Pleasure & Pain 2004 Album

112

This was the first 112 album I heard, and it’s still one of their strongest. It marked a real return to form after their weakest effort, 'Hot & Wet'. 'What If' stands out as one of, if not the, best songs they’ve ever made, and 'If I Hit' is probably their best track with a rap feature. The hook hits hard and sticks with you. The more upbeat R&B works well here, which isn’t something I could always say for them. 'The Way' featuring JD is another worthwhile highlight. On the other hand, 'Closing the Club' reeks of mid-’00s hip hop excess and ends up as the clear low point. 'That’s How Close We Are' brings some real soul to the table, and there’s a lot of variety across the album. Nothing feels repetitive which you can't always say for R&B albums of that era. Even the aforementioned weakest track offers something different. This one’s definitely underappreciated. Best Songs: What If, Damn, Nowhere, If I Hit, Why Can't We Get Along 1 Intro 2 Let This Go 80 3 What If 100 4 U Already Know 70 5 Damn 90 6 Nowhere 90 7 Last to Know 80 8 I'm Sorry (Interlude) 9 My Mistakes 64 10 If I Hit 90 11 The Way 80 12 We Goin' Be Alright 13 Why Can't We Get Along 94 14 That's How Close We Are 80 15 Closing the Club 40 16 What the Hell Do You Want 76 17 God Knows 70