Forget what you think you know about Out of Eden. Sure, a three-peat of home run hit albums rocketed their combined sales into the seven-figure club (million plus copies sold), and sibling members Lisa Kimmey, Andrea Kimmey Baca, and Danielle Kimmey have shared stages with such pop icons as Destiny's Child, the Pointer Sisters, and Monica. Yet for their fourth album, This Is Your Life, the much-accomplished young trio decided to cast their die and take some risks. The results are in, so if you're wondering about that buzz rumbling in the background, it's the Out of Eden sisters yelling, “This is it!”.
Out of Eden's albums have always captured the most superb elements of pop music, tuned and tweaked to give the threesome their own soulful shine. This Is Your Life, however, transcends the pop bubble with spirited spins that strike the future without dismissing their roots. Two vital new lines intertwined within Eden's staple pop sound include the groundbreaking vibrancy of modern neo-soul (Angie Stone, Blu Cantrell, Alicia Keys) and R&B hip-hop (Mary J Blige, Eve, Lauryn Hill). The group's pristine production and signature harmonies flourish, not diminish, within their stirring new blend of polished pop and red-hot urban trends.
"The album is right in the pulse without trying to imitate," says Lisa, the eldest of the young siblings and coincidentally the group's supervising producer and lead songwriter. "It's where the world is right now musically, socially, and spiritually. We're giving them a hot track with a real song."
[I]This is Your Life[/I]: eleven songs that deliver nothing less than perfectly timed tracks so hot you'll be icing your eardrums. In all their releases, Out of Eden asserted a pivotal role in the direction, sound, and songwriting, assisted by longtime co-producer Todd Collins. But with the lofty aspirations behind [I]This Is Your Life,[/I] Lisa Kimmey, the project’s producer and principle songwriter enlisted a host of other accomplished producers to work alongside her; including such heavyweights as Donnie Scantz & Jamie Portee, The Clemons Brothers, Lee Jerkins & David Hackley, and A.J. Wolfe (combined credits include Aaliyah, Mary J. Blige, Toni Braxton, Tyrese, etc.). Finally, the entire album was mixed by the renowned engineer, Serban Ghenea, whose credits include Michael Jackson, Britney Spears, Jay Z, etc. Out of Eden recognized that to mix the most cutting edge elements of pop, R&B, hip-hop, and soul, they must tap the very sources that helped form these hit new sounds. The resulting eleven songs deliver nothing less than perfectly timed tracks so hot you'll be icing your eardrums.
Out of Eden has the ambition, so tells their art, but the trio matches their musical drive with a spiritually-minded, socially-conscious sensitivity. Lisa explains, "We want to set the standard as a voice, a truly positive voice, that isn't contradicted by our music or appearance. People know what's real and what's not, and they will identify with us by what we say and do."
The group's proactive slant, which has resulted in several shared stages with none other than the Reverend Billy Graham himself, comes through clearly in the writing for This Is Your Life. The song "Showpiece" exemplifies these principles by aggressively attacking the standard that a woman's worth is proportionate to her look and fashion sense, conveyed over a deep hip-hop beat that helps hammer home the message. The lead track, "Different Now," sets the album's tone with a Ritalin-proof, energizing anthem celebrating those bold souls venturing the higher path for their lives. "Rolling Stone," whose gentle opening verse fires into a vintage disco-fueled floor burner, takes a stark personal turn by addressing the sisters' life without their father present.
For the group's already massive fanbase, it will come as no shock that This Is Your Life routs what had become pop music's creative stalemate. Even with their three previous releases - [I]No Turning Back, More Than You Know,[/I] and [I]Lovin' the Day[/I] - Out of Eden pushed the pop fold earning them both respect and commercial triumph. Their ever-growing vision has positioned the group in many high-profile situations, from opening slots on major arena tours to placing songs in such screen successes as Eddie Murphy's "Dr. Doolittle," Christina Aguilera's Diary, The Chris Rock Show, and actually appearing on the primetime UPN show Moesha (starring Brandy). Likewise, the group has scored key radio success, major video rotation on BET, and several major magazine features and cover stories, including Upscale, Black Elegance, Sound and Spirit (BMG), Hype Hair, Sister 2 Sister, BRE, and Gospel International. [I]This Is Your Life [/I]marks a new day for Out of Eden and a new starting point for modern pop. Sleep not, and embrace the art.
