R. Kelly - Write Me Back

Somewhere along the line I mistook R. Kelly for Shaggy. That's the only explanation I have for completely ignoring everything since Ignition (Remix). Maybe it was the insanely over-the-top Trapped in the Closet operetta, maybe it was the lavish lifestyle, maybe it was the horribly overplayed and schmaltzy I Believe I Can Fly but I completely shut the man out. That is, until I heard the rather excellent first single of this - Kelly's 11th solo album - Share My Love. A delicious throwback to disco and soul music, it signalled a new prospect for me. To most, though, it apparently isn't a surprise: 2010's Love Letter was met with rave reviews.

Just let me have my moment, please.

The cheese hasn't completely died though: 'Love Is' comes with a spoken intro that begins "they say that love is blind, but I can see clearly when I make love to you". A real classic disco beat is bombarded with Barry White pianos and trumpets, and the end result should be cringey but Kelly's vocals are strong enough to carry it off. Kelly then samples Bill Withers' Lovely Day on 'Feelin' Single' - and a quick perusal of my reviews should give you the impression I'd recoil in horror from this. Here, though it works: it sticks pretty religiously to the original tune but gives it some nice modern polishes. Throughout the album there are strong Stevie Wonder influences: particularly on 'Lady Sunday' and 'Believe That It's So', where layered vocals, laidback melodies and singing about "she" and "her". Aww. Lyrically Kelly is more than a little melodramatic: on 'When a Man Lies' we're told that he "pierces the very soul of that woman" and "he kills every reason she ever had for loving him".

There are low-points, of course: 'Clipped Wings' as a metaphor works about as blandly as the song's atmospherics. Similarly, later track 'Green Light' is anything but go go go. Conversely, there are genuinely exciting and fun moments that even the staunchest cynic would find difficult to sneer at: 'Fool for You' has a classic Motown vibe to it complete with sunny melody and twinkly sound effects. Rock and roll offers a massive shake-up on 'All Rounds on Me' that'll probably divide listeners depending on patience.

In light of the varied musical influences there could be an argument made for inconsistency, but one thing that's unwavering is Kelly's vocal performance. It's most noticeably earnest on 'Believe in Me', but he's able to flip seamlessly between hopeless romantic and the perfect party host; on the suitably-titled 'Party Jumpin'' a thumping drumbeat and cries of "DJ are you ready?" welcome the album's most soaring and inspired anthem. But the real stand-out is first single 'Share My Love', a Marvin Gaye-invoked soul-funk triumph.

Sure, Kelly hasn't delivered to us a record that's soul-searchingly deep or strikingly beautiful and poignant, but if there's a need for a jazzy, disco revival (and with today's musical and political/economic environment, god knows there is) then the man can be relied upon. There's also the small fact that, 19 years after his debut solo album, R. Kelly is still going strong. You can't even say that for Michael Jackson (even if his career highs far eclipse Kelly's... yes okay I'm sorry for going there).

Rating: 7/10
Highlights: Share My Love, Love Is, Fool For You, When a Man Lies, Believe That It's So
Avoid: Clipped Wings, Green Light

Artwork Watch: Still the smoothest S.O.B. in R'n'B.
Up next: Twin Shadow   

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