--=[ 112 2 ]=--

112 - Pleasure And Pain (2005)

For loyal fans of 112, PLEASURE & PAIN certainly won't disappoint, as the Atlanta quartet delivers more of their tender R&B/gospel love odes, with a couple of sufficiently danceable up-tempo numbers thrown in for good measure. The men of 112 relate tales of love in a mature, all-encompassing manner; few R&B groups would have the inner strength to express the phrases of self-doubt and reflection ("What If") or wisdom ("Let This Go") presented here. 112 can as effectively pull off the luxuriously funky "U Already Know" as they pledge eternal dedication on "Nowhere." With PLEASURE & PAIN, 112 continues to exhibit a flair for heartfelt, impassioned, introspective songs of devotion.
It's somewhat ironic that 112's first parental-advisory album sticker would come after leaving the umbrella of Bad Boy Entertainment. However, that's not to imply that 112 have altered or toughened their style in any manner. PLEASURE & PAIN, sharing its name with a track off the foursome's 1996 debut, contains more of the sensitive, impassioned, consummately clean-cut love songs that made the act famous. (The warning sticker actually stems from relatively polite guest raps from Three 6 Mafia, T.I., and Jermaine Dupri.)













112 - Hot And Wet (2003)

The four-man group One Twelve began its career as the innocent soul crooners of Puff Daddy's Bad Boy crew. The quartet's first records were inviting slabs of gospel-tinged R&B honey, top-heavy on the ballads; however, with PART III, they shifted gears into an edgier, tougher sound with more frenetic, pulsating dance beats and more suggestive lyrics. (They also slightly re-christened themselves, switching from the numerals 112 to the spelled-out One Twelve.) On the fittingly titled HOT & WET, the group continues this transformation.
HOT & WET opens on an almost serene intro that weaves their earlier hits into a uniquely disarming landscape before setting a tone with the sexually charged, haunting "It's Goin' Down 2Nite," featuring T.I. in a guest appearance. The mood stays put on the title track, as Ludacris drops by with his usual verbal flair. "Unbelievable," which finds the four folding their vocals over one another with cool precision, provides a high point, even sneaking in a nice rap of their own. One Twelve hasn't forgotten what brought them initial success, though, flipping into a segment of smooth and slow songs before turning the tempo back up on an almost sinister remix of the title track. HOT & WET finds One Twelve striking a perfect balance of the new and the old for an appealing R&B record.

Tracklistings are in the comments section.