Love Letter (R. Kelly album)

Untitled

Love Letter is the tenth studio album by American R&B singer R. Kelly, released on December 14, 2010 in the United States through Jive Records. It was entirely produced by R. Kelly. The first single, "When a Woman Loves", reached number 22. on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart and was nominated for a Grammy for Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance.

Background

The album is heavily inspired by R&B and Soul legends Marvin Gaye, Jackie Wilson, Donny Hathaway, Sam Cooke, Michael Jackson and Stevie Wonder. A throwback of sort in the midst of a synthetized pre-teen R&B world best suited for teenie-boppers, "Love Letter" can be considered "a long big single", according to its creator, aimed at grown folks, young adults and mature teens alike, with its gorgeous medley of soulful tunes immersed in 1940's, 1950's and 1960's pure Soul, custom designed by the master's midas touch, and offering nothing but love (profound, joyful, painful) to its listener. "It's so much going on nowadays, I feel like the whole world, including myself, needs a big ol' hug. And the Love Letter album is me reaching my arms out musically."

Releases and promotion

Prior to the album's release date, the album was exclusively available two weeks early via Facebook.

R. Kelly performed at the 2010 Soul Train Music Awards in November. Kelly brought the crowd to their feet, performing a medley of his classics that included "Bump n' Grind," "Your Body's Callin'," "When a Woman's Fed Up," "Happy People," and his modern classic "When a Woman Loves." He also performed a doo-wop remix of the latter song. At the end of the awards, he took the stage with Ronald Isley and Chanté Moore as they performed the classic "Contagious." R.kelly later performed for 2 successive nights on NBC's Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, performing "Number 1 Hit", "When a Woman Loves" and as a web exclusive, a special performance of "Ignition" and "Step In The Name of Love" with The Roots after the jump.

Singles

Confirmed as the lead single from the album, "When a Woman Loves" was released as a digital download on Septempter 7, 2010. It was officially released to urban and rhythmic radio formats in Septempter 2010. The song as peaked at number 120 and 21 on the Billboard's Hot 100 and Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. The second single, "Love Letter," recently debuted at number 74 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. It rose 74-57 the next week.

Reception

Critical response

R. Kelly's "Love Letter" received positive critical acclaim from numerous critics.

LA Times says the album "steeped in vintage Stax and Motown. “When a Woman Loves” gracefully nods to Otis Redding’s “I’ve Got Dreams to Remember” while giving Kells a smoky, tempered backdrop to tap decades of undeserving-man ballads. Wait for the pleading a capella bridge, which goes on three times as long as it needs to -- and it scorches. “Love Is” has a "Soul Train" pluck, and “Number One Hit” rides babymaking synthesizers worthy of Sade(...) The rest are all misty-eyed jams to make Maxwell and Raphael Saadiq feel topped. “Lost in Your Love” asks the album’s central question: “Can I bring love songs back to the radio?” Yes, Kells, you can. And it’s been far too long".

ABC News also gave it great praise. "Love Letter is a gorgeous, 15-track ode to the various stages of love, drawing from a retro soul style and delivered with romantic grace. The genius of R. Kelly has been resurrected and is on full display on Love Letter, which echoes Sam Cooke, Teddy Pendergrass and even a bit of Luther Vandross for a grown-folks love album that won't shock the parents or scare the children. The first single, the epic “When a Women Loves”, is a tour de force that not only puts Kelly's wondrous songwriting on display, but also showcases a voice that has little competition when it comes to pure power and passion. Love Letter, reminiscent of Kelly's 2004 CD, Happy People, is one of the best albums of his career, and may be among the best of the year. Here's hoping that those turned off by his crass material of late will pay attention to this classy, and classic, gem".

Andy Kellman from All Music Guide gave the album 4/5 stars and wrote that "it’s easily the least sexually charged album in his discography, ideal for those who admire him as a singer, arranger, and producer but tune out the fantastical come-ons. The pleading “Radio Message” and “When a Woman Loves,” as well as the pained “How Do I Tell Her?” and the bouncing “Love Is” (featuring K. Michelle), are too well-crafted and convincingly delivered to be heard as mere genre exercises. Kelly is in contemporary mode but continues to keep it classy."
About.com with its 4 out of 5 rating, states that "throughout the album Kelly shows that he's a true student of R&B music history. Some of the album's songs sound so old school that they could likely fool some people into thinking that they really are classics from decades past. This album represents a remarkable change in direction for R. Kelly, who just a few years ago seemed to be going in a different direction with the hip-hop concept album Double Up. Love Letter is a brilliantly romantic album that once again proves that Robert is still R&B's leading man and one of the most inventive artists in the genre's history".

The Chicago Tribune, with its 3 stars out of 4 rating, praises the album "old school" vibe while commanding R. Kelly for paying tribute to Soul music's heroes past: "He invokes Sade in the sensual sway of “Number One Hit”; channels Michael Jackson’s keening cries on “Not Feelin’ the Love”; the doo-wop of the Dells and Spaniels on “Radio Message,” right down to its a cappella finale; a Motown-style co-ed duet with K. Michelle on “Love Is”; Sam Cooke’s bring-it-on-home-to-me empathy on “How Do I Tell Her”; and the pleading desperation of Percy Sledge on “When A Woman Loves.”". The in-depth review concludes that "This is Kelly at his most earnest, reimagining the music that dominated his household while growing up on Chicago’s South Side in the ‘70s and ‘80s. Yet “Love Letter” is perhaps the most personal work of his career. These are the type of songs he’d sing when performing for pocket change on Chicago street corners and L platforms before he had a record deal. This style of music also meant everything to his late mother, whose record collection set Kelly on his path. “Love Letter” is as much an homage to her as it to the classic soul tracks she loved.".

New York's Parlé Magazine simply gives the album a classic rating. "Love Letter hearkens predominantly to the sound of 60s, 70s and 80s soul. Both "Lost in Your Love" and "Radio Message," have that swaying juke joint melody but offer up to date touches and depict R. Kelly's range in a way that has not been seen since 12 Play. Singer K. Michelle joins him on "Love Is," which gives a nod to Motown with its Marvin Gaye and Tami Terrell rhythmic verse play, whereas with “Music Must Be a Lady,” Kelly drives towards the timbres of Sam Cooke and Donny Hathaway. The song is masterfully woven into a tapestry of instrumentation with the right amount of earnest vocals. It is on par with "When a Woman Loves," Love Letter's first single, the two being the magnum opuses of Love Letter. The album closes with "How Do I Tell Her?" a goodbye tale of heartbreak and heartache and a cover of Michael Jackson's “You Are Not Alone.” Both encompass and show forth why R.Kelly has survived in the music industry for so long. Love Letter is packaged with the right amount of ballads and midtempos pieces, and is one of the best R. Kelly albums to arrive in quite some time.".

Entertainment Weekly, with its B rating believes that "the latest from the king of sex-mad R&B is a refreshingly tasteful foray into classic soul and PG lovemaking", while Rolling Stone states that "on his 11th studio album, Kelly experiments with a relatively novel concept for him: restraint. Over ballads fleet enough for wedding receptions but too slow for clubs, he's the consummate gentleman, cooing and pining respectfully", giving the R&B superstar 3 out of 5 stars.

Track listing

All songs written and produced by R. Kelly.

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Love Letter (Prelude)"	0:49
2.	"Love Letter"	4:49
3.	"Number One Hit"	4:24
4.	"Not Feelin’ the Love"	3:34
5.	"Lost in Your Love"	4:34
6.	"Just Can’t Get Enough"	3:10
7.	"Taxi Cab"	4:00
8.	"Radio Message"	3:50
9.	"When a Woman Loves"	5:10
10.	"Love Is" (Duet w/ K. Michelle)	3:24
11.	"Just Like That"	3:19
12.	"Music Must Be a Lady"	4:35
13.	"A Love Letter Christmas"	5:44
14.	"How Do I Tell Her?"	4:20
15.	"You Are Not Alone" (Michael Jackson cover) (Bonus track)	4:29