Flesh Tone | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | May 14, 2010 | |||
Recorded | 2009–2010 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 37:37 | |||
Label | ||||
Producer |
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Kelis chronology | ||||
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Singles from Flesh Tone | ||||
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Flesh Tone is the fifth studio album by American singer Kelis, released on May 14, 2010, by the will.i.am Music Group and Interscope Records. Recorded while the singer was unsigned and pregnant with her first child, the album is an ode to motherhood and marks a distinct departure from the R&B sound of her previous albums. The album features production from David Guetta, Boys Noize, Nick Marsh, Jean Baptiste, and Benny Benassi, amongst others.
Flesh Tone is an electronic dance, dance-pop, and electropop album that incorporates elements of house, synth-pop, and dancehall. The record serves as Kelis' debut with Interscope Records under the will.i.am Music Group. Contemporary music critics praised the album for being cohesive as well as refreshing and lean. Flesh Tone spawned four singles, including "Acapella" and "4th of July (Fireworks)", which were successful on the US Hot Dance Club Songs chart and the UK Dance Singles Chart.
In October 2007, Kelis parted ways with Jive Records due to the lackluster commercial response of her fourth studio album, Kelis Was Here , in the United States. [1] Kelis was signed to Pharrell Williams' record label Star Trak, which was originally distributed by Virgin Records, but after it was bought by Arista Records, she was moved to Jive Records. Her manager Jeff Rhaban explained, "It was a case of being in the ever-shrinking world of the record industry and finding herself on a label she wasn't signed to and without a champion". [1] Two years later, Kelis began working on a new album as an unsigned artist. She recorded much of the songs in the garage of her Los Angeles home, [2] named Casa de Kelis, while finishing touches were added at Jeepney Studios. [3] Soon after parting ways with Jive, it was reported that Kelis had been working on an indie dance album with Cee-Lo. [1]
On December 1, 2009, it was confirmed that Kelis had signed to Interscope Records through the will.i.am Music Group, and that her then-untitled fifth studio album featured production from will.i.am, Free School, Boys Noize, Burns, DJ Ammo, and David Guetta. [4] She played the album to a few record labels before choosing will.i.am's label. "I think that he's brilliant", Kelis said of will.i.am. "As far as this generation goes, there's not a single song that you can bring up to him or a reference or an artist or an era of music that he is not privy to or that he doesn't understand. [...] He's not afraid to push the limits and kinda go further than everyone else and that's exciting. He still seems to be having fun doing it and that's what it's all about." [5] In response, will.i.am said, "Kelis represents the kind of edge that pushes all of us not just musically but stylistically as well. She has always opened new doors for her audience and we're ready to walk through this next one with her." [6]
According to Billboard , which ran a preview of Flesh Tone in January 2010, the album would consist of eight songs, [7] although Kelis would later confirm that the final mastered version of the album actually contained nine songs. [8] The preview also detailed individual songs: "Acapella", helmed by David Guetta, is a tribute to her son; "4th of July", which was produced by DJ Ammo; "Kids", which is inspired by gay clubgoers; and "Carefree American", an acoustic-guitar driven number. She also entered the studio with label head will.i.am to produce recordings for the album; [7] according to a press release, one of his tracks was set to appear on the album. [9] Guetta also contributed another song, "Scream", to the album. [10] It was also reported that the singer had worked with English synth-pop duo La Roux. [11] The songs "Alive" (produced by Diplo) [7] and "Carefree American" (produced by Jean Baptiste) [12] are not included on the standard pressings of the album. Additionally, the iTunes Store confirmed that the album contains segues. [13] On March 11, 2010, it was revealed that Kelis was working with British fashion photographer Rankin, who helped fellow British director Chris Cottam to produce the video for the album's lead single "Acapella", as well as helming the photoshoot for the album's imagery and cover. [11]
Flesh Tone is an electronic dance, [14] dance-pop, [15] and electropop album. [16]
The album opens with "Intro", which has an electro-funk production and bears resemblance to some of David Bowie's early work. [17] "Scream" has elements of electro-rap, house, and electroclash, [18] [19] and its production contains a "blade of blues melody [that] slices in atop a rinky-dink sampled piano". It also has "lots of sonic confusingness" as the "song evaporates in the middle ... then reassembles and feeds into a staccato spoken-word electroclash midsection." [17] Several critics stated how the song has split sections, sometimes like "a beat-free beach house piano-based meditation" [19] [20] whilst at other times, sounding like "haughty electroclash ingenue". [19] The verses are mainly house music while the choruses are electronica and have rap music stylings. [18] "Acapella" is about being "swept up in a new love, and transformed by the giddy thrill to such a degree that everything that happened before seems drab and gray by comparison". The track was compared to Donna Summer and "her astonishing synth-disco amazingness from the '70s". [21]
"Acapella" was released on February 23, 2010, as the lead single from Flesh Tone. [22] The song topped the US Hot Dance Club Songs chart and the UK Dance Singles Chart, [23] [24] while reaching number five on the UK Singles Chart and number 17 on the Irish Singles Chart. [25] [26] The album's second single, "4th of July (Fireworks)", was released in the US on June 8, 2010, and in the UK on July 4. [27] [28] It peaked at number four on the US Hot Dance Club Songs chart, [23] number six on the UK Dance Singles Chart, [29] and number 32 on the UK Singles Chart. [26]
"Scream" was released as the third single from the album on October 7, 2010, [30] coinciding with the European leg of Kelis' All Hearts Tour. [31] The single peaked at number 168 on the UK Singles Chart. [32] "Brave" was released as the album's fourth and final single on January 6, 2011. [33] Kelis also re-recorded the track in Simlish for the 2010 video game The Sims 3: Late Night . [34]
On February 26, 2010, Kelis officially premiered the lead single "Acapella" at Eva Longoria's Las Vegas nightclub Eve, [35] where she also performed three songs from the album. [36] The promotional tour for the album kicked off on March 27, 2010, with an appearance at the Ultra Music Festival during the Winter Music Conference in Miami, where she performed "Acapella" and "Spaceship"; [37] [38] the latter is a collaboration with Benny Benassi and apl.de.ap for Benassi's album Electroman . [39] Additionally, she performed "Acapella" for the first time on live television on Jimmy Kimmel Live! on April 6, 2010. [40] In the United Kingdom, Kelis promoted the album on GMTV , Later... with Jools Holland , BBC Radio 1's Live Lounge and debuted "4th of July (Fireworks)" as a single on T4. [41] [42] She also performed at Isle of MTV Malta Special on June 30. [43]
On June 18, 2010, Kelis performed "4th of July (Fireworks)" on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and The Tavis Smiley Show . She performed on The Today Show and 106 & Park on July 6, as well as on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon on July 13. [44] [45] [46] Kelis was honored and performed at Elle magazine's "Women in Music" event at the Highline Ballroom in New York City on June 9, 2010. [47] On May 20, 2010, Kelis announced via Twitter that she would be co-headlining a tour with Swedish singer Robyn across the US called the All Hearts Tour, [48] which began on July 23 at The Music Box in Los Angeles and concluded on August 5 at Webster Hall in New York City. [49]
Aggregate scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
AnyDecentMusic? | 6.4/10 [50] |
Metacritic | 77/100 [51] |
Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [52] |
Entertainment Weekly | B+ [53] |
The Guardian | [54] |
Los Angeles Times | [15] |
NME | 8/10 [55] |
Pitchfork | 7.2/10 [19] |
Rolling Stone | [56] |
Slant Magazine | [57] |
Spin | 8/10 [58] |
Tom Hull – on the Web | B+ ( ) [59] |
Flesh Tone received generally positive reviews from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, the album received an average score of 77, based on 16 reviews. [51] AllMusic writer Andy Kellman stated that "Flesh Tone is a headlong dive into sleek dance-pop ... [yet] it is much more personal than any of her past releases", concluding that the album "remains a stylistic outlier, the disc will always be a bright standout in Kelis' discography." [52] Caroline Sullivan of The Guardian shared a similar sentiment and wrote, "As with her previous records, her fifth studio album doesn't sound like anyone else – [it's] stamped with her unique take on things. Flesh Tone may break no new musical ground, but it's very good." [54] Spin 's Jessica Hopper wrote that Kelis "goes full-tilt house diva" and commended her "husky-voiced, Oprah-esque survivor aphorisms". [58] Sarah Bee of BBC Online called it a "sensual and exhilarating album" and praised Kelis's performance, stating "Kelis has always been a strong character and a brave musician – this is what carries the album and assures your ears that it's no out-of-element flounder ... [Her] honey-husky voice slips easily into the hypnotic repetitions of dance music vocalisation." [20] Digital Spy 's Nick Levine stated that "Flesh Tone grabs your attention straight away and refuses to let go ... [she] has reinvented herself as a Europoppy dance diva ... It works, and it works wonderfully, because she's committed herself unequivocally [to] a ballad-free, constantly-throbbing bop-til-you-drop dance record joined together by some intriguing segue pieces. [It's a] terrific club-pop record on a humongous high - and an all-natural one at that." [18]
However, some critics viewed the album's sound as unoriginal and dated. [60] Johnny Dee of Virgin Media said "Flesh Tone marks a thrilling comeback ... The only complaint is that at 9 tracks it feels a little light." [61] Slant Magazine 's Sal Cinquemani was more critical of Kelis' direction towards dance music, stating that the album "sounds dated in the worst kind of way—that is, not enough to sound retro-cool, but enough to sound totally uncool. It helps that the album ... segued together with interludes that are more interesting than the actual songs. Flesh Tone should sound desperate, but it often sounds inspired instead. Kelis seems electrified by her new genre shift, and the result is an album that's one of her most consistent to date." [57] Kaya Burgess of The Times pointed out that "Acapella" and "Home" are the only tracks that "stand out from an otherwise rather copy-and-paste collection of electronic numbers". [62] Magaret Wappler of the Los Angeles Times expressed that Kelis has managed to "make a spirited but disciplined set of classic Euro-club bangers. Sometimes they're darkly contemplative, slipping into trance; other times they nearly rip at the seams ... it's clear that Kelis has carved out a new niche for herself, dancing in front of the turntables till the lights come on, if they dare." [15] Sam Richards of Uncut complimented its fusion of "R&B sass to thumping club beats" and stated "most everything Kelis touches drips with class". [63] Gavin Haynes of NME felt that "Flesh Tone has already filled out an application form for pop record of the year" and stated, "Her ability to appear unimpeachably cool hasn't wavered either. But these are as nothing. What's important here is simply her direction: a genuinely innovative bearing that breaks new ground for pop without sounding any less pop for it. Kelis. Genius. Pop auteur." [55]
The album was placed at number 53 on NME's list of the 75 Best Albums of 2010. [64]
Flesh Tone debuted at number 48 on the US Billboard 200, selling 7,800 copies in its first week. [65] [66]
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "Intro" | Burns | 3:29 | |
2. | "22nd Century" |
| Boys Noize | 4:54 |
3. | "4th of July (Fireworks)" |
| Damien LeRoy aka DJ Ammo | 5:39 |
4. | "Home" |
| Free School | 4:02 |
5. | "Acapella" |
|
| 4:27 |
6. | "Scream" |
|
| 3:29 |
7. | "Emancipate" |
|
| 4:25 |
8. | "Brave" |
|
| 3:31 |
9. | "Song for the Baby" |
| Free School | 3:41 |
Total length: | 37:37 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
10. | "Acapella" (Benny Benassi Remix) |
| 6:19 | |
Total length: | 43:56 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
10. | "Carefree American" |
| Free School | 3:09 |
Total length: | 40:46 |
Credits adapted from the liner notes of Flesh Tone. [3]
Chart (2010) | Peak position |
---|---|
Australian Charts (ARIA) [69] | 162 |
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders) [70] | 64 |
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100) [71] | 81 |
French Albums (SNEP) [72] | 132 |
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100) [73] | 61 |
Greek International Albums (IFPI) [74] | 12 |
Irish Albums (IRMA) [75] | 54 |
Scottish Albums (OCC) [76] | 59 |
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade) [77] | 49 |
UK Albums (OCC) [78] | 46 |
UK R&B Albums (OCC) [79] | 6 |
US Billboard 200 [80] | 48 |
US Top Dance/Electronic Albums (Billboard) [81] | 5 |
Region | Date | Label | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|
Poland | May 14, 2010 | Universal | [82] |
France | May 17, 2010 | [83] | |
United Kingdom | Polydor | [84] | |
Japan | May 19, 2010 | Universal | [85] |
Germany | May 28, 2010 | [86] | |
Canada | July 6, 2010 | [87] | |
United States | [88] | ||
Australia | July 9, 2010 | Universal | [89] |
Kelis Rogers is an American singer-songwriter and chef. She attended New York's Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts, where she played saxophone and was selected for the Girls Choir of Harlem. Upon graduation, Rogers landed a role as a backing vocalist for the hip hop group Gravediggaz. She then began working with music producers Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo—collectively known as the Neptunes—who led her to sign with Virgin Records in 1998.
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Kaleidoscope is the debut studio album by American singer Kelis. It was released on December 7, 1999, by Virgin Records, and was produced entirely by the Neptunes. Despite underperforming in the United States, the album saw mild success in certain international markets, including the United Kingdom, where it charted at number 43 and was certified gold.
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Kelis Was Here is the fourth studio album by American singer Kelis, released on August 22, 2006, by Jive Records. Originally titled The Puppeteer, the album features production by Bangladesh, Raphael Saadiq, Max Martin, Sean Garrett, and Scott Storch, among others, and also features collaborations with will.i.am, Nas, Cee-Lo, Too Short, and Spragga Benz. It is Kelis's first album not to feature longtime collaborators the Neptunes. Kelis Was Here received a nomination for Best Contemporary R&B Album at the 2007 Grammy Awards.
"Milkshake" is a song by American singer Kelis from her third studio album, Tasty (2003). Written and produced by the Neptunes, it was released as the lead single from Tasty in the United States on August 25, 2003, by Star Trak and Arista Records, and internationally on November 24, 2003. According to Kelis, "milkshake" in the song is used as a metaphor for "something that makes women special". The song is noted for its euphemistic chorus and low-beat R&B sound.
American singer and songwriter Kelis has released six studio albums, one live album, one compilation album, 40 singles, and 29 music videos. At age 16, she left her parents' home; at the age of 20 she was signed to Virgin Records. Her debut single, "Caught Out There", was released in 1999, reaching number 54 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number four on the UK Singles Chart in the United Kingdom. Her debut album, Kaleidoscope, was released in December 1999 and charted at number 144 on the Billboard 200, and has sold 249,000 copies in the country to date. In the United Kingdom, it was certified gold and has sold over 167,000 copies. Two more singles were released from the album: "Good Stuff" which reached the UK top twenty and "Get Along with You" which failed to chart in the US and charted poorly in the UK. In 2001, her second studio album, Wanderland, was released and featured similar "raw emotion and sophisticated musicianship" of her debut album. The album was not released in the United States, however, and the only single, "Young, Fresh n' New", charted poorly.
"Caught Out There" is the debut single by American singer Kelis, released on October 5, 1999, from her debut studio album, Kaleidoscope (1999). Written and produced by the Neptunes, the song peaked at number 54 on the US Billboard Hot 100 but fared better outside the United States, reaching the top ten in Canada, Iceland, Italy, the Netherlands, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. Pharrell Williams of the Neptunes said in an interview that the instrumental track was originally meant for rapper Busta Rhymes, who rejected it.
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"Acapella" is a song by American singer Kelis from her fifth studio album, Flesh Tone (2010). The song is a departure from her past singles in that it is a dance/electronic track rather than hip hop/R&B-oriented. The song was first premiered on her Twitter page and her official website in November 2009, and was released on February 23, 2010, as the lead single from the album.
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"4th of July (Fireworks)" is the second single from Kelis' fifth studio album, Flesh Tone. It samples "You're My Heart (Pilotpriest Remix)" by Lioness. The song was listed at number 51 on the list of the NME Best Tracks of 2010. Three different art works have been made for the single, one for the CD single and digital EP releases in the United Kingdom, the digital remixes single in the United States and the international single.
The All Hearts Tour was a joint concert tour by American R&B singer Kelis and Swedish pop singer Robyn in support of their albums Flesh Tone and Body Talk Pt. 1, respectively. The announcement for the tour was unique in that the duo announced the tour over Twitter in the form of a conversation between the two.
"Scream" is a song performed by American recording artist Kelis, taken from her fifth studio album, Flesh Tone, written by Kelis and Jean Baptiste, and co-written and produced by David Guetta and El Tocadisco. It was released in October 2010, as the album's third single by will.i.am music, to coincide with the European leg of the Kelis' All Hearts tour. It was mainly met with positive reception from music critics, who praised the song's genre-shifting production and the empowering message in Kelis' lyrics.
"Brave" is a song recorded by American recording artist Kelis for her fifth studio album, Flesh Tone (2010). She co-wrote the song with Jean Baptiste, James Fauntleroy, while production was handled by Benny Benassi, and his cousin Alle Benassi. It premiered on January 6, 2011, by Will.i.am Music Group and Interscope Records as the fourth and final single from the album.
"Beautiful People" is a song by American singer Chris Brown featuring Italian DJ Benny Benassi, released as the third single from Brown's fourth studio album F.A.M.E. on March 11, 2011 by Jive Records. It was written by Brown, with Benny Benassi and Alle Benassi handling its production. Musically, "Beautiful People" is an uptempo song which draws from the genres of progressive house and Europop, containing influences of dancehall and R&B. The song's lyrics revolve around Brown encouraging people to be positive discovering their inside beauty.
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Food is the sixth studio album by American singer Kelis. It was released on April 18, 2014, becoming her first album released under Ninja Tune Records. After parting ways with Jive Records in 2007, Kelis signed to Interscope and will.i.am Music Group in 2009, through the label she released her fifth studio album, Flesh Tone, which saw Kelis experiment with a dance sound. In 2011, Kelis began work on the follow-up to Flesh Tone; however, she left Interscope and signed to Federal Prism, before officially signing to the British independent label Ninja Tune for the release of Food. Food is an R&B and soul album with a diverse musical style that incorporates funk, Afrobeat, Memphis soul, and neo soul. Its songs feature crackling horns, brass, earthy guitars, simmering electronics and vocals from Kelis that were noted as being breathy, smoky and sultry.
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