Kelis offers a soulful collection of horn-accompanied retro R&B that’s conceptually united by her gastronomic passion. At a glance, the conceit might seem a bit tongue-in-cheek (particularly since her breakthrough came with 2003’s ultra-sassy “Milkshake”), but neither the music nor the inspiration for Food can be taken lightly: as a sideline to her singing career, the vocalist became a Le Cordon Bleu-trained saucier. When she digs in to smoldering downtempo tracks like “Floyd” or “Runnin’”—delivering coy lines like “I know that I don’t look it but I can cook” in her husky alto—Food’s insinuations and double entendres are at once playful and deeply satisfying. The success of the concept is also due in part to TV on the Radio's Dave Sitek, who’s production flourishes nod to Stax icons on heavy-hitting tunes like “Hooch” and “Rumble.”