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| tracklisting |
| CD 1 |
| 1. Bump-N-Grind |
| 2. Your Body's Callin' |
| 3. Sex Me (Part 1) |
| 4. Gotham City |
| 5. Ignition - Remix |
| 6. Down Low (Nobody Has To Know) feat. Ronald & Ernie Isley |
| 7. When A Woman's Fed Up |
| 8. Thoia Thoing |
| 9. Touched A Dream |
| 10. I Wish |
| 11. Ghetto Religion feat. Wyclef Jean |
| 12. The Storm Is Over |
| 13. She's Got That Vibe by R. Kelly & Public Announcement |
| 14. If I Could Turn Back The Hands Of Time |
| 15. The World's Greatest |
| 16. I'm Your Angel feat. Celine Dion |
| 17. I Believe I Can Fly |
| 18. Home Alone feat. Keith Murray |
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| CD 2 |
| 1. Bump N' Grind - Old School Mix |
| 2. Down Low (Nobody Has To Know) - Live To Regret It Mix (Blame It On The Mo') feat. Ronald Isley |
| 3. Step In The Name Of Love - Remix |
| 4. Fiesta - Remix feat. Jay-Z, Boo, Gotti |
| 5. Gotham City - Remix |
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| It's that time of the year again: The world is gearing up for the most stressful time of the year, Christmas, and everyone wants a piece of the money pie. This is the time where everyone and their elves is releasing a 'best of' record. And the first to do so, actually kinda early
in the process, is R. Kelly. And quite arrogantly he claims that he's the 'R. in R'n'B.' So he's the rhythm. Maybe because he can't sing the blues. Well, basically, he's not the best singer on this planet, and… |
| As you can tell, there's many reasons why to not like R. Kelly. And you all know a couple more. But you have to respect the other R. when he's under all this pressure, bad mouthing, attention, etc. etc. and he answers musically. The answer obviously was "Ignition - Remix".
This song is just irresistible. The groove is so smooth, pimps looks like sandpaper. You couldn't even get mad at the ignorant video, because the song was just so damn dope. This is everything that "Fiesta" supposedly was. And that song is on here too, however on the 'Remix Bonus Disc'.
The track's beat is still a disaster, what leaves it unexplained why everyone was bumping such a crap song. |
| Also on this remix disc is a smoother and better version of "Bump N' Grind", called Old School Mix. And if the women doesn't melt in your hands when this song plays and you kiss her soft spot, then there's nothing to help your clumsy ass. Same goes for "Down
Low (Nobody Has To Know) - Live To Regret It Mix (Blame It On The Mo')", that's also more bare, and hence seems to be more pure and without any cash considerations. And more important: this is still R'n'B, as opposed to all those Pop songs that are considered R'n'B, simply because they're sung
by a Black artist. Even "Gotham City" gets an interesting reworking: it's minus the chorus, plus some talking, a rap guest appearance, resulting much more in a new song, than just a remix. And for the balance, there's the grooving "Step In The Name Of Love - Remix".
This is not brash and that's why it's so good. |
| But back to the main platter. And here we can listen to R. Kelly's development from his very early appearance - is it the first? - "She's Got That Vibe". That came out in a time when the music world looked very different and urban music didn't reign the charts. But
how did you call that R'n'B style back then? New Jack? Something like that. So yeah, that's that. And after this song, it took "I Believe I Can Fly" for R. to blow up like the Hindenburg. Now R. Kelly was a super star among the super stars and a figure that was asked to do more movie
theme songs. So there came "Gotham City" and later "The World's Greatest". What's the difference between these songs? Not much really. R. has found a formula that works (and it does work), and he rides it to death. So you get these emotional melodies (and as said, they
are really good, memorable and all that) you add a choir, and voila, you got a hit record. So if it works for movies, it can work for you personally too (or for Michael Jackson, see "You Are Not Alone"), hence there's "The Storm Is Over Now" and "If I Could Turn Back
The Hands Of Time". |
| But that's just this side of the coin, with the other having more songs to groove to. Like the new song "Thoia Thoing", the almost Neo Soul and thoroughly good "Touched A Dream", as well as the party favorite "Home Alone" with Keith
Murray. However, this record really focuses on the slow to midtempo cuts, from "Bump N' Grind" to "Sex Me (Part 1)", to the collaboration with the Isley's Ronald and Ernie on "Down Low (Nobody Has To Know)", where R. Kelly captures a good amount of 70s vibe,
to the collaboration with Celine Dion "I'm Your Angel", that just shows how far into the mainstream acceptance R. Kelly was able to move. |
| The Volume 1 in the title is probably partially good wishing, as almost all the really huge hits are on here. But there are a couple of notable misses. What's however not that important. More important is that as much as you (including me) want to hate R. Kelly, his music makes it
hard for you; some of these songs are just too good. So don't hate, appreciate. |
| review: tadah |
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