Intimacy

Kem | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (August 17, 2010)
• Original Release Date: 2010
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Motown / Pgd
• ASIN: B003L7JV7C
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (149 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #303 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #2 in Music > R&B > Motown
  • #20 in Music > R&B > Soul > General AAS

Editorial Reviews

About the Artist

Intimacy was inspired by KEM's deeply personal lessons on intimacy and it will allow fans to experience him unlike ever before musically, lyrically, and visually. For the first time in his career, KEM will lay all of his cards on the table and grant fans the opportunity to get up close and personal while delivering a 10-song collection of timeless music for the grown and sexy.

Intimacy features vocal and production collaborations with the likes of Grammy-winning soul diva Jill Scott and the late Motown legend David J. Van dePitt, who famously produced Marvin Gaye's 1971 masterpiece, What's Going On. Scott delivers enchanting verses of spoken word in "Golden Days," while Van dePitt arranged the Detroit Symphony Orchestra's string section on the first single, a gorgeous ballad called "Why Would You Stay." Los Angeles producer Rex Rideout (Luther Vandross, Angie Stone) also joined KEM in the studio to help round out the Intimacy listening experience. The result is a richer sound buttressed by classical instruments and a greater range of musical styles that will certainly expand KEM's audience by garnering success across multiple formats, including pop, R&B, and urban adult contemporary.

The first online video to be released offers a revealing behind the scenes look of the making of a promotional commercial for the new album that was filmed at the MGM Grand in Detroit. The second clip will be the actual promotional commercial, which depicts a night in the life of KEM, partying with friends at Detroit's MGM Grand and breaking out in an impromptu performance at the club. It serves as a formal introduction of the new album and KEM's understanding of intimacy. "The moment you realize you're not alone is your finest hour," he says at the start of the commercial. "When you can finally allow yourself to be seen as you truly are--that's what intimacy is to me."

Smooth grooves, powerful vocals, heartfelt lyrics, and just plain feel-good music best describe KEM's instantly recognizable sound. In 2002, the self-taught musician wrote and produced his critically acclaimed debut solo album, Kemistry, which spawned the hit single "Love Calls." The classic track went on to break records for longevity on the Urban A/C chart while the disc achieved gold-plus status and solidified KEM's position as a leading man in the world of jazz-influenced R&B music. The success of his gold certified follow-up CD, 2005's KEM Album II--which debuted at an impressive No. 5 on Billboard's all-important Top 200 Chart--proved KEM's staying power in the very competitive world of R&B.

Now with the release of Intimacy, KEM is opening up to reveal the elusive man behind the voice. In fact, working on this project not only led KEM, a proud father of two daughters who self-produced his first two albums, to a deeper understanding of the true meaning of intimacy, but it also helped him achieve a greater appreciation for the significance of intimacy in all aspects of his life beyond romantic relationships. "I've spent the past five years working on this project in the midst of many personal trials, which caused me to pause and take a more introspective look at myself, my family relationships, my walk with God, and even how I relate to my music," said KEM. "What I found was that giving each more time and attention is essential."

Product Description

Intimacy was inspired by KEM's deeply personal lessons on intimacy and it will allow fans to experience him unlike ever before musically, lyrically, and visually. For the first time in his career, KEM will lay all of his cards on the table and grant fans the opportunity to get up close and personal while delivering a 10-song collection of timeless music for the grown and sexy.

Intimacy features vocal and production collaborations with the likes of Grammy-winning soul diva Jill Scott and the late Motown legend David J. Van dePitt, who famously produced Marvin Gaye's 1971 masterpiece, What's Going On. Scott delivers enchanting verses of spoken word in "Golden Days," while Van dePitt arranged the Detroit Symphony Orchestra's string section on the first single, a gorgeous ballad called "Why Would You Stay." Los Angeles producer Rex Rideout (Luther Vandross, Angie Stone) also joined KEM in the studio to help round out the Intimacy listening experience. The result is a richer sound buttressed by classical instruments and a greater range of musical styles that will certainly expand KEM's audience by garnering success across multiple formats, including pop, R&B, and urban adult contemporary.

The first online video to be released offers a revealing behind the scenes look of the making of a promotional commercial for the new album that was filmed at the MGM Grand in Detroit. The second clip will be the actual promotional commercial, which depicts a night in the life of KEM, partying with friends at Detroit's MGM Grand and breaking out in an impromptu performance at the club. It serves as a formal introduction of the new album and KEM's understanding of intimacy. "The moment you realize you're not alone is your finest hour," he says at the start of the commercial. "When you can finally allow yourself to be seen as you truly are--that's what intimacy is to me."

Smooth grooves, powerful vocals, heartfelt lyrics, and just plain feel-good music best describe KEM's instantly recognizable sound. In 2002, the self-taught musician wrote and produced his critically acclaimed debut solo album, Kemistry, which spawned the hit single "Love Calls." The classic track went on to break records for longevity on the Urban A/C chart while the disc achieved gold-plus status and solidified KEM's position as a leading man in the world of jazz-influenced R&B music. The success of his gold certified follow-up CD, 2005's KEM Album II--which debuted at an impressive No. 5 on Billboard's all-important Top 200 Chart--proved KEM's staying power in the very competitive world of R&B.

Now with the release of Intimacy, KEM is opening up to reveal the elusive man behind the voice. In fact, working on this project not only led KEM, a proud father of two daughters who self-produced his first two albums, to a deeper understanding of the true meaning of intimacy, but it also helped him achieve a greater appreciation for the significance of intimacy in all aspects of his life beyond romantic relationships. "I've spent the past five years working on this project in the midst of many personal trials, which caused me to pause and take a more introspective look at myself, my family relationships, my walk with God, and even how I relate to my music," said KEM. "What I found was that giving each more time and attention is essential."

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

36 of 37 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Winning Fusion of Old-School R&B and Contemporary Jazz, August 17, 2010

By 

Rudy Palma "The Writing Fiend" (NJ) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Intimacy (Audio CD)

Kem's "Intimacy: Album III" is filled with satisfying, soul-drenched warm-bath ballads that will please his fan base. The result is a winning fusion of of old-school R&B and contemporary jazz.

He uses his expressive, intimate voice with great intelligence. He is capable of eliciting drama where his contemporaries tend to overdo or undersell. His limitations as a producer and song writer are therefore minimized.

The ethereal, distant quality of his earlier material has given way to something more straightforward and sensual, making the album incidentally more palatable.

"When I'm Loving You" is a fine example with its lush, tropical atmosphere, complete with acoustic guitar tropical and ear-pleasing drum patter. Comparisons to Sade are inevitable. "Can You Feel It" and "Human Touch" continue the pattern, with Kem's voice riding the waves of his busy, seductive melodies.

These songs are built less upon radio-ready hooks and more on grooves, texture and the sincerity of Kem's delivery. That said, the cliched yet well-crafted lead single "Why Would You Stay?" has done well on the airwaves, hitting the top 20 of Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop songs chart. Its overtly romantic quality and distinctly 90s-sounding production reminds of Boyz II Men. "You're On My Mind" follows suit.

Jill Scott adds a shot of caffeine to the gospel-infused "Golden Days" with her inspired preaching, and Maurissa Rose complements Kem beautifully on the inspired "If It's Love," another R&B slow-burn and potential hit. The best track is "A Mother's Love" with its piano-driven, double-edged melody. It's as beautiful as its title.

Sessions for the album took place over a three-year span - this music was clearly and carefully labored over. There are other artists with similar voices and songwriting ability, but "Intimacy: Album III" shows Kem to be a dedicated, passionate musician deserving of his place on the shelf.

28 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Superb Album, August 17, 2010

By 

Michael Brent Faulkner, Jr. "Brent Faulkner" (Kentucky) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Intimacy (Audio CD)

It is hard out there for the 'true' R&B singer. Kem is one of those classic R&B singers who doesn't aspire to conform to the contemporary R&B ala 2010. 2005's Album II clearly showed the singer as almost and anachronism as opposed to a current, relevant artist. Make your stabs at Kem "being out of touch", but one can hardly call two gold (almost platinum) albums as "out of touch." On the exceptional Intimacy, Kem's first effort in five years, he only tinkers with the formula, yet somehow, the subtlest changes make 'Intimacy' Kem's finest effort in my opinion. Vocally, Kem seems to have evolved. While still showcasing his restrained falsetto-laden vocals, he actually belts (not unhealthily for you classically trained vocalists) and that timbre of his voice is exceptional.

The album opens with the somewhat sleepy, but sensual and enjoyable "When I'm Loving You." "When I'm Loving You" sounds no different from any material from Kem's two previous albums, but that's not so bad in todays 'contemporary R&B' climate. Anything Kem does will stand out because he doesn't conform, which is positive. "Can You Feel It" may be lengthy pushing the 6:00 mark, but it is one of the albums clear stand outs. A solid old-school adult contemporary groove, full of soulful guitar and electric piano, makes this track more exciting and more effective than "When I'm Loving You." It is a nice change to find Kem pushing himself vocally and stylistically just the slightest bit here. My favorite part is when his vocals grow 'full in body', almost emulating the sensual message of "When I'm Loving You."

"Love Never Fails" is a lovely ballad, sounding as if it could have just as easily graced a Freddie Jackson or Johnny Gill album. Kem intelligently never adds any drums, which reminds me of what traditional R&B artists like John Legend ("Ordinary People" from Get Lifted) and Chrisette Michele ("Love Is You" from I Am) have been so successful. It does grow the slightest bit sleepy, but when Kem changes the tone of his voice towards the end, you feel that the climax of the song has been achieved very successfully. "Share My Life" proves to be another beautiful track, in line with Kem's "Intimacy" theme. As always, while Kem barely breaks a sweat vocally, he does just enough and the subtlety is much appreciated.

"Human Touch" plays on Kem's jazz-influenced R&B (much like Brian McKnight). While the production plays on the simple groove that is "in the pocket," the simplicity comes over as quite the minute songwriting and arranging on Kem's part. Again, "Human Touch" maybe one of the sleepier numbers, but I personally love it. The greatest line might just be "don't you want to spoon... in a garden of pillows." Kem ignites the flame with two straight five-star performances via "If It's Love" and "Why Would You Stay?." "If It's Love" is classic soul at its best. The production still clones the simplistic, stripped production work that has come to characterize Kem albums, however with just the slightest tweaks and cosmetic alterations from previous Kem albums, it sounds just that much better and more overt. Kem's duet partner just adds the icing on the cake, creating a grand chemistry between the two vocalists. Kem's first single, "Why Would You Stay?" is one of the best adult-contemporary songs I've heard since... hmm "I Can't Stop Loving You" from Kem's last album. Perfect in every way, "Why Would You Stay" is simply marvelous. Period.

"A Mother's Love," reduces the energy of "If It's Love" and "Why Would You Stay." Sure it is somewhat sleepy (though atmospheric and beautiful), but with the stripped production, the lyrics become that much more depth-filled and meaningful, so I must give kudos to Kem's judgement, tender vocal performance, and 'telling' songwriting. The piano performance isn't too shabby either... but maybe as a pianist that's my natural musicianship coming out. Smartly, Kem adds a groove to the mix which allows him to ad lib and stretch himself vocally. "You're On My Mind" smartly hikes up the tempo, adding Maxwell-ish horns to the mix and soulful guitar riffs that where notably absent from "A Mother's Love." "You're On My Mind" additionally does a good job of allowing Kem to stretch out vocally, more so than on previous albums. The Jill Scott feature "Golden Days" closes the brief set with a bang - it is unlike anything Kem has ever produced before. Vocally, Kem's style is perfected on this cut (great nuances), with clear jazz undertones, not unlike something that Bobby McFerrin might do. And let's not underwrite Jill Scott's spoken word guest spot ;).

Essentially, while 'Intimacy' doesn't reinvent anything, it is easily Kem's most polished and exciting album in my mind. The sensual factor is heightened here which helps to rid of Kem's 'wedding singer' image. Sure, you can still see him singing for the bride and groom, but this album helps to establish Kem's personality as a singer/songwriter just slightly more than either 'Kemistry' or 'Album II.' 4 stars; Highly recommended.

24 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Kem - Intimacy, August 17, 2010

By 

Denanation - See all my reviews

This review is from: Intimacy (Audio CD)

Target opened at 8AM, I got there at 8:30 and got the last copy.............need I say more.