::ALBUM REVIEW::

It is no secret when describing the rich soulful roots of the Isley Brothers - one of the longest-running charted groups of all time and surely one of the most versatile R&B groups with their wide-acclaim ventures into doo-wop, soul, funk, rock, Quiet Storm and even hip-hop. But the Cincinnati, Ohio group originally started out singing gospel up until 1955 after the tragic bike accident killing group member Vernon Isley. Seems like gospel still has a grip on the group since two of the group’s founding members (Chris Jasper, Rudolph Isley) have moved on from their musical pasts to devote themselves even more to the ministry. Current member and renowned guitarist Ernie Isley is actually a minister of music. So gospel is definitely in the blood. You can trace that easily when listening to songs like “Fight The Power”, “It’s Your Thing” and “Who’s That Lady.”

Def Soul, a division of Def Jam Recordings, recently released two holiday albums in 2007: Patti LaBelle’s Miss Patti’s Christmas and the Isley Brothers’ I’ll Be Home For Christmas. Both projects are produced by the successful production duo Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis and both share a total of ten songs a piece. Strangely, the same layout of artwork and graphic design also embraces both projects. But there’s a big difference between both albums when it comes to album content and in terms of their intended audience. LaBelle’s holiday offering feels more like a gospel/R&B, non-apologetic experience that best describes the “new attitude” of the music legend. On the other hand, the Isleys (Ernie Isley, Ronald Isley - a.k.a. Mr. Biggs) falls on a collection of secular renditions mostly set to cool jazz and complimentary mellow R&B reflecting urban Quiet Storm images. While only two Christian-based holiday songs make the cut, the serious highlights are, of course, the smooth laidback love ballads. Harris/Lewis’ “I’m In Love” is far from just being a standard Christmas carol - even though light-sounding sleigh bells are attached and the timing of the song’s narrative surrounds the holiday season. But it is an enjoyable Isley cut containing gorgeous chunks of Mini Moog and guitar glides; similar to previous Isley hits like “Harvest For The World” and “Work To Do.” Ron Isley’s lead vocals are just as breathtaking and exceptional as his bigger musical performances from the T-Neck era. It’s one of those songs you can easily get away with playing all year ‘round. “What Can I But You?”, another tailor-made Isley original by Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, uses a nice mix of familiar Isley sounds with groove-driven guitar and synths and a love theme consistent to their legend. Not a great holiday song to play around the tree, it is intended to appeal to those who are tired of the generic, same ol’ holiday music. “White Christmas” is totally redone with a cool, slowly paced arrangement and set to a soul-gospel sound. Ernie Isley joins and appears for the only time playing the lead guitar with Jim Wright’s arrangement. What is so delicious about this cut is how retro-feeling the song is set; almost feeling like a leftover acoustic track from their ‘70s work. The Isleys even make a soulful trip to Beale Street with Big Jim Wright’s infectious arrangement of “Santa Claus Is Coming To Town.” The killer Hammond B3 organ work from Wright and Bob Hurst’s upright bass, along with Ron Isley’s animated vocal spunk, makes this one of the better adult versions of the kiddy favorite.

There are a few “spirit-filled” inclusions featured and are done with a great deal of class - highly secured by Jam & Lewis’ productive direction. The six-minute “Isley Christmas Medley” tenderly infuses several favored Christmas carols together including a luscious “The First Noel”, “What Child Is This?” and two worshipful renditions of “Gloria In Excelsis Deo” and “Joy To The World.” It almost feels like a Luther Vandross lover’s arrangement set to a compassionate Al Green vocal. “Silent Night”, the album’s closing selection, pretty much uses the same hypnotic formula used on the majority of the cuts. Smooth jazz guitarist Doc Powell, known for providing his skill on records featuring Judith Christie McAllister, Luther Vandross and Smokie Norful as well as releasing a gospel project in 1999, renders a moving guitar performance with Ron Isley’s silky vocals on their rendition of “The Christmas Song.”

The sound of gospel is one of the key factors of the Isley Brothers’ rich and detailed musical makeup. You can experience that reality by listening to Ron Isley’s easy-breezy falsetto and by exposing the strength that prevails in their musical arrangements. As for content, their expertise is “Baby Makin’ Music” - the right album title used on their 2006 Def Soul album release. To know that the Isley Brothers remain committed, even with Jam & Lewis as executive producers, to their signature trademark style on this holiday record is a brilliant milestone for their modern career. Believe it or not, I’ll Be Home For Christmas is the group’s very first holiday record, so this will surely make a wonderful addition to any Isley fan. Gospel lovers may place some kind of sentimental value or historical relevance on this kind of a project since it’s probably the closest to gospel Ron Isley will be singing. It just doesn’t possess a lot of the gravy most gospel listeners expect from holiday music. But don’t be disappointed: this is clearly what most expect to come from such a project and the end result is a clean, sophisticated R&B record committed to the Isley’s reputation.