It's been over a decade since the sisters of Out of Eden first started blazing trails and dancefloors together, and this longevity apparently has given them free reign to try new things. This includes breaking out of their well-suited R&B/pop mold and trying their hand at a
A worthy cause indeed, but one that Out of Eden has trouble materializing, as their unsophisticated brand of AC-styled hymns is so simple and underwhelming that the structural base of the songs sags under the lyrical weight of these timeless relics. We know the trio as an urban group, so it's somewhat awkward to hear them swaying along to the innocuous pop/rock of "Fairest Lord Jesus" or to the acoustic simplicity of "My Faith Has Found a Resting Place." Their elegant, majestic take on "Praise to the Lord, the Almighty" does work splendidly, even if it doesn't sound like them.
When not in adult contemporary worship mode, Out of Eden turns in gospelized renditions of more obscure hymns, like the singalong-y "Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise" and the organ-driven, slow-burning "God Will Take Care of You." While these songs are credible as gospel tracks when stripped of their vocal elements, they're not convincing enough if gospel is your forte. The girls' breathy, airy harmonies were tailor-made for smooth R&B and harder hip-hop-flavored jams, not for semi-gospel meanderings or tried-and-true worship covers. Let's hope the trio returns to what they do best sooner than later.