Friday, July 29, 2011

Kelly Rowland Album - Here I Am


Album Review: Kelly Rowland Here I Am

After a few false starts, Kelly Rowland will (finally!) release her third solo album, Here I Am (July 26th), which features a mix of sensual R&B cuts like “Work It Man” and “Feelin’ Me Right Now” and pulsating dance-floor hits in “Commander” and “Turn It Up.” With a star-studded roster of producers ranging from Darkchild to StarGate to Tricky Stewart, it’s obvious Universal Music is looking for Here I Am to put Ms. Rowland on the map as a legitimate solo artist.
The album already boasts one bona fide hit in “Motivation,” the breathy slow jam featuring Lil Wayne spent upwards of 18 weeks on Billboard’s Hot R&B/Hip-Hop songs chart, including seven non-consecutive weeks at number one. Not a bad way to kick-off an album release. So, let’s dig in, shall we?
The album opens with the bombastic “I’m Dat Chick,” produced by Tricky Stewart, which sets the stage by positioning Ms. Rowland as the assertive, confident woman that is more than ready to step into the solo spotlight. Second cut on the album, “Work It Man” featuring Lil Playy, has dark-horse potential. Yes, potential. It could be a solid hit in the waiting as it opens with a strong piano riff before kicking into a more mid-tempo jam. The only downside to “Work It Man” is that unlike the albums obvious standouts, it only reaches a simmering point rather than full on boil.
Putting “Motivation” aside given its chart success already, album standouts have to be the Rodney “DarkChild” Jerkins produced “Turn It Up” and “Feeling Me Right Now,” which allow Ms. Rowland to play with tempos effectively with synth-heavy beats and layered vocals.
Speaking of playing with tempos, by far my favorite song to appear on Here I Am has to be the David Guetta/Rico Love dance-floor anthem in “Commander.” This is no secret, for months I’ve been championing this song, which has such crossover potential for Ms. Rowland and help re-capture some of that more general pop music crowd that embraced Destiny’s Child in the late 90’s and early ‘00s.
My only gripe about the album overall is Universal is clearly limiting Ms. Rowland’s potential by only marketing her as a urban/R&B artist rather than pursing a more R&B/Pop audience. I’d love to hear at least another one or two tracks in the same spirit as “Commander,” which currently seems quite out of place on Here I Am. The song proves that she’s capable of broader commercial appeal –- if the forces that be will just let her truly have her shining moment. Ms. Rowland is ready and very capable to go toe-to-toe with the likes of Rihanna, Beyonce, and even Katy Perry.
Must-Hear Tracks: “Commandeer,” “Motivation” ft. Lil Wayne, “I’m Dat Chick,” and “Turn It Up.”

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