26 July 2007
Helping the grammar police with their enquiries here: superstar US electro-R&B producer Timbaland and singer-writer Keri Hilson, plus in the video (below) additional verses by rapper D.O.E. and Timbaland’s brother Sebastian. That’s a whole lot of people not to catch a typo. In fairness, though, that title is smart: it jolts this banal phrase with a jarring oddness to grab your attention. This is a fair summation of Timbaland’s style too. From brilliant Missy Elliott collabs to deluxe fare for Justin Timberlake and Nelly Furtado, his records always have enough idiosyncrasies to make them dependably attractive and interesting.
‘The Way I Are’ is especially good. Lyrically it’s quite witty and subversive: he’s an R&B guy who’s actually broke; she’s an R&B lady who tells him to strip for her. Okay, Timbaland may not be the most engaging singer or rapper, but Hilson gets to lavish her sweet vocals on some sumptuous vocal hooks. And Timbaland’s trademark glittering and squelchy production is several cuts above the average US floor-filler. Some pop consumers may find this sort of thing over-produced for their palate, but to me ‘The Way I Are’ is an intriguing track whose expert performers and state-of-the-art soundscape electrify it to banger-belter-bop status, just the way I likes.
