Before I Speak is the debut album from Canadian singer/songwriter Kyle Riabko

Kyle Riabko

Kyle Riabko is a Canadian pop singer, guitarist, and actor who was born in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. He resides in New York City....

. The album infuses R&B style with elements of funk, soul, and intense staring.

The album was released just a few months prior to Riabko's high school graduation. Each song on the album was written by Riabko. Riabko played guitar

Guitar

The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...

 and bass

Bass guitar

The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....

 for the recording along with backing from former Prince

Prince (musician)

Prince Rogers Nelson , often known simply as Prince, is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. Prince has produced ten platinum albums and thirty Top 40 singles during his career. Prince founded his own recording studio and label; writing, self-producing and playing most, or all, of...

 drummer Michael Bland

Michael Bland

Michael Bland is best known as a drummer for Prince starting in 1989. He was with Prince during The New Power Generation era and played with him live and on albums for 7 years....

 and former Grapes of Wrath keyboardist Vince Jones

Vince Jones

Vince Jones is an Australian jazz artist. He is a singer, songwriter, and trumpet/flugelhorn player. His music includes both original music and new contemporary versions of jazz standards. His themes are often love, inequity, injustice, peace and anti-greed.He attributes his love of jazz to...

. Both Liz Phair

Liz Phair

Phair's entry into the music industry began when she met guitarist Chris Brokaw, a member of the band Come. Brokaw and Phair moved to San Francisco together, and Phair tried to become an artist there...

 and Robert Randolph appear on the album contributing guest vocals. The album was co-produced by Riabko with Matt Wallace and Chris Burke-Gaffney

Chris Burke-Gaffney

Chris Burke-Gaffney is an Canadian songwriter, producer, and artist manager. Burke-Gaffney also oversees the day-to-day operation of CBG Artist Development and Vatikan Records.-History:...

-- who acts as Riabko's manager.

Most of the album's recording took place at Sound City in Los Angeles. The tracks "Before I Speak" and "Doesn't Get Much Better" were recorded in Riabko's bedroom at his parent's home just prior to the completion of the album. Three singles were released from the album including, "Carry On," "Do You Right," and "What Did I Get Myself Into."

Track listing

1. "Learn To Speak" (Intro)
2. "Do You Right"
3. "What Did I Get Myself Into"
4. "Half As Much"
5. "Miss Behavin’"
6. "Carry On"
7. "Chemistry Blues"(Interlude)
8. "Before I Speak"
9. "Waiting"
10. "Paranoid"
11. "Teach Me"
12. "Chemistry
13. "Doesn’t Get Much Better"
14. "Until Next Time" (Outro)
15. "Good Time"
16. "Devil" (Hidden Track)

External links

• Review of "Before I Speak"