112 Albums (5)
'Pleasure & Pain'
Release Date 3/29/2005
Tracks 17
Label Def Soul Classics
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
What's more surprising? That Pleasure and Pain, One Twelve's fifth album, is not a greatest-hits compilation named after a song off their 1996 debut, or that it comes with a parental advisory label? In nearly a decade of existence, the group has amassed enough charting singles to warrant a concise best-of, and not many artists coming up with them during the mid-'90s are still active. In the wake of parting with P. Diddy and Bad Boy, they've taken the opportunity to work with a mostly new pool of collaborators, including Mario Winans, Jermaine Dupri, and Bryan-Michael Cox, who each pitch in once or twice. They remain self-sufficient otherwise, with member Daron Jones handling a good portion of the production duties. The result isn't much different from the previous albums, with a few standout singles and album tracks surrounded by a generous amount of forgettable moments, and a similar ratio of upbeat numbers and ballads to match. The parental advisory label (a first for the once squeaky-clean group) can actually be pinned on previously unlikely collaborators Three 6 Mafia. (Who could've ever predicted that a line as forthright as "Is she gonna chew me up or she gon' swallow up my nads" would ever appear in one of their songs? Nobody.) ~ Andy Kellman, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
As indicated in "Everyday" -- in which the haters are told to "read the credits" -- Bad Boy veterans 112 have gone through their share of ups and downs, from lack of respect to in-fighting to label difficulties. Though Hot & Wet is technically billed as a split release between Bad Boy and Def Soul, the album marks the group's departure from its former label. While the setting has changed (despite P. Diddy remaining on board long enough to serve as executive producer), the results are the same: the group's fourth album offers the same mixed bag of strong singles and inconsistent album cuts that fans have grown accustomed to since the 1996 debut. Appearances from T.I., Ludacris, and Chingy make the group's embrace of the South evident, and "Na Na Na Na" is a successful dancehall/R&B mishmash featuring Super Cat. There is a lot of slow-tempo material and whoever was responsible for the sequencing of the tracks likely realized this -- why else would the upbeat remix of "Hot & Wet" be thrown into the middle of the album, rather than the end, the spot where most bonus tracks are placed? ~ Andy Kellman, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
112 have proven themselves as one of the most successful and enduring acts to emerge from the 1990s urban music explosion, and continue to prove their longevity on their third set, Part III. Their second album, Room 112, despite the hits "Love Me" and "Anywhere," failed to hint at any artistic progress for the group, but the third effort is a different story. A lot of the sappy ballads that impaired their previous outings are abandoned in favor of edgier, techno-flavored jams, resulting in a more modern and forward-sounding effort. The album's first single, "It's Over Now," is an aching slice of melodrama that proved to be the group's biggest hit to date, and one of the best singles of the year. Other cuts on the album pick up where that one left off, utilizing cutting beats and electronic sounds, such as the album's dance-flavored opener "Dance With Me," the second single "Peaches & Cream," and "All I Want Is You," which is augmented with rock guitars to fine effect. And as always, the group's vocals are nothing short of stellar. Despite some clichéd lyrics (case in point -- "Don't Hate Me") and sagging ballads toward the middle of the album (although the ballad "Missing You" is a well-crafted slice of true soul), this set is definitely a step in the right direction for a hard-working group one can happily classify as having evolved. ~ Jose F. Promis, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
112, Puff Daddy's four-man crew of smooth-crooning R&B loverboys, come on sticky and earnest throughout their second album, Room 112, combining old-school doo wop harmonies with '90s hip-hop trappings. Because this is a Puffy project, an occasional heavy-handed sample creeps in for a visit (e.g., the use of Shawn Colvin's "Sunny Came Home" during one tune). The best cut here is "Love Me," a bit of new jack breakdown that swings and hammers with convincing verve and groove. ~ Michael Gallucci, All Music Guide
