R. Kelly – The Buffet

Not surprising that the master of sex infused songs continues along that vein in his thirteenth album, The Buffet. The guy knows no other way and he is kind of a master at it. Tracks like “Poetic Sex”, “Let’s Be Real” and the duet with Jhené Aiko “Let’s Make Some Noise” all fill that bill. “Marching Band” is a track that only R. Kelly could pull off. He manages to make marching music feel cool and totally R&B. The front half of the album is what you’ve come to expect from the man. It is the second half which I liked better. Over the last few tracks he spreads his wings soundwise and lyrically. It really shows that R. Kelly is not just a one trick pony. “Sufferin” brings the house down with some retro southern soul. Then comes a lot of Eighties influenced songs. “Barely Breathin” is a Foreigner ballad like no other. Take notice of the attention to detail that went into making this song sound like Foreigner as it is something. “Wake Up Everybody” and “Keep Searchin” stay in that decade. It is different from anything he has done before, so take your time and listen to these tracks several times before writing them off. You’ll probably find yourself liking the guy more than you did before because he takes these risks.