Musician Kem and his sophomore project “Album II” is this week’s pick for Second Listen Sunday. Arriving in stores on May 17th, 2005, the album came when R&B was still shifting. For the most part, younger singers dominated the market, while older crooners like Anthony Hamilton and Brian McKnight were forced to the Urban A/C demographic.
Thankfully, Kem’s debut single, “Love Calls,” from his first album, garnered him a fan base among the jazz and urban AC crowd. So naturally, Kem stayed in his lane with “I Can’t Stop Loving You”, the lead single from “Album II”. Written and produced with collaborator Carlos Gunn, the lush ballad delves into the singer’s intense and unwavering love for his lady
Kem remembers the day he encountered the “perfect stranger”, who later became central to his thoughts in the first verse. Being “wrapped around your finger” implies total surrender and complete enchantment by their presence. Their relationship grew into a holy gift when the sun shone upon them and God himself smiled upon their union. The remaining lyrics deliver mature R&B infused with subtle jazz elements.
The album’s second single, “Find Your Way (Back in My Life)”, is a spiritual successor to its preceding single. Kem reflects on their experience with a complex romantic relationship that seems to repeat itself. The song lyrics express his exasperation and bewilderment at how their former lover consistently manages to re-enter their life.
Kem opens the song by expressing his wish to leave and highlighting their shared goal of moving forward from the relationship. They work hard to meet new people but always return to their exes. The pattern indicates a repeating cycle of separation followed by reunion.
The album’s final single, “Into You”, explores the dynamics of emotional openness and profound romantic bonds. The lyrics are direct yet poetic—Kem doesn’t rely on heavy metaphor, instead opting for sincerity: You occupy my thoughts constantly, babe, because I’m deeply into you.
This simplicity is part of the charm. Kem communicates his devotion through straightforward language that feels conversational rather than overly complex. The song illustrates mature love transcending physical desire and romantic obsession, including deep appreciation and an emotional connection.
To my surprise, Kem avoided trend chasing as he only has one guest on the album, Stevie Wonder, who plays harmonica on “You Might Win”. The rest of the album is organic music that deftly avoids the sophomore slump.
Final Grade: B
“Album II” is available on all streaming platforms..
From his early days in the family group Wings of Faith, Mr. Gill was born to make music. However, as R&B fans know, Johnny Gill’s initial release with Atlantic Records failed to make a significant impact when it first came out. The 1983 self-titled debut showed a strong voice struggling to adapt to a studio that couldn’t properly utilize its power.
My introduction to Myron was with the song “Sistas” on the “Eddie” soundtrack in the summer of 1996. Before setting up his solo album, Myron would write classics for Mya and Dru Hill. “Destiny” was written by Myron and Tyrice Jones, and the latter was also producing. Set to a sample of Herbie Hancock’s “Come Running to Me”, the song explores how fate governs the formation of connections between people meant to exist from the beginning.
Music producers transitioning to a solo album is common in the music industry. For this week’s Second Listen Sunday, I want to revisit Sean Garrett’s solo debut, “Turbo 919,” released in 2008.