The Kiss (album)

The Kiss is the third studio album by gospel group, Trin-i-tee 5:7. Featuring production by PAJAM, "Uncle Freddie" Jerkins and Myron Butler, "musically, The Kiss is urban contemporary/neo-soul with hip-hop elements, but lyrically", the album "is gospel". Described as "promoting Christianity" in a non-"divisive" manner, the album features lyrical input from the group themselves.

The Kiss
Studio album by Trin-i-tee 5:7
Released	June 25, 2002
Recorded	2000–2002
Genre	Urban contemporary gospel, R&B, neo-soul[1]
Length	59:19
Label	GospoCentric
Producer	Travon Potts, PAJAM, Fred Jerkins III, Anson Dawkins, Eric Dawkins, Shep Crawford, Darren "Limitless" Henson, Carvin "Ransum" Haggins, Big Bert, Myron Butler
Trin-i-tee 5:7 chronology
Spiritual Love (1999) The Kiss (2002) Holla: The Best of Trin-i-tee 5:7 (2007)

A critical success, the album also fared well commercially, peaking at number two on the US Billboard Top Gospel Albums, number three on the Top Christian Albums chart, number fifteen on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and number eighty-five on the Billboard 200.[2]

Reception

Critical

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[1]
Cross Rhythms	[3]

The Kiss received positive reviews from critics. Alex Henderson of Allmusic praised the "vocal power" of the group, commenting that they could "hold their own against most of urban contemporary's secular female vocal groups". Henderson also compared The Kiss, musically, to the works of "secular female vocal groups" such as "Destiny's Child, Brownstone, En Vogue" and "TLC", in that it "is urban contemporary/neo-soul with hip-hop elements", but was keen to stress that "it does combine an urban contemporary/neo-soul groove with a gospel message". Henderson also commended "the expressive singers" for not being "in-your-face" or "divisive" about explaining "why Christianity works for them", going on to describe The Kiss as "a pleasing example of how Christian-oriented lyrics can be relevant to 21st century R&B".[1] Anne Adams of Cross Rhythms gave a particularly favorable review of The Kiss. Rating the album ten-out-of-ten, Adams noted “Holla” (which she described as "infectious"), “Dance Like Sunday”, “People Get Ready”, “The One For Me” and “All Of My Life” as being "standout songs".[3]

Commercial

The Kiss proved to be Trin-i-tee 5:7's greatest commercial success on the US albums charts. It became the group's first album to chart within the top 100 half of the Billboard 200, peaking at eighty-five. Considerably more successful on the Billboard component charts, the album also became Trin-i-tee's highest charting on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, where it peaked at number fifteen. Though peaking at number two on the Billboard Top Gospel Albums chart, it failed, however, to match the success of the group's self-titled debut album which topped the chart in 1998. The album was also a success on the Top Christian Albums chart, where it peaked at number three.

Track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"Holla" (Urban Remix)	James Moss, Paul Allen	PAJAM	3:12
2.	"Lord"	Carvin G. Haggins, Andre Harris, Taalib Johnson aka Musiq Soulchild	Carvin "Ransum" Haggins	4:44
3.	"With a Kiss"	Shep Crawford	Shep Crawford	4:16
4.	"Dance Like Sunday"	Fred Jerkins, LaShawn Daniels	"Uncle Freddie" Jerkins	3:59
5.	"What He Wants" (Interlude)		Dawkins & Dawkins	0:59
6.	"What He Wants"	Eric Dawkins, Anson Dawkins	Dawkins & Dawkins	4:27
7.	"People Get Ready"	Curtis Mayfield	Darren "Limitless" Henson	4:14
8.	"Sixteen Again" (Interlude)	Angel Taylor, Adrian Anderson, Chanelle Haynes	Darren "Limitless" Henson	1:15
9.	"Sixteen Again"	Angel Taylor, Adrian Anderson, Chanelle Haynes, Darren Henson, Keith Pelzor	Darren "Limitless" Henson	4:24
10.	"The One for Me"	Angel Taylor, Darren Henson, Keith Pelzor	Darren "Limitless" Henson	4:48
11.	"Rescue Me"	Travon Potts	Travon Potts	3:12
12.	"Here 4 U"	Myron Butler, Jerome Allen, Daria Clark	Myron Butler	3:41
13.	"I Wish"	Robert "Big Bert" Smith, LaShawn Daniels, Chanelle Haynes	Big Bert	3:55
14.	"Greater than You and Me"	Chanelle Haynes, Darren Henson, Keith Pelzor	Darren "Limitless" Henson	4:54
15.	"All of My Life"	Robert "Big Bert" Smith, Adrian Anderson	Travon Potts	3:52
16.	"Holla"	James Moss, Paul Allen	PAJAM	3:26

Notes

• "People Get Ready" is a cover of the same-titled Curtis Mayfield song - originally recorded by The Impressions.[1]
• "Lord" is based on and heavily interpolates "Love" by Musiq Soulchild.[3]

Chart positions

Chart (2002)	Peak position
US Billboard 200[2]	85
US Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums[2]	15
US Billboard Top Christian Albums[2]	3
US Billboard Top Gospel Albums[2]	2

References

1. "The Kiss - Trin-i-tee 5:7 (Review)". Allmusic. 2002. Retrieved January 31, 2011.
2. "The Kiss - Trin-i-tee 5:7 (Charts & Rewards)". Allmusic. 2002. Retrieved January 31, 2011.
3. "Trin-i-tee 5:7 - The Kiss". Cross Rhythms. January 6, 2003. Retrieved January 31, 2011.