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Home > Austin Music Source > Archives > 2009 > December > 01 > Entry
CD review: R. Kelly - ‘Untitled’
R. Kelly
‘Untitled’
(Jive)
Grade: B
To paraphrase the great Texas philosopher Hank Hill, somewhere along the line we forgot to teach R. Kelly shame.
This is, of course, painfully obvious to anyone who has followed his unsavory legal problems. Artistically, on the other hand, it’s been helpful. Kelly’s go-to topic has always been sex — it’s what he writes about when he can’t be bothered to write about anything else — and a lack of shame is a pretty good thing to have if you spend your days thinking up new ways to talk about the world’s oldest activity.
Nothing on “Untitled” reaches the lunatic heights of “Trapped in the Closet” nor the complicated shadows of, say, “A Woman’s Threat.” “Untitled” is mostly sex jams, but often very funny ones.
Who else can sell “you have pretty teeth” as a pickup line, as he does during “Exit”? The single “Number One” compares sex to making a hit record (and possibly stripping a car — as guest vocalist Keri Hilson puts it, “You know you stay at the top spot/ When you’re breaking me down like a chop shop”). “Echo” is what he would like your screams to do (“I hope you’re ready, girl, to scream and moan/ like yodoley oley ohhoooo”).
“Religious” has him repenting and changing his thuggish ways (“There’s something religious about you (I wanna testify)/ there’s something church about you” - a.k.a. how to get with the choir director) yet “Bangin’ the Headboard” and “Go Low” should explain themselves. And when he tells you he wants to get you “Pregnant” (“Telling myself I’m a playa so I keep tryna shake it off/ But I keep on seeing this big old house with a picket fence and a dog”), you almost believe him.
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By Me
December 1, 2009 3:10 PM | Link to this
U always have good review. Have seen the album. I think supaman high is weak so i give it 4.5/5
By James Jones
December 1, 2009 10:11 PM | Link to this
Sorry, but I have trouble with the new R.K. CD
I listened to a demo this past summer of a local Fort Smith Arkansas group called: (The BSE BOYZ) They used OJ Da Juiceman’s track on said demo. “Hey the kidz came by the office mid summer of 09 and played a 9 track demo for me. 1 track on the demo was also called Superman High with (Freestyle) lyrics by Jakari J. & his 2 other crew members . Anyway I just got the new R.Kelly joint Untitles CD and the track is OJ Da Juiceman first 3 or more lines of lyrics or the hook as we call it are almost identical to the base demo track I listened to of The BSE Boyz version months ago. Now 1 might conclude something funny is going on here: Does R.Kelly not do his own music or the tracks for his new CD…Humm I wondered. I’m not sure who is zoomimg who, but R.Kelly is a well established recording artist with a long list of big hits to his credit. I can understand The BSE Boyz not doing they’re own live track or source behimd those lyrics, and by the way they are simply just trying to get a record deal with great difficulty I might add. Unlike them, I would expect more from Mr. Big Stuff..R.Kelly with a sexy edge on the lirical content as well as a advisory sticker..come..on Mr. Kelly I know there are shoty-cuts my brother, but I expected more from you sir..after all the are suppose to be the hit-machine right…
By TXn
December 2, 2009 6:26 AM | Link to this
Untitled… R. Kelly you know no bounds.
‘Pregnant’is my jam!!!