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Music Review:
Simply Deep, Kelly Rowland
SIMPLY DEEP
1. Stole
2. Dilemma (feat. Nelly)
3. Haven't Told You
4. Can't Nobody
5. Love/Hate
6. Simply Deep (feat. Solange Knowles)
7. (Love Lives In) Strange Places
8. Obsession
9. Heaven
10. Past 12
11. Everytime You Walk Out That Door
12. Train On A Track
13. Beyond Imagination
14. Make U Wanna Stay (feat. Joe Budden)
QUICKIES
When I first listened to Kelly Rowland's solo embarkment that is Simply Deep, I deeply despised it. I thought it was too slow, too uninspired, too mediocre. But, upon several thousand listens, it finally grew on me.
Unlike Justin Timberlake's project, Simply Deep is your run-of-the-mill R&B debut from a back-up singer of a multi-million dollar girl group. Okay, so Rowland might be touted as a lead singer of Destiny's Child, but we all know how far from the truth that really is. In 1997, the first DC single, "No, No, No" was released, and after five years and several member changes, the group seems to be holding strong. With Michelle Williams also releasing her solo album, and Beyoncé Knowles recording hers as we speak, it may appear that they're an unstoppable force. But Williams' gospel CD was less than thrilling, and although Simply Deep debuted at number three on the Billboard R&B/Hip Hop charts (it's number twelve overall), it remains to be seen whether it can hold on to that spot.
Aside from this summer's hot single, Dilemma, Simply Deep is slim pickings. The second single, Stole, is my other favourite. Rowland sings about lost youth in a narrative tone. It reminded me of TLC's "Waterfalls" (1994), but instead of drugs and AIDS, "Stole"'s updated version is about high school shootings. Because of the subject matter, it makes that much more impact - the smooth, rhythmic beats offset the chilling set up. There are several remixes of the song. Too lazy to check, I mistakenly downloaded a different version from the radio one, but liked this one better.
Simply Deep, the title track, was written specifically for Rowland by Solange Knowles, Beyoncé's younger sister, who also guests as a back-up singer (a back-up singer needs a back-up singer?). A slow R&B jam with a catchy chorus, it isn't bad - but if Solange decides to join Destiny's Child, just sedate me now. Make U Wanna Stay, co-written by Rowland, is one of the few upbeat songs on the CD and boats the guest vocals of Joe Budden. With beats of a Bubba Sparxx-like quality, it's one of those songs you just can't help but bop your head to.
The other two songs co-written by Rowland, (Love Lies) In Strange Places and Heaven, fare a little worse. "(Love Lies) In Strange Places" has a strange don't-judge-a-book-by-its-cover moral, as exhibited by some of the most hilarious lyrics I've ever heard: "Now my baby sister's got a two way and a cell phone. She's always happy when she gets a page, but that's not love, girl, that's not a home. Real love isn't digital, isn't physical." Why did I think it was hilarious? Because damn, I'd be happy if a guy even called me back. In fact, I'd probably have his love child. "Heaven," on the other hand, is one of those songs that sedate you and keeps on going until you've reached a comatose state, and while you're passed out, it tries to steal your wallet.
One thing that many may not know is that Rowland loves rock, and says she wanted a mix of "Sade and edgy rock" for this album. What? There was nary a rock, or anything along the lines of Sade. But wait, I overlooked Train on a Track, mostly because it's a train wreck (pardon the pun). With a light acoustic guitar in the background, Rowland sings, "Like a train on a track, like spokes inside a wheel, involuntary motion like rolling down a hill, and there's no way to stop it…once you fall in love." Gah, if the lyrics weren't bad enough, Rowland's rendition of "rock" is more like a folksy version of an Alanis Morissette song. What makes it worse is that it's sandwiched between R&B songs, sticking out like a sore thumb and thus making the album less cohesive. Beyond Imagination is also influenced by rock, but disguised with heavy R&B beats, it blends into the album seamlessly.
Now that Rowland is in the spotlight, you'd think that she'd take full advantage of it. In several songs she does, but in others, she's still in the passenger seat. Personally, I find her voice smoother than Beyoncé's, but without a proper outlet, I might be the only one to think so. Simply Deep is a bold effort that ultimately falls flat and pales in comparison to other emerging artists. ¤ C.Ho.
SIMPLY DEEP:
(out of 5)
