Review: Keyshia Cole - Point of No Return
By Megan Fair, Copy Chief
[Geffen; 2014]
Rating: 5/10
Key Tracks: “Next Time (I Won’t Give My Heart Away)”
Keyshia Cole has been making R&B music for over a decade now, her powerful voice and emotionally charged music earning her a household name in R&B. Although she has experienced very comfortable success within her music career and reality TV career, her latest effort Point of No Return reveals that Cole has not had the same luck in love. In fact, it’s pretty clear that Cole thinks love bites.
Point of No Return features heavy hitters in the industry like DJ Mustard, 2 Chainz, Future and Mike WiLL Made-It, so it’s clear that Cole is tapped into what’s hot in 2014. Cole also features the crooner Gavyn Rhone on the record, providing a fellow singer to accent her own style. While these modern artists certainly pose some sense of newness, it’s clear that the early 2000s style of R&B will always be a point of reference for Cole’s music.
From the first track to the end, almost every song is a theatrical account of the wrongs done to Cole in her history with love. “Don’t wanna be heartbroken no more,” sings Cole in “Intro (The Last Tango),” a short opener that drips TLC and sets the tone of the record through the tale of a toxic on-and-off again relationship.
And right from there, the police sirens ring into the most tense “Heat of Passion,” which begins with a 911 dispatcher speaking. Cole spins the tale of a man cheating on her, a loyal partner and mother. She belts out her pain and frustration, detailing her packing and leaving. The song ends with a police officer asking, “I’m just arriving at the scene, can I get an update on the call?” and the sound of a gun shot.
Most of Point of No Return details this level of toxic relationship, fraught with isolation, cheating and heated passion. Kudos to Cole for using this album as cathartic release, but eventually 11 songs of this becomes exhausting. “Next Time (I Won’t Give My Heart Away)” is the best song on the record, because you can feel the heartache in Cole’s voice and the story feels real in her versatile, emotional timbre. It’s realistic and, although dramatic, it doesn’t feel overwhelming. The song is succinct as well, which gives it an edge of pop appeal.
“Remember (Part 2)” is almost painfully hokey. The music feels outdated and the melody is not up to par with Cole’s generally catchy tendencies. It sounds like the kind of song you’d hear in the rolling credits for a cheesy romantic comedy from 10 years ago. Another flop is “Rick James” featuring Juicy J. Yes, it’s as ridiculous as it sounds. The hook is literally quoting the Chapelle Show skit about Rick James. The music is actually pretty good, but the tackiness discounts the whole song.
“Why does it matter now / Who can do it better / Feet up on yo’ couch / Yeah, bitch, I’m Rick James / Slap a bitch like Rick James / I’m Rick James.” I wish I were joking.
Keyshia Cole is talented and she is important, but this record feels hokey and out of touch. While there are some catchy tracks on this record like “New Nu” and “She,” Point of No Return does nothing new, making it easily forgettable.
