By Odeisel

Before reality TV stardom, Kandi Burrus was an accomplished musician, with success as a member of Xscape and a track record as a hit-making, Grammy winning writer and producer. While she has focused on production and songwriting for the bulk of the last decade, she has decided to get back to singing with Kandi Koated.

The strength of the album is rooted in Kandi’s connection to regular life. The situations that women find themselves in regarding relationships, life and love are things that Kandi connects to with ease. She ably deals with these lyrically but in execution her voice is not always the proper route of delivery.

The boom-clap rhythm, of “I Want You” is buttressed by sharp strings and a soft piano. Kandi wants to take a friendship forward to something more but doesn’t know how to make it happen. “The More I Try,” with its military drums and ivory tinkling finds Kandi dealing with the aftermath of a relationship where the other person has moved on.

Dithering keys and dramatic strings characterize “Give It To You.” Kandi has been out of the game for a while and has now decided that she’s found the one to whom she wants to give herself; body and mind. She’s trying to hold back her primal urges in the hopes of finding something more permanent than the hit it and quit it. “I Just Know” continues that caught up feeling with the guy she feels is “the one”. The song represents the kind of blind passion and desire that feels so innocent, but usually gets us all caught up.

Outkasts classic “Elevators” beat is used as the foundation of “Me and U,” which addresses the kind of delusional promises that non married people make like nothing can tear them apart…until it does.

“Lucky”deals with the arrogance of the ex and their desire to ruin or interrupt their old partner’s new relationship. She knows you’re with someone else, but her door is open for some memory lane brains. “Do you spread her legs like this?” Kandi asks.  “I know you got a girl, and I know I’m wrong, but a hard man’s good to find.” It’s trifling, but just about everyone has been on either side of this situation at one point in their sex lives or know someone that has. Its real talk, just not the kind people are comfortable with.

“How Could You… Feel My Pain” focuses on how her man could jeopardize their relationship and their family by stepping out. To add insult to injury you driving that hoe around the hood and buying her shit? That anguish at finding that your love isn’t good enough is accentuated by the booming drum on the edges and the snare drum. On the flip side, “Leave U” deals with your mate slacking off and getting lazy once they got you on lockdown. Kandi will leave you for a dude that’s doing the stuff you USED to do.

“Haven’t Loved Right” deals with cutting yourself off from love after a lost relationship. You know that you can love again but you can’t connect to that part of yourself just yet.

“Riley’s interlude” leads into “Leroy Jones,” a track about the role her step father played in her life. Both songs let any man interested in Kandi know up front that she and her daughter are a non negotiable package deal.  You would think this is common sense but Lord knows how many women are out there forsaking their kids for  some dude.

“Superwoman” reunites Burruss  with former Xscape partner Tiny. The track tells the story of the single mother and their struggles holding it down. It’s not a baby momma celebration  and admits that babymotherhood is not something that anyone should aspire to. The duo’s magic is still intact.The album closes with “Fly Above,” the typical anti hater anthem complete with Southern rap beat X (snare drum, claps, double time snare, distorted club synth etc.).

Kandi Koated connects on a very human level with everyday circumstance. Kandi’s vocals, however are the weak point of the album. Had this album been delivered by Fantasia or Keyshia Cole, it could have been really special. As is, it’s solid and a testament to Kandi’s connective skill and songwriting talent.

3.25 out of 5

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