Rhythmic Review: Keyshia Cole - Just Like You

Now im no Rich from FourFour when it comes to writing a music review, and ive never written one before..BUT i do have ears and a love for music....so i can throw my 2 cents out there to you guys when it comes to a new album im looking forward to, or atleast give abit of a damn about, to take a listen to it...so here goes...

Upon first listen to "Just Like You" your knocked upside the head with the obvious growth of Keyshia, vocally that is....No she isnt on some Jennifer Holiday, or even Hudson, type shit...but shes definitely learned that she doesnt have to scream to get her point across, or that LOUD doesnt necessarily mean u can "sang"... in her case, less is DEFINITELY more this time around...A perfect example of this is her song "Work It Out" and most of all "Fallin Out"(produced by soulshock) Keyshia shines on this, showing that her more subdued tone, compared to a say "Love", is a pleasant one that doesnt wear out its welcome after 30 seconds... Another stand out for me is the track "I Remember" its a sassy ballad that reminds me of nothing more than "Love" dressed up in its sunday's best...but without all of the special Olympics vocal aerobatics that u either loved or hated, which in this case is good because u can focus on not only the beautiful display of keyshias voice, on this song, but the actual music itself, which isnt too shabby...

Like any other R&B album now a days, Just Like You does have its forgettable, or downright worthless, tracks that could have been left on the cutting room floor. Mainly the head scratch inducing "Didnt I Tell You" featuring Tooshort, now i understand Keyshia is being promoted as your run of the mill girl u see at the swap meet cursin someone out over her botched pedicure and french tip job...BUT i feel the song is out of place with the rest of the album, and any other album made after 2004 for that matter...Other forgettables include "Heaven Sent" and "Just Like You"

Now down to the bedazzled elephant in the room...The comparisons to Mary J. Blige...ofcourse theres similarities between the 2, and with songs like "Losing You" and "Give Me More" (that sounds like it was directly snatched from a scrapped 'Whats the 411' session) I dont think Keyshia has a problem with it at all... Although Keyshia does bring her own vibe to this album more so than the last, the Mary moments this time around are blatantly OBVIOUS (the ladida dada in "Give me More" is IDENTICAL to that of the song "My Life" for fuck sakes!)...but i have a feeling with more time that passes Keyshia will mold a sound thats all her own, beautifully polished and sparkly, but for now shes definitely following in the footsteps of a Legend..."Just Like You" takes me back to when R&B albums were about the ALBUM and not just the occasional hot single here and there on a record, and thats where this album shines.... In due time i believe keyshia will wander off and make footsteps all her own, (im sure those footsteps will be somewhere around ur nearest liquor store) but until then im anxiously waiting...

I give "Just Like You" 3 jars of Clear Ice out of 5...just because she so damn classy, now go touch up them baby hairs



Now take a listen and decide for yourself on BETs Transmission and remember... "Just Like You" hits stores September 25th