Cookbook, The (Parental Advisory) [PA] - Missy Elliott

Let me preface this with something that should be obvious: Anything that Missy Elliot released after the abysmal This Is Not a Test would have been considered a success. Her last album proved that - despite a few noteworthy moments - without great beats or an inkling of invention, it's obvious to see that Missy's a pretty mediocre rapper that tries to add more importance to herself by annoyingly ad-libbing over her records. However, when she stops ...
...something more graceful, it's usually a beautiful thang. I wish she had done more of that on The Cookbook - which is mostly saved by great, head-nodding productions (Doesn't that sound familiar?).

Instead of depending heavily on Tim "Timbaland" Mosley for most of her beats, she lets a plethora of newer producers tweak and adjust her sound to great effect. On the funky "On and On", the Neptunes give Missy a varied ... more

Let me preface this with something that should be obvious: Anything that Missy Elliot released after the abysmal This Is Not a Test would have been considered a success. Her last album proved that - despite a few noteworthy moments - without great beats or an inkling of invention, it's obvious to see that Missy's a pretty mediocre rapper that tries to add more importance to herself by annoyingly ad-libbing over her records. However, when she stops rapping and starts singing, turning her sometimes-forced sex-and-party raps into something more graceful, it's usually a beautiful thang. I wish she had done more of that on The Cookbook - which is mostly saved by great, head-nodding productions (Doesn't that sound familiar?).

Instead of depending heavily on Tim "Timbaland" Mosley for most of her beats, she lets a plethora of newer producers tweak and adjust her sound to great effect. On the funky "On and On", the Neptunes give Missy a varied production that features record-scratches combining with weird pinging sounds being backed by electronic noises mixing with loud drums. It doesn't matter what Missy chooses to spit over this record (by the way, she doesn't embarrass herself with her braggadocio-inspired raps), not much can mess it up. It only gets better on the Rich Harrison-produced "Can't Stop" where banging drums and exuberant brass collide for Missy to offer her version of Beyonce's "Crazy in Love". Even when Missy goes solo on the production tip on her lead single "Lose Control", a couple '80s samples and heavy bass (not to mention the appearances of Fatman Scoop and Ciara) combine to make great music for both dance clubs and loud speaker systems.

The formula of great beats with Missy raps doesn't always lead to success, though. On the old-school rap-inspired "Irresistible Delicious", Missy tries her best to emulate her guest Slick Rick previous tracks about loose women ("let's get cozy...and you can treat me like a prostitute") and his accent but fails on both accounts. It's not until she starts singing in the middle of the track and the beat slows in tempo that the track becomes enjoyable. It's not until some of the productions turn sour does one of Missy's biggest flaws shows itself: she needs great beats in order to have a decent career. With the Scott Scorch-produced "Meltdown", a beat that sounds like a rap version of Mario's "Let Me Love You" and Missy's wannabe-shocking lyrics about how she's in love with a new guy's Magic Stick make for a trite combination.

Remember how I said that I wished Missy would sing a bit more on her albums? Well, it depends on what she decides to sing if that statement can remain true. If she makes more songs like the plodding "Remember When" that goes nowhere with its overdone subject matter of her cheating on her man (it gets even worse when she starts to rap on this track) and its sleep-inducing production, there would be no reason to buy anything other than instrumental versions of her albums. But, I think otherwise when I hear a song like "Teary Eyed" - where Missy sings well about love going wrong over a great horn-and-drum filled production.

The Cookbook is a decent album - but Missy's not to be congratulated. It's because of the diverse productions that this album isn't as bad as its predecessor. Don't get me wrong, Missy has some skill that she exhibits on tracks like the retrospective "My Struggles", - which features throwback lyrics from Mary J. Blige and Grand Puba - but she usually can't make a song by herself (another example is the dancehall-influenced "Bad Man" which is greatly helped by an excellent drumline and appearances by Vybez Cartel and lovely, talented beauty M.I.A.). When she starts singing, it can be a different story, but who wants to keep listening to one of the clichés of current rap music (not-so-great lyrics over head-nodding productions) to get to the good stuff?

Distinctly Average.... 

...less