An audible screenplay

Keke Palmer is a very talented woman. She’s been able to craft out a very successful acting career and when it comes to her singing, she really has her moments and shines. The biggest surprise about her is her voice. When she’s able to just lock in, her voice is amazing. On this project, you just wish it was more of that in the more traditional R&B sense.

The album is essentially like a screenplay, with 3 different acts and a few surprise guests (that I will not spoil). There aren’t any features, so all of the songs are truly Keke. In addition to not having features, the project is very revisionist with some notable samples and hints to old television shows as well.

Now the vocals, again, are great. The issue comes in when she strays away from the traditional R&B sound and goes into more of a pop sound. It doesn’t quite flow with the concept of the album and it also doesn’t have a very catchy sound as most good pop records do. The subject matter is very “grown” and it’s not bad, but it does make you wonder where the inspiration comes from.

The album is a little rough around the edges and the cohesiveness is a tad lacking. Some of the R&B tracks are passable but most don’t leave that lasting impact. It’s not a bad project. I would say it’s fairly average.

If Keke can hone in on a consistent and traditional R&B sound, she has the pipes to be very successful in music. She has all the qualities and skills to surpass any limitations put on her. The question will be whether or not she decides to lean into R&B or make mainstream pop records. Hopefully, she takes the R&B route and doesn’t deviate.

Standout Tracks : Off Script, 125 Degrees

Album Rating : 👑👑👑👑👑👑👑👑👑 (5.7/10)