Where, exactly, has Grammy-award winner Mya been since her 2003 release of “Moodring?” Musically, she’s been taking on the Japanese market, where her latest studio album, “K.I.S.S. (Keep It Sexy & Simple),” was released in April. Mya finally brought the deluxe version of the album stateside earlier this month, and not a moment too soon, as it’s an unexpectedly vibrant, peppy outing.
The title track starts the record off on a punchy high note, giving the first taste of the surprising talent Mya’s been keeping from her American fans for the past few years. The album’s collaborations are mostly sublime, especially in the case of the menacing, unshakable “Earthquake,” featuring Trina, and the chaotic, reggae-inspired “Take Him Out,” featuring Spice.
A lot of the songs have an ’80s flavor to them, with jingly effects and forthright lyrics. Sometimes this method works, like on the emotional “Can I,” and sometimes it falls flat. In fact, the record takes a bit of a nosedive near the end, with the garish “It’s My Birthday” and “Somebody Come Get This Bitch,” featuring Stacie & Lacie, acting as the dated antitheses to the album’s best tracks. There are a few gems that surface at the tail end, like the delicate “Love Comes, Love Goes,” but one has to wonder if the album as a whole would have been tighter and more fluid with less than its 17 tracks.
“K.I.S.S.” veers more to the pop end of the spectrum than the r&b side, but for the former “Lady Marmalade” collaborator, it’s a decent platform for jumping back into the American market. This album shows she’s still got a few tricks up her sleeve.
Rating: W W W 1/2
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