Review Summary: Make sure you buy this album.
The Neptunes are known for being one of the most powerful producers on the music market today. The hits spawn quicker than Rihanna releases singles, so there is no surprise when Chad decided to collaborate with Kenna, who almost went unheard of until now. “Make Sure They See My Face” is Kenna’s sophomore attempt at creating an acceptable rock/pop album, but not afraid to experiment with many other different styles. Kenna has a unique voice. His Ethopian accent is sometimes hard to follow, but the tone he keeps is absolutely outstanding. And on a side note, he might as well be the first real singer that doesn’t use a vocoder. Although Kenna has many relations and history with the likes of Pharrell Williams and Lupe Fiasco, the style he brings is completely different. Song after song, the pace is slowed down for a second before rising into experimental God. He is a true genius, lyrically intelligent (like Pharrell and Lupe) and sets trends (like Pharrell and Lupe). But don’t mistake him for your average mainstream artist. Kenna has a very strong anti-commercial message in his songs, ironic of an album name that states the complete opposite.
“Make Sure They See My Face” is his rise to fame, simply put. His older work, “New Sacred Cow” is drawn back and all the stops are removed. Chad from The Neptunes, as I stated earlier, does a great job on the production, striding for a more authentic rock feel. “Daylight” is the opening track, a well-paced ride of anger and hope. The beat is brilliant, with a 1-minute cut in of ambience before bouncing into a jumpy drum loop and piano roll. The “electronic bounce thingy” is immediately introduced, which will be heard almost throughout the entire album. “Out of Control (State of Emotion)” is the highlight of the album. First used for a PSP advertisement, then singled out by NME as one of the most heart-lifting songs of the decade, followed closely by “Say Goodbye To Love”, which sounds like a track that could’ve been produced by Daft Punk. “Static”, “Sun Red Sky Blue” and “Better Wise Up” all share the same exploration of sound and topic. Chad once again shines in all his mighty glory, while Kenna delivers his best performance to date.
However, not to say that the album is completely perfect. The songs at times feel overproduced and dragged out for length (“Baptized In Blacklight”) and Kenna’s vocals are majorly misheard, some might even pick up really discriminative messages.
“Make Sure They See My Face” is Kenna’s best effort. His listening might come hard at first, but it will surely grow on you if you give it the time. I wouldn’t call this album a complete success if it wasn’t for The Neptunes’ block-rockin’ beats. Very original concepts are thrown around, but often slipped past us in the light of more modern and experienced pop singers today. Kenna first started out as a simple-minded featured artist alongside Mike Shinoda in his quest for Fort Minor projects. Then turned to the underground scene to further extend his erupting career. Now, he returns as a true musician.
Recommended tracks:
“Daylight”
“Out of Control (State of Emotion)”
“Say Goodbye To Love”
“Static”
“Be Still”
