Keyshia Cole - The Way It Is

So, I decided to start talking about music on here now. My Mother and I got this album a few years ago and I've only now listened to the whole thing. As the debut album for Ms. Keyshia Cole this album is a near-classic, for it is completely relatable and realistic. You can practically tell each song's subject matter just by the title. She's got style as she's not singing about something pointless, nor is she singing about anything overly raunchy and Keyshia never disappoints with her soulful voice. "I Changed My Mind" was a suitable first single, the vocals are great, and Kanye West delivers an off-kilter beat that is actually contagious. "Guess What" is reminiscent of a Kelis song, but Keyshia definitely takes it and makes it her own. On-point lyrics flowing with an catchy beat makes this song enjoyable. On of my favorite tracks "Never" samples the classic Luther Vandross, though it somewhat falters from a pointless cameo from the rapper Eve.

The slower songs aren't the best but they do succeed in showcasing Keyshia's vocals to their fullest extent and shows the emotion she puts into the songs. The main single "Love", is probably the best example of this. The beat is a tad too slow, though Keyshia saves it with great lyrics and strong vocals. My favorite song and the most relatable has to be "(I Just Want It) to Be Over". Keyshia sings her heart out on this song, and its emotions and pain flow effortlessly through her voice. A definite standout while "I Should Have Cheated" has the proper elements of harmony and slides along with the soulful beat.

Despite all this praise I've been giving it, "The Way It Is" isn't without its faults. The tracks "Down And Dirty" and "Superstar" clearly don't compare to the quality of other songs on the CD and just feel like obvious filler. "Down and Dirty" isn't even catchy enough in the beginning to warrant a full listen, and "Superstar" has too many DJ Clue-esque shoutouts to make it thoroughly enjoyable. These songs could have been left off to make room for more soulful ballads that Keyshia is definitely capable of. Regardless, the album is short and sweet and Keyshia Cole is definitely a breath of fresh air in an R&B market flooded with generic and formulaic artists. She's released more albums since this and this CD has me fairly interested in checking out more of her work.