★★★★★

“My milkshake brings all the boys to the yard and they’re like, it’s better than yours.”

These lyrics, which come from the track “Milkshake” in Kelis’s third album “Tasty,”were accompanied with a hard beat, an easy melody and a sassy message. It is no wonder that this song allowed Kelis to shortly break into mainstream music in the United States. Following the release of her third album, she had trouble maintaining this success in United States; though she continued to reach considerable acclaim overseas. After the lackluster response to her fourth album in the United States and overseas, she was dropped from Jive Records.

She was later signed by Interscope Records and then surprised many of her core fans by departing from her normal R&B style and releasing a pop/dance/electro album. Even more surprising was the fact that the dance album, “Flesh Tone,” gained major success and topped charts in Europe and the United States. This album showed the public that genre does not confine Kelis’s artistry, and one sees this similar sentiment in her newly released album “Food.” This masterfully done album intricately blends many genres into a piece that truly accentuates Kelis’s maturity and talent.

Kelis melds her outside interests into the theme of this album. She graduated from culinary school, has a cooking show and currently has a line of sauces being released. This obvious passion for food conspicuously materializes in the naming of the album and its tracks.

The album opens with the track “Breakfast,” where Kelis’s feisty daughter proclaims her mother’s talent in the kitchen. In this funky pop song, Kelis’s husky voice (which at times takes up a Lauryn Hill-like sound), joyfully sings:

“So much of who we are is from who taught us how to love.”

While some can hold out hope that this is a love song thanking her current ex-husband Nas for their years spent together, she most likely is appreciating the life of her children and their influence upon her.

In the brass heavy track “Forever Be,” there are heavy neo-soul and even rock influences. This song is simply a feel good wake up song. While Kelis’s singles for the album are “Jerk Ribs” and “Rumble,” with the right video, “Forever Be” has the potential to be a successful single.

In “Floyd,” Kelis ramps up the sex appeal by combining her airy voice with strings and brass instrumentals. She lightly states that she wants to be “blown away” by her lover. She purposefully leaves the rest of the interpretation to the listener.

One of the standout tracks on the album is “Runnin’.” Kelis returns to her R&B roots and with strong harmonization, she soulfully sings of running from her past. She sings:

“How could I reject you? You always came to save me/ You are my refuge.”

The biggest surprise on the album is the track “Bless the Telephone.” In this song, she truly shines by abandoning her typical genre. This lovely but simplistic track features Kelis’s voice singing over only an acoustic guitar. She sings:

“Strange how a phone call can change your day/ Take you away from the feeling of being alone/ Bless the telephone.”

In this strong alternative love song, she slowly lures one into a reminiscent and self-reflective mood.

In the strong soul and R&B track “Rumble,” Kelis sings of the struggle of leaving her lover. Ultimately, she is grateful that her lover finalized the break-up by returning her keys. After Kelis’s harsh words regarding Nas’s cheating and their subsequent divorce, this is an honest song that portrays Kelis’s true vulnerability in their relationship.

Kelis’s husky and versatile voice is shown to be a force to be reckoned with. Though this album is R&B and soul heavy, it never feels outdated. She offers a strong new twist for her favorite genre while simultaneously successfully exploring others. Even if one is not a Kelis or an R&B fan, she offers something for everyone. In her most current album, Kelis truly offers “Food”for the soul.