yeah, no.
loved Arular, listened to it a hundred times easily. full of hooks and attitude, lots of energy, very original to my ears. This album feels like outtakes, or an imitator. I guess she believed the hype and lost her scruffiness. Don't believe me, listen to the samples here. The Timbaland track is ok, but I'm not going to play it again. the rest of it, totally forgettable.

M.I.A.- Kala
This album is solid and is unique because there is not a particular style that the songs follow but each song is good.

4 1/2 Stars Is About Right For The Wild Style That Is M.I.A
M.I.A is a very interesting artist and she is a good example for the word cause she truly has an artistic spirit. I never heard her first release but heard some singles off it. Sadly for me those singles weren't that strong to take a chance and buy it. With Kala I swear to you that it will be a very different experience than you have had with your normal genre. She is incredibly cool and has the nicest beat flow I have heard in a while.

First to get started she did a great job with her production. I heard Bird Flu and Boyz a lot a year ago and loved them. I had no idea that Paper Planes was on the same album. I had to have this after finding this out. After you figure out just exactly what she is saying, you start to enjoy her lyrics as well. Honestly I am still having trouble figuring out what she says on some other tracks. The hot thing is that she never loses the beat and never loses her rhythm. She stays on the beat on ever track. She has an amazing talent in producing cause these beats are hot.

I love that she brings out not only her culture but some others in these instruments and songs. She is progressing into a really good artist and I hope that she keeps doing what she's doing. Hey, she is good enough that Kanye has sampled her voice right? I definitely give Kala about a 4 1/2, I hate the song jimmy and that's really it. I think that she could have made a much better track than that one but overall this is a great album.

~*~Get this album!!~*~
M.I.A. rocks it on Kala. She teamed up w/Timbaland for this album. The beats make you want to get up and shake it. This music helps me unwind from a stressful day of work. I also recommend it for when you are running on your treadmill. The beats are unlike anything America has ever heard. She represents for us Indian girls! She raps about current events and politics. I especially love "Paper Planes" and "Come Around". Her music speaks to you. Check it out. You won't be sorry!!
:)

This rating is subject to change at any time, for any reason...
I'm intrigued. I have put myself into the position of responsibility to purchase a wide range of music that I might not otherwise be familiar with, and Kala is just such a purchase.

Quite honestly, I love her accent, and I love her quirky sense of style and artistic chaos. And that translates to the music. The irony being that the music is so "happy" and up-beat, and contrary to the opinion of another (obviously rhythmically challenged) reviewer, it is incredibly dance-able. In fact, if you do not move, then you either detest the music, or you have no sense of rhythm.

From the perspective of a musician and a bit of a "purist", the concept of sampling is a turn-off to me. However, when looking at the genius of such artists as John Cage (love him or hate him, he was groundbreaking, and the real father of techno-beats) and other such innovators, I can appreciate someone who can take a wide range of sounds and styles and incorporate them all into one place (this album). Of course, it is a bit chaotic, but I think that's exactly what M.I.A. had in mind (have you SEEN her wardrobe?). She wants you to think. She doesn't care if you like it or not, she is more interested in getting a reaction... mission accomplished.

The Timbland track was just a marketing trick to get more exposure... genius, sweetie! She put it at the end, so it has no real affect on the overall feeling of the album, and still the name of the US artist will bring more people to her music.

Despite the concern that she was unable to spend time in the US working on this album, I think that was actually one of the best things that happened to her in this case. Had she come here, the sound would have been diluted and made entirely too common. Instead, we have originality.

No bones about it, girl can't sing. But she's not marketing herself as a singer, but as a musical artist. She is able to create tracks using the tools available, and not being a musician to speak of, she simply takes existing sounds and arranges them into a tapestry of sound that is jarring, pleasant, irritating and endearing all at the same time!

This is a study in sound variations. Good job!