Album Details

• Artist: Miguel
• Album: Kaleidoscope Dream
• Label: RCA Records
• Year of Release: 2012
• ME Rating:
• Reviewed by: carlita on 2012-09-27

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70's Beatles Psychedelic Rock. Funk. David Bowie New Wave. 80's Prince R&B. EDM.  How many artists can you name that cut across that many genres in one sitting? Not many. I found such an artist, Miguel, during his Mischief underground mixtape days, way before mainstream media knew who he was. Bedeviling ears all year, Miguel's released sonic snippets in tantalizing segments that graffiti-tagged canvases and elevated artistry, starting a dialogue/debate about art; how far one can go before becoming offensive, which was exciting yet uncomfortable at times.

Deploying the same sly strategy (to send his music "out in courses like a chef would") for his sophomore album, "Kaleidoscope Dream", (although it feels like his fifth or sixth), he dropped the album in previews every few weeks, causing an explosion on his FB and Twitter each time the early adopters identified their new favorite song or lyric.  Pegged as a trend-setting rebel and savior for the R&B genre, as they say "with that position (wanted or not) comes great responsibility"; would these songs place the listener in a trance-like state, getting a kaleidoscope multi-colored glimpse into Miguel's creative and breakout rockstar life?

Adding updated versions of songs folks might recognize from his Art Dealer Chic EPs like his #1 single "Adorn", "Arch Point" and his Marvin Gaye "What's Going On" opus, "Candles in the Sun", he tells his generation the party and sexual exploration afterward is fun but corruption, violence and human decency deserve attention too. Again reviving the polarizing (you'll appreciate the honesty and freedom of speech or be disgusted and offended) effect of controversial art with lyrics like "Do you like drugs?..Yeah? Me too" and "Tell me that your p-sy is mine" on ska-tinged "Do You" and "P---y Is Mine" respectively, there will be those that will come out swinging about these songs when the album hit stores and online on October 2nd.

Revealing glimpses of a sensitive romantic on "Adorn", he might not be quite ready for the white picket fence, the 2.5 kids and the soccer minivan as he alludes to lust and future "quickies" on "How Many Drinks", "Use Me" (had this on repeat as soon as I heard it) and the Alicia Keys collabo "Where's the Fun in Forever".  Miguel destroyed the R&B box folks put him in after his debut and created a rainbow musical multi-genre rhombus, avoiding any talk of a sophomore slump instead. When this album drops, "the thrill" will be back. No doubt.

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