song that "float[s] over a futuristic soul arrangement with poetic platitudes". Release and promotion The album's artwork was designed by Leif Podhajsky. On April 7, 2014, Food (Amazon Artist Lounge EP) was released to download from Amazon for free. It contains live versions of "Rumble", "Biscuits n' Gravy" and "Bless the Telephone" performed and recorded at Metropolis Studios. On March 4, 2014, Kelis performed the entire album live for music critics at Metropolis Studios in London. The mini-concert received critical acclaim. To further promote the album, Kelis cooked and served free gourmet meals from her food truck to the attendees at the South by Southwest festival in Austin, Texas, on March 13 and 14, 2014. The menu included jerk ribs with jerk barbecue sauce, duck confit sliders with ginger sesame glaze, shredded beef sliders with cherry barbecue sauce, and coleslaw. "Jerk Ribs" was released on February 14, 2014, as the first single from the album. The track was made available as a free download from Kelis' official website starting April 2013. The music video for the single premiered on the Time website on February 18, 2014. "Rumble" was released as the album's second single on April 11, 2014. A few months after the album's release, in early June, it was announced that "Friday Fish Fry" would be released as the third single from the album on July 14. Critical reception The album received mostly positive reviews from critics. Ben Hewitt's review for Digital Spy gave the album four out of five stars, concluding that it was "the most inventive dish she has served". In his review, Hewitt said "If music be the food of love, then the music of Food is a scoffer's indulgent delight". He also praised Sitek's rich electronic productions, that combined "earthy guitars" and "classy brass". The Independents Andy Gill concluded that Kelis sounded more comfortable on Food than she did on previous album, Flesh Tone. He remarked, "Kelis now washes up at Ninja Tune with an album more in tune with her natural strengths which blend rolling funk grooves with punchy horn riffs." Fiona Shepherd, in writing for The Scotsman said, "It has been said that Food is not an R&B album. Maybe not as we understand the label now. But, like Janelle Monáe, Kelis harks back to old school rhythm'n'blues without playing the retro card and serves up some fine soul food instead." Clashs Will