If anyone reading this has previously heard of Kandi Burruss, it is probably related to the fact that she is the Grammy-award-winning songwriter behind numerous r & b smash hits, such as Destiny's Childs "Bills Bills Bills", Pink's "There You Go" and, most famously, TLC's "No Scrubs" - all catchy, clever and distinctive tracks which shot up charts all over the world. Some may even know she launched her own solo career back in 2000, with the song "Don't Think I'm Not". But this wasn't actually her first venture into the charts.
In the early nineties, she was one quarter of a girlgroup named Xscape. I know nothing about this band myself but apparently they were platinum-selling so I guess they were big in the States. Anyway, this was the reason why she ended up realising her great potential as a songwriter. This is also why she ultimately realised that songwriting wasn't enough for her - that she wanted to still be performing. Hence the release of a songwriting project where she was writing especially for herself - the "Hey Kandi" album. But could she continue her winning streak with this venture?
THE TRACKS
The album features a wide variety of r & b style tracks, from pop to slightly more hip-hop infused r & b, and of course the obligatory selection of ballads. Luckily not many of the latter style, but more than necessary - I'm of the firm opinion that one is more than enough when it comes to ballads!
Certainly it is the more upbeat tunes which are Kandi's speciality. The album kicks off with the title track "Hey Kandi", which is definitely flavoured with
a few pinches of hip-hop - Kandi has said herself that in this song she tried to write it the way she imagined a rapper would, and then added the melody afterwards! It is definitely a catchy tune - featuring a sparse but bouncy backing track most of the time and clever lyrics. "Talkin' About Me" also is a bit hip-hop, where on the chorus Kandi sings along with a rapper named DAKS, who sounds a little like Tupac to me. She even tries to rap a little herself - which perhaps wasn't the best of ideas . . . leave it to the professionals, love!
"Pants On Fire", on the other hand, almost seems to be based around a nursery rhyme, using the playground chant "Pants on Fire, Liar Liar" as a chorus and throwing in a few more childish insults too - one of the standout tracks on the album, and probably most like a Destiny's Child or TLC track. "I Wanna Know" has a bit of a Five Star (please somebody remember them other than me!) vibe to it - very late-eighties pop with a bitter edge to the lyrics. "I Won't Bite My Tongue" is probably my own personal favourite - commencing with an introduction that sounds a little like the Spice Girls' "Holler" it then becomes cool r & b with an infectious chorus and pretty funny lyrics. Kandi is slagging off a one-night-stand with insults which are a little below the belt such as "If I could've foreseen what's behind those jeans, oh I'd a' never talked to you".
She gets a bit experimental on a couple of tracks also, trying to stick a few music styles into the same song. For example, "What I'm Gon' Do To You" has a garage style chorus but is definitely more r & b oriented in the verses - although the individual parts are good, however, the song just doesn't seem to fit together properly. But she gets it right on the hit single "Don't Think I'm Not" which combines ballad-like verses with uptempo dancey choruses - yet another track which embraces a retro eighties vibe.
Of the ballads, the best is probably "Cheating On Me" (the one track ironically which was not co-written by Kandi) - your classic laid-back r & b number which is redeemed mainly by its intelligent lyrics. "Can't Come Back" is fairly insipid, and sounds like most other ballads about heartbreak. "Just So You Know" has absolutely nothing memorable about it (I can't remember anything to say about it at all, which should prove my point) but "Easier", the closing duet with Faith Evans which Kandi wrote for her late brother Patrick, is worth a listen, partly due to the poignant lyrics, which could apply to heartbreak as well as the death of a loved one, and partly due to the way Kandi and Faith's voices blend together so well.
THE GOOD POINTS
Obviously the majority of the songs are good, so this is definitely the best point of the album. Kandi uses infectious lyrics and catchy melodies to create tracks which make you want to get up and dance and sing into your hairbrush in front of the mirror - or maybe that really is just me who gets that particular urge!
What else I like about "Hey Kandi" is that it seems to follow a theme in my view. So many albums have the artists slagging off their man one second, then going on about how much they love them and think they are the perfect man the next. Kandi makes no such allowances. From "Hey Kandi", where she is liking her man but others are telling her "he ain't doing a thing for you" and she should "show your man who's the boss", she starts to develop suspicions ("Cheatin' On Me"), and vow revenge ("What I'm Gon' Do To You"). Then, unusually, she decides to play her man at his own game - in "Don't Think I'm Not" she sings "when you're gone I do my own thing/ and I catch a bone while you're dogging me" and in "Pants on Fire" she deals with the hypocrisy of both her own and her man's unfaithfulness. Later on she gives her man a second chance only to be let down ("Can't Come Back") and by "I Wanna Know" she is talking about the possibility of starting a new relationship, but being held back by the doubts and suspicions that arose from the last one. It is only really "Easier" which doesn't fit into this theme but, as it is the closing song on the album, it doesn't really interfere with the cohesiveness of the other tracks.
THE BAD POINTS
In fact, there is only really one major bad point to the album in my opinion. Obviously the fact that there are too many ballads for my liking is a problem, but I can overlook that. The main problem for me is actually that, despite undoubtedly possessing a great set of lungs, Kandi just doesn't have the same presence that Destiny's Child or TLC have. She doesn't seem to pull off the songs in the same way that they can. I could imagine TLC singing "Don't Think I'm Not" or "I Won't Bite My Tongue" and thoroughly believe they meant every word of it but, even though Kandi wrote the words (and possibly meant every word) I just don't believe them coming out of her mouth! Therefore I think what she must be lacking is not talent, but attitude. I'm not sure why I feel this, maybe it is because she is nowhere near as big a star as the people she normally writes for. But the songs just don't quite ring true for me when I hear her singing them.
SHOULD YOU BUY IT?
I wouldn't necessarily recommend it if you liked "Bills Bills Bills" or "No Scrubs", as you may have liked these more because of who was singing them rather than for the songs themselves and, as a result, you might be disappointed by this album. If you liked "Don't Think I'm Not" and are a fan of artists like Mya , you will probably like this album. However, as it costs £12.99 from both amazon and play, I certainly wouldn't recommend paying full price for it, unless you had heard quite a few of the tracks and definitely knew you'd enjoy it. I have noticed though that it is available from amazon marketplace from 95p, and you could also check out ebay for bargains. I myself bought it for £2.99 in Woolworths last year but I had been meaning to buy it for ages myself and I would have paid more for it if necessary. Luckily I'm hear now to warn you against doing the same thing. It IS a good album, yes, but it isn't worth paying full price for. Anything up to about eight quid and it is a good bargain. Anything over that and you've paid too much!
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Sounds like something I wouldn't enjoy. A nicely detailed analysis of it though. Milky :)
Lucie_S1984 05.07.2005 16:50
Never heard of her really! Lucie xxx
missixty 03.07.2005 15:04
I love how you write about unexpected artists like Lisa Maffia and Kandi. Maybe I should come and be your flat mate (don't worry I don't collect ears in a bucket or anything ;-) ) cos then we'd have a great selection of CDs between us and I could cut up all your skirts for you! I haven't heard this but I absolutely loved/still love "Don't Think I'm Not" it was fab! Brill review hun x
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