Yahoo! Music Album Review

Released on 25/09/06
Label: Virgin

Along with husband Nas, Kelis has long played out her role in the more credible alternative to the none-more-bling partnership of Beyonce and Jay Z. Whereas the former Destiny's Child superstar happily plays the subservient Bonnie to her boyfriend's Clyde (check the video for "Déjà Vu"…in fact, check all their collaborations), the venerable Mrs Rogers Jones has proved herself to be made of sterner, more independent stuff. Personal muse to The Neptunes, it's now over seven years ago since she emerged kicking and screaming with that defining cameo on ODB's "Got Your Money" and the feminist men-baiting anthem, "Caught Out There".

Skipping genres as frequently as hairstyles, Kelis should have become the biggest black female artist in the world. That she isn't is probably due to 2001's "Wanderland", a sprawling mess of an album that lost her valuable career momentum. Falling off the radar, it took 2003's salaciously-marketed "Tasty" to provide the big step forward - not only spawning the huge singles "Milkshake", "Trick Me" and "Millionaire", but proving Kelis could survive without the production wizardry of Pharrell & co.

With her tail up and a wedding ring on her finger, for the release of "…Was Here", the world should be hers for the taking - a notion that seems to be taken to heart on lead single "Bossy", an addictive statement of independence about the "bitch you love to hate" that's performed like an x-rated take on "Independent Women Pt I". It's plinky plonky update on R&B bodes well and is as innovative and arresting as ever. There are other gems too. "Aww S**t!" nags like an electronic-controlled bee at the window; "Till The Wheel Falls Off" glides soulfully; and, best of all, "Lil Star", a duet with Cee Lo, takes the "Suicide Is Painless" "M*A*S*H" soundtrack and drives it deep into Philadelphia territory of mid-'70s Gamble & Huff.

Unfortunately, these are rare moments of clarity on an album that often sounds more like a compilation than the work of a single artist. One glance at the credits probably explains why, with the names Scott Storch, Raphael Saadiq, wii.i.am and Damon Elliott among the twelve producers involved. Flitting in the blink of an eye from the naffest pop music imaginable ("Weekend", featuring, predictably, the demon head of the Black Eyed Peas), to electroclash ("I Don't Think So"), gospel ("Appreciate") and dancehall ("Fire"), the overall effect is, to put it bluntly, a bit of a dogs dinner.

Like a roll of Andrex, it's also way, way too long. A common enough complaint for "urban" music in general, which loves to squeeze every last drop from a CD, but at 18 tracks, there's simply too much filler here. Sliced in half, Kelis' fourth album would be twice as good. As an EP it would be perfect. But in it's current incarnation, it's one to cherry pick from your favourite download store.

    by Adam Webb