Akon has reached a crossroads that bedevils most
superstars at this point in their careers. Now three albums deep with over 100
guest appearances since his 2004 smash debut, the Senegalese singer has the
options of continuing the formulaic yet massively successful sound that’s made
him a star, or taking a huge gamble and redefining his art through trial and
error experimentation. Instead of choosing, Akon blends both philosophies on
his third studio album Freedom,
(Konvict Muzik/Universal Motown) an uneven but ambitious mixture of Hip-Hop,
Europop, and R&B.
One of 2008’s biggest trends has been
American artists incorporating international music rhythms into their art.
Akon’s Wolof Senegalese heritage gives him an air
of legitimacy over his peers, but that distinction doesn’t translate to results
on the beginning mid-tempo tracks “Right Now (Na Na Na),” “Beautiful” or “Keep
You Much Longer.” The melodies are straight out of Europe’s synth-heavy dance
scene and Akon’s limited vocal abilities aren’t enough to elevate the
simplistic production.
The work behind the boards becomes
more inspired on “Trouble Maker.” Here, the use
of background vocals and thumping bass fill out the song and negates the
hollow, skeletal feel of the previous three. Akon is in his element, weaving
his lyrics around his allure to women, partly due to his alleged street
background.
The singer starts to build consistent
momentum over the LP’s second half as the album shifts to the familiar Hip-Hop
tracks (“I’m So Paid”) that have become Akon’s trademark. Akon protégé T-Pain brings his off-color humor to “Holla Holla,”
championing groupies to explore the benefits of lesbianism. On “Sunny Day,”
Wyclef’s strong backing vocals provide a good contrast as Akon reflects on the
rise from his criminal past to a position of personal peace. The production
here allows the conversational element of Akon’s delivery to shine without
being drowned out by overproduced arrangements.
Akon gives a nod to the mawkish power
ballads of the ‘80s with “Over the Edge.” The throwback melodies combined with
Akon’s airy timbre proves highly effective in illuminating the desperation of
love lost detailed in the lyrics. On the appropriate album closer “Freedom,”
the star turns his attention to mother Africa and the triumph of the human
spirit against adversity.
After a shaky start, Akon’s redeems Freedom over the second half with his
signature Hip-Hop collaborations and a better handle on using Europop rhythms.
Akon’s experiments on this album are not home runs, but they’ll serve well in
the singer’s continuing maturation process.
