Review: Kelis - Food
[Ninja Tune; 2014]
Rating: 6.5/10
By Abbie Doyle, Reviews Editor
Key Tracks: “Forever Be,” “Jerk Ribs”
Kelis Rogers, known professionally by her first name, is a woman all about statements. “My milkshake brings all the boys to the yard / And they’re like / It’s better than yours / Damn right it’s better than yours / I can teach you / But I have to charge.” On her latest album, Food, her opinions and self-confidence are just as apparent.
The record is enormously personal, with lyrics that discuss Kelis’s childhood and influences from her father, as well as relationships with lovers, friends and how these relationships reflect on herself. Kelis, who enrolled in Le Cordon Bleu culinary school and now hosts her own cooking show, is a successful businesswoman: at SXSW she served homemade ribs out of her own van and even has a line of sauces.
Food and its preparation has been incredibly important to Kelis’ life; the singer views it as a form of self-expression as important as music. Tracks with names like “Jerk Ribs,” “Breakfast,” “Cobbler,” “Friday Fish Fry” and “Biscuits n’ Gravy” are loaded with symbolism, one of them alluding to unmet sexual needs. It’s really quite a fun album.
Album-opener “Jerk Ribs” begins with lines delivered from her child: “Hey guy, are you hungry? My mom made food.” Kelis joins the vocals, and the song grows into an absolutely beautiful tune with fantastic vocal harmonies and horns.
Mom made soul food, that’s for damn certain. Loaded with gorgeous horn sections and beautiful string work, Food is a soulful production that makes “Milkshake” look like Kelis’ awkwardly unsure baby steps into the music industry. These baby steps have turned into confident strides as Kelis goes above and beyond with her delivery on Food.
Food is proof of Kelis’ unrelenting confidence. She’s verified this with previous works: “You don’t have to love me / You don’t even have to like me / But you will respect me / You know why? / ‘Cause I’m a boss!” Not only is she bossy, but she has all of Ol’ Dirty Bastard’s money. Self-confidence does not seem to be a problem for Kelis, but like all human beings she occasionally falters and owns up to it.
On “Biscuits n’ Gravy” Kelis sings in her low, throaty croon, “By this time tomorrow I’ll be renewed / Give it a morning / Every dawn brings thoughts of you / If you catch me tomorrow I’ll be renewed.”
In the track “Rumble,” she speaks to an ex (perhaps former husband Nas, guilty of a wandering eye?) and alternates between inviting him in and keeping him out. “Baby don’t go / We got so much history / I hurt you, you hurt me,” followed swiftly by, “I’m so glad you gave back the keys.”
Romantic relationships are the meat of this album. Kelis uses them to look at herself, but her focus on men can grow a little tiresome, especially for a woman as striking and forward as Kelis. What’s remarkable is that she admits it. “You can’t escape the grips of desire / And you lose yourself / Then you lose yourself / Can’t forgive yourself,” Kelis belts on “Change.”
The production, done by Dave Sitek of TV on the Radio, takes the old-school soul and R&B elements and modernizes them. Synthesizers, drum machines and reverb refashion Kelis’ classic influences; soul fans of all ages can appreciate this work of art.
Food is Kelis’ most impressive musical adventure to date, with hardly more than two weak tracks (“Floyd” and “Hooch” can be skipped entirely). While the work hasn’t broken any new ground in the art of creating music, it has certainly proved to those with doubts that Kelis knows what she’s doing and most likely always has.
