For five decades, nuance has been the name of Ronald Isley's game. There it is, flowing in a warm, sexed-up cascade through "That Lady," and there it is again, reeking of need, longing, and romance on "For the Love of You." So why he allowed this long-awaited follow-up to "Body Kiss," the 2003 disc that proved the Isleys have still got it, to be titled so cheesily...
Read moreFor five decades, nuance has been the name of Ronald Isley's game. There it is, flowing in a warm, sexed-up cascade through "That Lady," and there it is again, reeking of need, longing, and romance on "For the Love of You." So why he allowed this long-awaited follow-up to "Body Kiss," the 2003 disc that proved the Isleys have still got it, to be titled so cheesily is anybody's guess. But in the end it doesn't matter. At 65, Mr. Biggs' legendary voice is amazingly well preserved, and even when he's tackling a song that could get him kicked out of church--the baldly libidinous "Show Me" or the downright lecherous "Give It to You," say--he works it with such genuine emotion that even those for whom baby makin' is a long lost pursuit will want to croon woozily, wistfully along. It wouldn't be a 2006 disc, of course, if there weren't a long list of collaborators to name-check, but here the all-star assemblage actually adds up to something. R. Kelly doesn't make "Blast Off" blast off so much as sail, and between Jermaine Dupri and Tim and Bob (the team behind Bobby Valentino), velvet-vibed sparks fly off of every track. Should a 2007 baby boom hit the record books, you know who to blame. --Tammy La Gorce
Brand: DEF SOUL CLASSICS
