Love Always Wins

by Kem

Overview

Never one to rush out new material, and established enough to remain untroubled by the possibility of diminishing relevance, Kem took a few years off after he released Promise to Love in 2014. Still with Motown, he returns with a reliably mellow, romantic, and gently uplifting album that embraces his role in adult contemporary R&B and at the same time more openly displays his inspirations and stretches out. The singer switches it up a little by working closely with Derek "DOA" Allen, a veteran musician and fellow songwriter/producer whose mark has been left on albums by contemporaries such as Tyrese, Angie Stone, and Joe, as well as Brian Culbertson, whose lively piano supports "Lonely." As a consequence, Love Always Wins is more scuffed and groove-oriented than any previous Kem album. Whether Kem is testifying with a gospel choir in "Love," bobbing his head as he does his best Marvin Gaye falsetto on "Love," or crooning over acoustic and pedal steel guitars and a twitchy Timbaland-like rhythm for "Not Before You," nothing sounds truly out of character. Given the social climate and Kem's life experience, it's no surprise that his message songs and love ballads carry more currency than ever. Best of all is "Lie to Me," a breezy, feel-good number that unmistakably evokes mid-'70s Earth, Wind & Fire (with writing help from an all-star team of Salaam Remi, Anthony Hamilton, and James Poyser). Just beneath it are "Live Out Your Love," another Marvin-inspired moment (more in the I Want You mode), and the gospel blues title track. Bonus alternate versions of those two songs appear at the end and respectively add Toni Braxton and Erica Campbell, co-stars as considered as any other artistic choice made here. ~ Andy Kellman

Product Details

Release Date:	08/28/2020
Label:	Motown
UPC:	0602507487249

Tracks

1. Not Before You
2. Lonely
3. With You in My Life
4. Love
5. Praise
6. Lie to Me
7. Live Out Your Love
8. Love Always Wins
9. Friend Today
10. Can't Stop Giving Love
11. Live Out Your Love
12. Love Always Wins

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Kem   Primary Artist,Lead,Vocals,Keyboards,Fender Rhodes,Vocals (Background)
Brian Culbertson   Primary Artist,Piano,Featured Artist
Wiz Khalifa   Primary Artist,Rap
Toni Braxton   Primary Artist,Lead,Featured Artist,Vocals (Background)
Erica Campbell   Primary Artist,Lead,Featured Artist,Vocals (Background)
Deter Allen   Strings,Keyboards,Synthesizer,Guitar (Bass),Synthesizer Bass,Guitar
Steve Baxter   Horn
Derek Allen   Guitar,Strings,Keyboards,Synthesizer,Guitar (Bass),Synthesizer Bass
Randy Bowland   Guitar
Rayfield "Ray Ray" Holloman   Guitar,Guitar (Steel)
Michael Ripoll   Guitar
Mike Hunter   Horn
Paul Riser   Strings
Al Turner   Guitar (Bass)
Andre Delano   Horn,Flute
Dave Jackson   Organ,Organ (Hammond)
Herschel Boone   Vocals,Vocals (Background)
Selected of God   Choir/Chorus
Mike "Big Mike" Hart Jr.   Guitar
Terena Boone   Vocals,Vocals (Background)

Technical Credits

Deter Allen   Producer,Drum Programming,Horn Arrangements,String Programming
Neil Wilkinson   Composer
Paul Boutin   Recording,Engineer
Kem   Producer
Chris Gehringer   Mastering,Mastering Engineer
Eric Morgeson   Engineer,Recording
James Poyser   Composer
Derek Allen   Producer,Drum Programming,String Arrangements
Salaam Remi   Composer
Ray Bardani   Mixing
Michael Ripoll   Producer
Eric Hudson   Producer,Remix Engineer,Musical Producer
Anthony Hamilton   Composer
Brenda Russell   Composer
Danny Duncan   Engineer,String Engineer
Troy Taylor   Producer,Remix Engineer,Musical Producer
Paul Riser   String Arrangements
David Ritz   Composer
Toni Braxton   Composer
Andre Delano   Horn Arrangements
Kim Owens   Composer
Tip Wyman   Assistant,Mixing Assistant
Steve Cook   A&R
Lisa Smith Craig   A&R
Colin Leonard   Mastering,Mastering Engineer
Ray Bardini   Mixing,Mixing Engineer
Cameron Thomaz   Composer
Jacob Dennis   Assistant,Mixing Assistant
Shawn Barron   A&R
Trehy Harris   Mixing,Mixing Engineer
Kim Lamont Owens   Composer
Kyle McAulay   Assistant,Mixing Assistant
Josh Kamzan   Music Business Affairs
Brenda Gordon Russell   Composer
Essence Carson   A&R