(I Just Want It) To Be Over
Rolling kettle drums and punchy brass start off the first track from the debut album from Keyshia Cole. Cole is remembering a time when the relationship that she is in was good and her man used to make all the right moves but now realises that neither one of them want it to continue. Her man is acting as though he doesn't care and she doesn't want to love him any more, doesn't want to need him, just wants to leave him and for it To Be Over. Cole's voice in the pre-chorus is where she showcases its power.
Changed My Mind
Cole in the introduction dedicates this song to somebody who knows who he is. Kayne West features, though his contribution is limited to introducing himself and a few 'stops' towards the end. This has a sound that is more street than To Be Over. The lyric is quicker and the accompaniment is pure percussion with hand claps. The song is not sang in the first person but from the perspective of an onlooker recounting the feelings of the couple in question. The girl is doing everything she can to make the relationship work, though the man shows no love and takes her for granted. The girl decides that she's Changed Her Mind. She no longer loves her former partner and won't have any more of her time wasted. The harmonica accompanies the bridge, which leads to a superb ending where the lyric quickens even more and asks the now ex, how he feels to have lost out. The sample of 'Get Out Of My Life, Women' is incorporated to excellent effect and flipped towards men this time around.
Love, I Thought You Had My Back
Track three has a softer sound, more instrumentation and a similar message to the first two tracks. The bassline stops the song from venturing into slow jam territory but the sound is less raw than To Be Over and Changed My Mind; as though Keyshia is moving on from the immediacy of the two earlier tracks. She still misses the partner that she thought was the one but realises that she has to move on and recognises that she was wrong when she thought Love had her back this time. The end of the song has a spoken vocal about making good decisions, knowing your focus and, if love is your focus, you need to pay attention.
I Should Have Cheated
A track so good that it features on both 'The Way It Is' and Cole's second album: 'Just Like You'. This song is most definitely a slow jam but, far from being a love song, this is about taking stock of a relationship and looking at it objectively. Despite hearing gossip about her partner, Keyshia gives him the benefit of the doubt and trusts him completely. He, on the other hand, questions her every action, accuses her of sneaking out, cheating on him and lying. The man is told in no uncertain terms that he needs to change his ways or she is out of there.
Guess What? feat. Jadakiss
The pace is picked up for 'Guess What?'. A heavier bassline, punctuated with snappy brass and a fast lyric put the rhetorical question to her partner. The answer is that she is leaving Jadakiss, the featured rap artist. Keyshia is throwing her man out of their house for cheating and generally letting her down. She realises that she has been stupid during their time together and is putting an end to it. Far from being upset, Jadakiss says that he doesn't care, he'll give her her keys back but asks for everything that he bought her back in return. He says he is being a man by going out and sleeping around and, unsurprisingly, this does him no favours and he is shown the door.
Love
Strings strip back to a simple drum beat and a bass guitar melody that compliment Cole's voice great. Cole sings about questioning her self worth since her lover has been cheating on her. The chorus could be said to be about the good things about being in love, about being thankful for finding the one only for the second verse to progress into a song about not being able to go on should this end. Cole's voice is emotionally charged for 'Love' and begs her partner not to leave her on her own.
You've Changed
This song starts with and continues with elements of 'Sounds Like A Love Song' by Bobby Glen. Cole speaks over the introduction, saying, 'I already heard your side of the story, hear mine. I'm gonna tell you why. Cos you changed. You got dumb. No, you listen'. She continues to sing directly to her partner that swept her off her feet the day that they met. He was full of charm, she had butterflies and was filled with first date nerves: Happy; reflected in the beat of the song. The charm soon ends and he is constantly leaving her own her own, up to who knows what. Cole won't sit at home and wait for him to put in an appearance and tells him of her concerns but his response is to act as though he doesn't care. The very end of the song speeds up to hit her arguement home and sounds fantastic.
We Could Be
Keyshia is asking whether she can talk to her baby for a minute. She feels that he is the one and can see them spending the rest of the their lives together, if he would only treat her right and they could be friends. The vocal on this is great. Exposed. Irregular. Almost as though Cole is struggling to get out what she wants to say. The song is low, slow, inspite of the fast vocal, and strings, guitars and the piano accompany the whole affair.
Situations feat. Chink Santana
A return to the style of the earlier tracks; with a darker, more confident edge. The song starts off by stating that 'She can't love you, like I love you'. Keyshia calls herself the 'real thing' and knows that, although this man is not hers, she should be his girl. She needs this man and nothing will stop her from getting him. She is putting it on a plate for him and dissing his current girlfriend. Given the fact that Keyshia has been on the receiving end of this treatment at the start of the album, it is interesting that she then instigates this towards the end. She has Chink Santana playing his girlfriend and shows no remorse. This does make me question why and this is the success of the song. I am questioning as to whether or not I condone this kind of action and am being forced to put myself into both the cheater and the person cheating's shoes. If you want something, you have to go for it, but at what cost? The earlier tracks bring the fall out of having an affair home and the fact that I find myself stopping and asking what the hell is going can only be a good thing.
Down And Dirty
Both Keyshia and the man she is singing to want to get Down And Dirty and she is asking him to play the game her way. This is a slow jam, with a repeated string melody over percussion. It is not the strongest track on the album but is a welcome follow up to 'Situations'.
Superstar feat. Metro City
This song sounds a little more street and Metro City sound great both independently and when they harmonise with Keyshia. They are singing to each other, saying that the other is like a Superstar, looking as good as anyone on the big screen or the cover of a magazine. Strings feature heavily on the song, with a heavier bassline than the last few tracks. This is one for the bedroom and I like this a lot.
Never feat. Eve
A reworking of the Luther Vandross classic and featuring some of the original vocal. This is a funky finish to the album and lifts the mood on what has been an album that has explored some of the darker sides of relationships. As well as Eve's rap, Keyshia adds new elements to the track, elements that make it fit in with the rest of 'The Way It Is'. She raises the tempo as well as the bass and this makes you want to hit the floor.
Love (Live AOL Session) (Bonus Track)
Listed as the second bonus track, this one actually appears first and is a live version of 'Love'. The difference is negligible, showing the talent of Keyshia in that live, she sounds exactly the same as she does in the studio.
Changed My Mind feat. Shyne (Bonus Track)
Shyne's rap does little to improve the original version of the song, which is the same except for his additional vocal. I prefer the original.
The first album from Keyshia Cole is brilliant. It is dark in places and the artwork is equally raw and graphic but love isn't all roses and someone needs to tell it as it is. Step forward Keyshia Cole. She turns in an on point debut, that sounds as good today as it did five years ago when it was first released. The songs are more Rn'B in style but more soulful in lyric, in spite of them being to the point. The lyric rivals the music and, when listened to as a collection, the album is provocative and makes the listener think. Keyshia is not simply slagging off men, but recognises that, even when you are in a bad situation and know it, it is easier said than done to put an end to it rather than endure. People will be able to identify with this and will hopefully get the hint that only good can come from distancing yourself from negativity. The songs have no airs or graces, no hidden messages, they are up front and easy to connect to. They are real. 'The Way It Is' comes recommended.
Keyshia Cole's Official Website: www.keyshiacole.com
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