R. Kelly (Jive)
The double CD has become a way of demonstrating that artists are so mighty, they just can't be confined. The problem is that few artists have the creative oomph to fill two CDs. And R&B singer R. Kelly ain't one of them. Within R.'s two lengthy CDs, there is one very good, very well-written and well-sung single CD just dying to be heard. Songs like his doo-wop flavored "If I Could Turn Back the Hands of Time" or the edgy "Suicide," in which Kelly's rich, velvety voice sounds both urgent and honest, prove the point. But in this collection of 29 tracks stretched over two hours, Kelly repeats himself thematically and musically. Lyrics go from being heartfelt to predictable, arrangements that first seem inviting soon become redundant, and the overall power of Kelly's considerable skills is diluted.
Bottom Line: Way too much of a good thing
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