an undercurrent of hesitation, possibly wanting to avoid rushing into things. "Situations" is an underrated album highlight, as well as a personal favourite. This song seems to be a natural progression from "We Could Be" as she now sings about falling for a guy she thought was just her friend. This is another track with a darker tone, proving once again that it is where Keyshia shines. Chink Santana's rap suits the song well, although the best part is arguably when it transitions back from his rap to Keyshia's singing.
Unfortunately, this is followed by the album's weakest track in the form of "Down and Dirty". The only thing really wrong with the track is the way the chorus is sung, as it can become quite annoying. However, the verses again easily make up for it, keeping the song from sinking too far. It certainly does not measure up to the rest of the album, however it is still a solid track and worth a listen. "Superstar" featuring Metro City is a sweet song and the singers play off each other quite well. Some may complain that Metro City seems to have a bigger role in the song than Keyshia herself, however she certainly makes her presence known, even in the backing vocals. It may not be the most memorable song, but it is a solid and enjoyable listen. "Never" cleverly interpolates Luther Vandross's classic "Never Too Much" to create the most upbeat track the album has to offer. This track attests to Keyshia's versatility, showing how she is just as competent with upbeat songs as with her more moody material. It was also a smart strategic move to end the album off on a happier note, preventing the listener from feeling weighed down by the more negative material that the album begins with. Eve's rap provides one of the strongest guest spots on the album.
Overall Mark: 4.5/5
Debut albums often come with the problem of creating a consistent project that showcases an artist's versatility while at the same time remaining cohesive. Luckily, Keyshia bypasses this problem with ease, moving fluidly from songs about heartbreak toward those about finding new love. The comparisons to Mary J. Blige definitely hold some merit, although this album does a great deal to establish Keyshia as an artist in her own right. Even when she isn't belting, her tone remains strong and clear, singling her out as one of the stronger singers to debut in recent years. Her material actually suffers more when she tries to do too much with her voice, although the first few tracks easily demonstrate her ability to handle vocal gymnastics. Keyshia is at her best on the darker material where she has room to evoke considerable emotion through passionate vocals and simple yet effective lyrics. Her debut easily marks her as an artist to watch in the coming years.
Description of Way It Is
KEYSHIA COLE is the real deal. Like many young people raised in tough neighborhoods, the 21-year-old songstress endured a tumultuous childhood in Oakland, California, and has fought all her life to keep her dream of a music career alive. Now she?s realizing that dream on her own terms with her first album for the A&M label, The Way It Is. It?s been a long road for Keyshia, but it?s her powerful voice ? a bell-like instrument whose soaring clarity is topped off with a tantalizing touch of soulful grit ? that?s carried her through, not to mention the diminutive singer?s personal combination of sugar, spice, sass and sex appeal, along with a solid-steel spine. With production by Kanye West, Krucial Keys, Ron Fair and Chink Santana, Keyshia?s dreams have been realized.Pop CDs
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