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Her adventurous and, yes, massive, persona is allowed to wander wherever it wants on The Cookbook, be it avant or common.
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It's vital beginning to end--vital even when it's misguided.
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While other albums may have been more groundbreaking, none have been as excitable or infectious.
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The Cookbook is a convincing return to form.
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The New York Times"The Cookbook" plays like a party mix tape. [4 Jul 2005]
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Proves incontrovertibly that she doesn't need Timbaland's beat mastery to create a compelling album.
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This is one helluva party LP.
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Q MagazineIf not Elliott's most inventive album, The Cookbook is certainly her most colourful and entertaining. [Aug 2005, p.124]
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Despite the absence of Timbo, Elliott continues to do what she does best: cross-fertilizing genres, geographies and temporalities and continuing to transform her musical identity without sacrificing any authenticity.
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What's different here is how relaxed Elliott is, how willing she seems to simply go with what comes naturally and sounds best.
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While not as strong as some of her earlier albums, it does rectify the mistakes found on "This is Not a Test" and show that far from stagnating Missy is growing as an artist both in front of and behind the mixing board.
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Six albums in, Missy's recipe for success is still pretty fresh.
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The Cookbook leaves the exact same impression on its listener as every Missy album since Supa Dupa Fly. She may have changed the recipe, but the dish tastes the same.
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Though it could use some portion control, "The Cookbook" still whips up a tasty meal.
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The results of this musical promiscuity are mixed, but The Cookbook yields far more bangers than bombs.
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The pages of this cookbook are a primer on how Missy let her head get fat.
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Like an untethered spouse suddenly separated from a longtime love, Elliott seems a bit lost somewhere between her intimidating past and her newfound independence.
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SpinBehind all the ridonkulous disses and boasts, Missy sounds a bit unsure of herself. [Jul 2005, p.97]
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An over-baked confection that falls well below its primary chef’s abilities.
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Los Angeles TimesLacks the usual innovative spice. [10 Jul 2005]
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While not every cut is a winner, Elliott does a fairly consistent job of gaining the listener's attention through her outrageous lyrics and performance style.
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Elliott's least cohesive, most conventional album yet.
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UncutThe production lacks [Timbaland's] invention and intricacy. [Aug 2005, p.87]
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VibeWhile a few of these efforts fail in the funk department, the album never sounds derivative. [Sep 2005, p.230]
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BlenderFor every killer raise-your-hands hook there is a snoozer of an SWV-esque torch ballad, and she can't seem to tell the difference. [Jul 2005, p.116]
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You'd probably want Missy to wash her hands before she got anywhere near a real kitchen if this album is anything to go by. The perv.
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This is very much a fans only album, much like Missy's other efforts.
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Entertainment WeeklyWhile Elliott's lyrics have always been racy, this disc's uninspired musical foundation makes repellent lines... vulgar rather than playfully profane. [8 Jul 2005, p.66]
User score distribution:
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Positive: 31 out of 35
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Mixed: 2 out of 35
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Negative: 2 out of 35
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Oct 24, 2017
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Mar 1, 2016
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Nov 9, 2014