Kelly Rowland's second solo album was, at one point, due to be released in 2006, titled My Story. Before it was released, Rowland had a change of heart, deciding that the material was too ballad and midtempo-oriented, and she told interviewers that it "would have made people cry." So, she switched it up a little, sought out some different producers, and adjusted the album's makeup. Even without this knowledge, Ms. Kelly sounds like an album where Rowland is mostly sorting through some deeply personal relationship issues with a couple relatively lighthearted songs thrown in for variety. Unless close attention is paid to the drastic and fleeting shifts in subject matter, the conscious decision to release an album not completely sad/bitter/angry/regretful/at peace and autobiographical isn't completely apparent. The lyrics within the most personal songs are direct and specific, going beyond basic breakup material, so those who aren't going through something similar might have some difficulty connecting with them. All-around, the album does provide a stronger set of songs than 2002's Simply Deep. The material tends to be kind of insidious, rather than hitting you immediately or going through one ear and out the other, and it's significantly more RB-oriented, as opposed to Simply Deep's adult alternative rock leanings. ~ Andy Kellman, Rovi Even the best of artists make mistakes. Such is the case for Kelly Rowland, whose second release, Ms. Kelly, was not what many fans expected. In hopes of creating a dancefloor ready, hot and spicy R&B album, Rowland dropped a tepid release of middling midtempo beats splattered with a couple of strong dance tracks. Therefore, when news of a reissue of the album first began, many fans were left wondering why. Low and behold, the "Deluxe Edition" of Ms. Kelly is nearly a whole new album in its entirety, with only a few tracks left intact from the original release. Of the 13 tracks on this deluxe reissue, only five are from the original album, including the collaboration with Eve, while the album's original lead single, Like This, is one of the few tracks that survived the overhaul. Other singles such as Ghetto and Comeback are scrapped (though Comeback is replaced with a dance remix of the same song). Left over are steamy songs such as This Is Love and Every Thought Is You. Recent singles that weren't on the original release but are now included are Daylight, a breezy, sunny dance track featuring Travis McCoy of Gym Class Heroes, and the Freemasons remix of a Ms. Kelly track entitled Work. The two popping pieces are Rowland at her peak, and the latter (in the remix form) is one of Rowland's most successful tracks globally, and her strongest pop recording to date. Included on this release are four other new tracks: Broken, Unity, No Man No Cry, and Love Again, all of which are slowed down, thick jams which speak of heartache and desire. On this album, the slow tunes are plentiful, however where on the first album they seemed like sloppy, watered down tunes; on the deluxe edition, the sounds are split between well-crafted R&B hits and strong adult contemporary songs (specifically Unity, where Rowland reveals how strong a vocalist and artist she is, even if the music isn't straight-up rhythm & blues.) What's cool about this second sophomore release is that because the dance tracks are so strong (Rowland handpicked the best of the remixes and original numbers off her former release in addition to Daylight, creating a super selection of dance beats), when combined with the slower jams (like Love Again, a piano ballad where Rowland sparkles), the overall feel of the album is much tighter, much stronger, and holds more impact for the listener. There are only a couple of weak links, the re-release is Rowland's best one yet by miles, a satisfying, well-planned record consisting of the best of the funky Kelly and the dramatic Kelly, who've come together here to prove why this Child's destiny is to be a superstar. This album is an incredible showing of taste, talent, and charisma at every speed, and is one of the strongest mainstream R&B releases in many years. [Released at the same time digitally was "Ms. Kelly: Diva Deluxe," which bore all the new tracks from from the deluxe edition in an EP format.] ~ Matthew Chisling, Rovi Kelly Rowland's second solo album was, at one point, due to be released in 2006, titled My Story. Before it was released, Rowland had a change of heart, deciding that the material was too ballad and midtempo-oriented, and she told interviewers that it "would have made people cry." So, she switched it up a little, sought out some different producers, and adjusted the album's makeup. Even without this knowledge, Ms. Kelly sounds like an album where Rowland is mostly sorting through some deeply personal relationship issues with a couple relatively lighthearted songs thrown in for variety. Unless close attention is paid to the drastic and fleeting shifts in subject matter, the conscious decision to release an album not completely sad/bitter/angry/regretful/at peace and autobiographical isn't completely apparent. The lyrics within the most personal songs are direct and specific, going beyond basic breakup material, so those who aren't going through something similar might have some difficulty connecting with them. All-around, the album does provide a stronger set of songs than 2002's Simply Deep. The material tends to be kind of insidious, rather than hitting you immediately or going through one ear and out the other, and it's significantly more RB-oriented, as opposed to Simply Deep's adult alternative rock leanings. [The Special Premium Edition comes with a download code allowing access to bonus content.] ~ Andy Kellman, Rovi