Keyshia Cole:A Different Me album Review

Keyshia Cole's third album makes the attempt to try some different styles and show a 'different' side of the singer. For me, she's best on songs that play into her strengths and what we've come to expect from her than those tracks that attempt to be and sound different from typical Keyshia Cole. "Trust Me" and "This is Us" stand out because they feature her vocals paired with a performance tinged with emotion. "A Different Me" is more upbeat than Cole's previous releases, which is a change, but something feels off or lacking on this release. The production of some songs is questionable - her vocals are marred by beats that sound dated and like throwbacks, while her attempts to be different makes her lose the individuality and uniqueness that made her stand out from other R&B artists.

There were some songs that stood out, even if they sounded a bit generic and beneath her usual performance and vocal abilities. "Make Me Over" is one of the best tracks, an upbeat song with something of a gospel-sound. "Please Don't Stop" is quick and fast paced, "Erotic" is just as it sounds - a slower, more sensual song that definitely is a more open and expressive song than you'd expect from her. As for the other songs, they were just okay for me. The release sounded a bit rushed and had less emotion than previous releases. It was a bit of a let down to hear a great singer like Keyshia Cole performing songs that didn't stretch her vocal abilities any and sounded like songs that any up and coming artist could perform. "A Different Me" is average at best, a bit rushed, the production is weaker than the previous releases.
review by:Antonie D. Reid