In May 2006, after a several month delay, the Isleys released Baby Makin' Music, their first album on Def Soul Records. Produced by a posse of modern hitmakers including Troy Taylor (Mary J. Blige), Gordon Chambers, Jermaine Dupri, Tim & Bob (Bobby Valentino) and frequent Isley collaborator R Kelly, Baby Makin' Music is a decent collection that benefits from the addition of more hands than the group's recent R Kelly-dominated albums. The material on Music is hit-or-miss, but includes the group's greatest song in over a decade, the wonderful Chambers/Taylor ballad, "Just Came Here To Chill." Everything on the disc is listenable, but the highlights are the soulful ballads "Blast Off" (a duet with Kelly), "Show Me" and another Taylor production, "Heaven Hooked Us Up." Only "Just Came Here to Chill" rivals the Isleys great material of the 70s, but Ron Isley's tenor voice is as seductive at age 65 as it was at 25 and Baby Makin' Music, while not perfect, is a worthwhile disc and yet another welcome return for one of soul music's most amazing acts.
By Chris Rizik
