Between the camo, midriff tops, and R&B slow jams, Keke Palmer’s new visual album Lauren is as ’90s as you can get while still calling to mind Rihanna. Debuting yesterday on Billboard, the 15-minute EP, which takes its title from Palmer’s birth name, serves up bops like “Got Me F–ked Up†and “Hands Free,†while showcasing Palmer’s voice on ballads like “Doubtful†and “Pressure.†So why did Palmer decide to release a visual EP? Of course, Beyoncé’s Lemonade and Frank Ocean’s Endless set the visual album as a new creative standard, but more important, you just can’t get the full effect of a puppet sidekick on a regular album. A regular album can’t do a puppet justice.
