This album isn’t really untitled. The title is Untitled, but don’t waste your time trying to interpret some special meaning behind it. It’s apparently just a lazy artistic decision on the part of R Kelly, which doesn’t surprise me. Most of his albums have silly titles, so it’s business as usual for the crooner and in more ways than one.

Every song has to do with sex in some way or another. Even the Religious one has him singing to a girl he’s romantically, and no doubt sexually, involved with but not married to. Perhaps he forgot that his prolific song catalogue already includes a Religious Love dedication; one that happens to sound better than this one.

I’m not a “hater” though. I like R Kelly because R Kelly makes good music. After his previous two albums, I should say he’s starting to make better music again. His lack of conceptual diversity is actually part of his allure. The more shameless the lyrics are, like telling a girl to open her legs so that he can Kiss her on the lips, the better.

The best songs are the ones with the best vocal melodies. There’s an enchanting chorus happening Elsewhere. There’s also a cool song about Text messages tequila drinkers can relate to. Go Low, on which he sings about wanting to lick a girl’s pussy and sip on the “sweet sweet water” that will presumably ooze out of it, grooves like classic R.

All references to the Fourth Quarter of 12 Play should’ve been removed when he decided to ditch that concept, Supaman High isn’t a saver until the very end; the best part of the album is the way the beat takes the song out; and there should be a closer after the Pregnant ballad, but the girls don’t seem to mind such artistic blunders.

my rating : 3 of 5

2009