Talk a Good Game is the fourth studio album by American recording artist Kelly Rowland. Formerly titled Year of the Woman, the album was released on June 14, 2013 through Universal Republic and its affiliated record labels. Incorporating a base core of R&B and pop music, Talk a Good Game was influenced by the likes of Whitney Houston, Marvin Gaye and Stevie Wonder amongst other of Rowland's idols. Rowland wanted the album to be a celebration of womanhood and referred to the record as her most personal album to date. On the album, she co-wrote all but one song, "Freak", a cover of the same 2010 song by entertainer Jamie Foxx from his fourth studio album Best Night of My Life. A deluxe edition, and Target-exclusive edition of the album featuring bonus tracks, was released simultaneously alongside the twelve-track standard edition.
Rowland called upon the likes of The Runners, The-Dream, Harmony Samuels, Mike Will Made It and Pharrell Williams as well as others, to handle production for the album. In total she recorded 70 songs for the album. Amongst those included are collaborations with Wiz Khalifa, Kevin Cossom and Pusha T, in addition to her former bandmates Beyoncé Knowles and Michelle Williams who feature on the song "You Changed". Occasionally the album dips into other genres such adult contemporary music, funk and dance music.
Talk a Good Game was promoted with live renditions of the album's songs during the Lights Out Tour, a co-headline concert tour between Rowland and The-Dream. The album was also preceded by the release of the lead single, a Mike Will Made It and Marz production called "Kisses Down Low" which peaked in the top-thirty of the US Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. A second single, The-Dream-produced "Dirty Laundry", was released a month before the album and documents Rowland's initial jealousy of the success Knowles' attained in her solo career following the release of her debut album Dangerously in Love. The song also talks about the domestic abuse that Rowland suffered during a previous relationship.
Upon its release, music critics commended the album's cohesive sound and themes throughout, often noting Rowland's most personal and vulnerable lyrics as well as the strength of her vocals. Talk a Good Game debuted at number four on the US Billboard 200 selling 68,000 copies in its opening week, becoming Rowland's third top ten album. The album also debuted at number four on the US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums failing to match Rowland's previous album Here I Am (2011) which peaked at number one.
Tracklist:
01 Freak
02 Kisses Down Low
03 Gone (feat. Wiz Khalifa)
04 Talk a Good Game (feat. Kevin Cos
05 Down On Love
06 Dirty Laundry
07 You Changed (feat. Beyoncé & Mich
08 I Remember
09 Red Wine
10 This Is Love
11 Street Life (feat. Pusha T)
12 Stand In Front of Me
13 Sky Walker (feat. The Dream)
14 Put Your Name On It
15 #1
