Talk a Good Game
Talk a Good Game is the fourth studio album by the American singer Kelly Rowland. Formerly titled Year of the Woman, the album was released on June 18, 2013, by Universal Republic and its affiliated record labels. Incorporating a base core of R&B and pop music, Talk a Good Game was influenced by the likes of Whitney Houston, Marvin Gaye and Stevie Wonder among Rowland's other idols. She wanted the album to be a celebration of womanhood and referred to the record as her most personal album to date. On the album, she co-wrote all but one song, "Freak", a cover version of the 2010 song by the entertainer Jamie Foxx from his fourth studio album Best Night of My Life. A deluxe edition, and a Target-exclusive edition of the album with bonus tracks, were released simultaneously with the twelve-track standard edition.
Talk a Good Game was promoted with live versions of the album's songs during the Lights Out Tour, a co-headline concert tour between Rowland and The-Dream. The album was also preceded by the release of the lead single, a Mike Will Made It and Marz production called "Kisses Down Low", which peaked in the top-thirty of the US Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. A second single, The-Dream-produced "Dirty Laundry", was released a month before the album. The song talks about the domestic abuse that Rowland suffered during a previous relationship.
On its release, music critics commended the album's cohesive sound and themes throughout, often noting Rowland's most personal and vulnerable lyrics as well as the strength of her vocals. Talk a Good Game entered the US Billboard 200 at number four, selling 68,000 copies in its opening week, and was Rowland's third top ten album. The album also entered the US R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Chart at number four. In 2014, Rowland left her label, wanting a new start elsewhere and signalling the end of the Talk a Good Game era. The album was her only release under Republic Records.
Background
Work on Rowland's fourth studio album reportedly began in 2011, after the release of her third studio album, Here I Am. In March 2012, Lonny Bereal told Kempire Radio that for the album Rowland would be returning to her R&B roots. "She's going in so hard with the R&B. Of course, she is going to give the Pop crowd what they're looking for. But, she really is returning to R&B on this album. Her delivery is real confident now. It's definitely a new Kelly Rowland. She wouldn't even let me put autotune on her voice this time round. She was like 'No, I want people to really get me'." The following month, Rowland told MTV News that the album would have a theme and that she had been documenting the recording process of the album for her fans to see. During an interview with Vegas magazine in June 2012, she described the album as a dedication to "my ladies". She explained, "I want to tell women how incredible we are, how our intuition is so spot-on. Sometimes we don't listen to it, but it is the thing that can actually make us happier." She cited Whitney Houston, Marvin Gaye and Stevie Wonder as the album's inspirations.File:Kevin-cossom.jpeg|thumb|170px|left|Kevin Cossom appears on the title track as well as having songwriting and vocal production credits elsewhere on the album
In August 2011, the producer Rico Love told Rap-Up magazine, "While she's on tour, I'm gonna be writing records for her new album. We can kinda roll that out and drop her new single in late spring. Excited about that." H also said that he wanted to continue developing an R&B sound with Rowland, following the US chart success of her single "Motivation", which he co-wrote and co-produced. "I believe in R&B and I believe that if we make new age records and don't make dated records and keep it classic, I think we'll be fine." Rowland also worked with Amber "Se7en" Streeter, Da Internz, Eric Bellinger, Eric Hudson, Kevin Cossom, Lonny Bereal, Nikeshia Briscoe, Redd Stylez, Rock City, T-Minus, Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins, The Runners and Beau Vallis. On March 23, 2012, Rowland confirmed via Twitter that she was working with rapper T-Pain. Sean Garrett revealed in an interview with Rap-Up on May 9, 2012, that he also contributed to the album. He stated, "Her swag is dope and I'm just so happy to see her get her shot. I'ma do what I can to make sure Kelly right." In August 2012, the Grammy-winning songwriter Diane Warren mentioned her involvement, saying that she had been working with Rowland "because Beyoncé was telling her to get together with me".
In November 2012, Rowland revealed she had been working with production duo Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. Speaking of their collaboration to Billboards Keith Caulfield, she said "Let me tell you something, they are a part of the foundation of who I am ... Because their sound was one of the first things I remember about R&B. Being in the studio with them, I wanted to pinch myself." However, it was later revealed that the songs she recorded with Jam and Lewis did not make the album. In February 2013, Rowland revealed that she had over fifty songs recorded for the album that she was continuously working on to put together the final collection. Rowland also worked with The-Dream, Pharrell Williams and Boi-1da. According to USA Today in April 2013,the rapper Pusha T was to make an appearance on the album. In April 2013, Rowland revealed she had more than 70 songs to choose from, among a feature vocal from Lil Wayne, the album features Wiz Khalifa and a duet with Pharrell Williams. Rowland reunited with her former Destiny's Child bandmates Beyoncé and Michelle Williams for a song on the album, Rowland stressed that it was not a Destiny's Child reunion but rather a song by herself featuring Beyoncé and Williams.
Musical style, writing and composition
Talk a Good Game was inspired by R&B artists New Edition, Pebbles, and Babyface, Rowland spoke on the album's musical direction saying " feels like everything I wanted to make as far as music and R&B, I wanted to make sure my roots were really pronounced on this album." Rowland cited Whitney Houston, Marvin Gaye and Stevie Wonder as the album's inspirations.File:Jamie Foxx Navy.jpg|thumb|160px|left|"Freak" was first recorded by American entertainer Jamie Foxx, on his album Best Night of My Life.
The album opens with "Freak", an electro-R&B song that was originally recorded by American entertainer Jamie Foxx for his album Best Night of My Life It references Michael Jackson's "Thriller" as well as including a spoken bridge towards the end. Then comes "Kisses Down Low", an R&B and electronic track written by Marquel Middlebrooks, Timothy and Theron Thomas, Rowland, Mike Will Made It, with the latter producing the song. Rap-Up described the song as a "bedroom banger", whilst Billboards Andrew Hampp described the song as an "unofficial" sequel to Rowland's most successful and sexually explicit single, 2010's "Motivation". Third in the album, is the adult contemporary-influenced "Gone", which features the hip-hop rapper Wiz Khalifa. Harmony Samuels produced the "base-heavy" and radio friendly "snapping" beat which features a prominent sample of "Big Yellow Taxi", a 1970 single by Canadian singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell. It lyrically speaks about a "man who played with her heart" and how "she's done putting up with his games". Lyrics from Rowland include "There's a million ways that I could tell you / But I think I would rather show you that it's over / And I won't be back no more", whilst Khalifa raps "I been here before / And you know Kelly never lied / So you can get your stuff / And get to going / I'll get back to getting high".
The album is named after track four, "Talk a Good Game" which features Kevin Cossom. Over a "snaky but sweet" production from T-Minus Rowland sings "I don't think I can take another broken promise / Why do things the hard way when you can just be honest". Hampp stated that Cossom's rap gave the song a "street edge". It takes the listener on an emotional journey according to The Honesty Hour. The next song, "Down on Love", is a mid-tempo production featuring another classic sample, this time the 1987 song "Rock Steady" by R&B group The Whispers. Using her mezzo-soprano vocals, Rowland takes on a downtrodden romantic situation, "We want two different things at two different times / You know how the story go / Easy come easy go". "Dirty Laundry" was co-written by Rowland, Carlos McKinney and The Dream, and is an R&B "confessional" ballad, containing "R&B jam spools" and a piano-led melody. It details a "frank and often poignant commentary" on Rowland's life. The song is a "brutal" chronicle of the last ten years of Rowland's life, covering her envy of Beyoncé's solo success and the end of an abusive relationship. Amongst the lyrics, Rowland sings "Kinda lucky I was in her shadow / Phone call from my sister what's the matter / She said, 'Oh no / You gotta leave' / I'm on the kitchen floor / He took the keys."
File:Beyonce.jpg|thumb|right|150px|Beyoncé is envied by Rowland on "Dirty Laundry", before joining Rowland and Michelle Williams on "You Changed".
This moves onto another track called "You Changed" that features her former Destiny's Child bandmates Beyoncé and Michelle Williams. Lyrically the song talks about a relationship that has gone "awry". Rowland takes prominence on the track, though Beyoncé and Williams each get their "own cathartic verse to go off on a clueless ex". The Honesty Hour compared "You Changed" to the 2004 Destiny's Child single "Girl". Production on the album then moves on to a light mid-tempo dance track on "I Remember", which was produced by The Runners. Atop a "tinkling piano and propulsive dance beat", Rowland's "characteristically soulful vocals" can be heard. Hampp said that the song incorporated tribal music and a vibe that "consciously stops short of being a full-on four-on-the-floor banger." According to the Honesty Hour, "I Remember" remains firmly a ballad, but incorporates elements of techno and EDM. Rowland dabbles in some 80's funk pop on the Boi-1da and Matthew Burnett-produced "Red Wine". The song features dreamy synths and a soaring chorus, in a vintage throwback. It was compared to songs by Brandy Norwood. The pace continues on the romantic "This is Love" which focuses on a guy that "got goin' on cloud 9". Over the light production, Rowland sings "I'm waiting and anticipating for you to give it to me / Boy I'm trying to hold it inside / Heart racing, my body shaking / 'Cause when you give it to me, boy you are the truth, I can't lie." According to the Honesty Hour, "This is Love" had crossover appear for both R&B and pop radio.
"Street Life" sees Rowland opt for a "no BS" attitude. She sings about how "chasing fast money takes precedence over self-improvement" atop a mid-2000s pop music production, built around layers of hand drums and horn stabs. It was produced by Pharrell Williams and opens with Rowland saying "Ooh 'dere go my baby daddy!". The lyrics then continue on to speak about the current problems society is facing, "the recession ate me alive / Tryin' to get where the breeze is nice / So I can breathe." She then goes on to speak about social issues and the breakdown of society on lyrics like "coming from the street life we know it's letting go / We like to go to school for education / But the street life we know don't write no notes / It's like parole with the time we're facing." Pusha T appears in the song's middle 8 where he raps about honor and US president Barack Obama, "this is for my niggas with them four baby mamas...this Presidential Rollie don't make me Obama / so don't judge me by my jewelry, please your honor". The Huffington Post described "Street Life" as a departure from Rowland's previous "softer sound". The standard edition of the album finishes with "Stand in Front of Me", a 1950s' doo-wop inspired "ode to love". The simple production and lyrics include the lines "You just do it / Mean it / Prove it"; Hampp of Billboard wrote that one could expect to hear the song at weddings.