Album Review: Kehlani, 'Blue Water Road'

Kehlani has always remained steadfast in their commitment to unpacking the breadth of the kaleidoscopic complexities of love in all of its forms. From "The Letter," which appeared on 2015's You Should Be Here, to "Open (Passionate)," which appeared on 2020's It Was Good Until It Wasn't, love has always found itself to be a central tenet of Kehlani's albums. With Blue Water Road, their third studio album, Kehlani has crafted an album that understands love with a deeper level of gratefulness, reverence, remorse, and bliss. The breezy sun-streaked coasts of California resonate throughout Blue Water Road as Kehlani and their collaborators employ lush string arrangements to transition between poignant electric guitar-backed scenes of reflection. The moody melancholy of While We Wait and It Was Good Until It Wasn't are sure to be missed by Kehlani traditionalists, but Blue Water Road's fearless expansion of Kehlani's core sound results in their most intriguing musical endeavor in years.

"Little Story," a wistful ballad contingent upon desiccant guitar, marks the commencement of Kehlani's journey down Blue Water Road. Complete with echoes of waves and wind, "Little Story" immediately situates the album in a place that intrinsically marries the geographical with the metaphorical. While the song is literally about being with a writer and wrestling with the faulty desire of wanting to remain in their story, it's the contrast of the strings and electric guitar that make this song an early standout. In fact, Pop Wansel's acute knowledge of strings elevates both the musical and thematic importance of the instrument on this album. Wansel has a production credit on every one of Blue Water Road's tracks, and the sense of continuity that his strings bring to the album's breakdown of the confines of celebrity and queer desire is simply gorgeous. On "Shooter (Interlude)," Kehlani gives their take on a bluesy confessional; "Can I borrow some money? Can you call me an Uber? / My mama needs surgery and my son needs a scooter," they croon in a list of outlandish demands and comments people have made to them since they gained their fame. Over the course of the song, their tone shifts from bitterness to exhaustion, expertly underscored by the way the first line of the chorus bleeds into the cascading backing horns. The tenseness of "Shooter" finds some balance later on the album, namely "Tangerine" and "Melt." The former is a lusty ode to the sweetness of cunnilingus, and the latter offers a gushy exaltation of the specific feeling of bleeding into your lover while mid-embrace.

Like any Kehlani project, Blue Water Road achieves some of its success through collaborations. Featuring Justin Bieber, Blxst, Thundercat, Syd, Ambré, and Jessie Reyez, the album shifts through different showcases of surf rock and 90s R&B influences with a little help from Kehlani's friends. The Blxst-assisted "Any Given Sunday" is an instant standout with its oh-so-West Coast bounce and the adorable harmonies on the hook. Also, any song that has Kehlani singing "call me daddy in front of all your bitches in the lobby," is an instant winner. Conversely, "Up At Night," which doubles as a Justin Bieber duet and one of the album's singles, leaves much to be desired. The song has all the elements of a fine track, but it's missing the crucial element of undeniable vocal chemistry. Not only do Kehlani and Bieber not interact as much as they could have, but the whole collaboration also feels very cut-and-paste. There's a distance between their voices that is ultimately unavoidable. Thankfully, every other collaboration on the album provides beautiful pockets of nuance to further round out the project.

Last year "Altar," the album's lead single, arrived at #11 on Black Boy Bulletin's "The 40 Best Songs of 2021" ranking, and the rest of Blue Water Road meets that bar of greatness. The heartwarming gratitude and joy that courses through "Altar" is apparent throughout Blue Water Road. In a way, this is Kehlani's most soulful album; despite one or two duds, they've never sounded more self-assured or more at peace on a record.

Key Tracks: "Little Story" | "Any Given Sunday" | "Melt" | "Shooter (Interlude)" | "Wish I Never"

Score: 78