Pandemonium!

B2K

Product Details

• Audio CD (December 10, 2002)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Sony
• ASIN: B00007FNU9
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (90 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #205,070 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
B2K may live to regret their name--an acronym for Boys For 2000--as they age. Especially since they've taken great pains to try to convince listeners how much they've grown up on Pandemonium!, their second disc in less than nine months. To that effort, the underage musicians studded the disc with enough sexual innuendo to make even R. Kelly. In fact, the Los Angeles quartet engaged the services of the beleaguered rap impresario to write, produce, and arrange "Bump, Bump, Bump," a rather randy track that kicks off the disc featuring P. Diddy's cheeky rap about his utter appreciation of the female anatomy. And the escapades don't stop there, the bittersweet "Sleepin'" finds B2K apologizing to an erstwhile girlfriend for catting around, "You Can Get It," shows them in hot pursuit of another man's women, while "Tease" finds them pouting over an unconsummated encounter. But just when you're about to write them off as unrepentant hound dogs the pendulum swings, and B2K drop the swagger and bravado to deliver the sweet valentines of "My Everything," and the wistful innocence and regret of "One Kiss," so like the yearning ballads that made fans swoon for the band in the first place. --Jaan Uhelszki

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Expectedly weak, December 20, 2002

By	Anthony Rupert "shut up, Shut Up, SHUT UP!!!" (Milwaukee, WI) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Why do I say expectedly? Well, when I heard that this album dropped, I was like, "Didn't they already release two albums this year?" Now, I didn't say one; I said TWO (their self-titled debut and their Christmas album, Santa Hooked Me Up). Everyone knows that when an artist releases a second (or in this case, third) album during the same year, it usually sounds like it was thrown together (Nastradamus, anyone?), and Pandemonium! is no exception.

But songs like "Sleepin'" and the hidden bonus track once again prove my theory that B2K are better at slow songs. "Everything" is great also except for two things: the fact that they're spelling the word EVERYTHING at the beginning of the song, and when I hear Lil' Fizz's rap I start getting Do Or Die-isms (as in, "Why would you be rapping fast over a slow song?").

A lot of the other tracks on here sound like songs that other people already did...or sometimes, songs THEY already did. "The Other Guy" is too reminiscent of "Last Boyfriend" from their first album, "My Girl" is like Usher's "I Can't Let U Go", and "Back It Up" sounds like a generic remix of "Bump, Bump, Bump". And correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't "Why I Love You" on their first album?

The rest of the songs on the album sound the same; most of them have obvious Neptunes or wannabe Neptunes beats. "Would You Be Here" uses the all-too-familiar subject of not wanting them if they didn't have money, but what really makes this song bad is the lyrics. They start asking if their girls would they be there if they didn't have a phone, and during the bridge they say, "What if I was ugly/And struggling/And crummy", and I'm like, "Who wrote this?" "Boys For Life" sounds like it was written in two minutes, and the bonus track "Dog", which is from Lil' Fizz's cousin Jhene (pronounced ja-NAY), should have been left behind. Not that Jhene can't sing, but the lyrics are dumb and the song is so disorganized that you can barely hear her voice.

I know a lot of people may give me an unhelpful vote from my rating alone, but it's not that I don't like B2K; I just don't like this album. Their harmonies actually have improved from their first album, but what they have to work with just doesn't impress. Sorry.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Pandemonium!, January 27, 2003

By	SID "Punk" (BOSTON) - See all my reviews

B2K is a well-oiled machine. Despite the fact that on Pandemonium their second cd, they try to convince you that this isn't a manufactured, image thing - we all know the truth. Just like boy groups before them - each fella in B2K fits a particular mold. Since you probably don't care about their personality traits - let's not even get into that, but suffice to say that B2K, the machine is doing something right. With a gold album tucked into their belts the quartet is poised for even more success.

- Who The Hell Is B2k? -

Lil' Fizz, Omarion, Razz B, J-Boog

- they do have working in their favor is talent and some overly chiseled adolescent bodies that apparently make girls swoon from coast to coast. Remember - image is everything. "Bump, Bump, Bump" is probably the dumbest single to be released in 2002 and for good reason. Not only is it written and produced by R. Kelly, but it sounds like a cheap rip of "Fiesta" and features P. Diddy, and ends up sounding like a complete mess.

The biggest hindrance on "Pandemonium" is the production. Many of the tracks produced by lesser name producers sound like budget Neptunes tracks. Some of them are so close to what I expect from The Neptunes that they require a look at the liner notes. There's also the question of roles within B2K. Omarion sings lead almost implicitly and Lil' Fizz is the "rapper" the Left Eye of the group if you will. The other 2 members are essentially relegated to background vocals and you don't hear much of them throughout the whole project.

"One Kiss" is a nice mid-tempo ballad where the group seems cohesive and the vocals are sharp and mature. In fact, although B2K are known for putting on a good show and being excellent dancers - they sound much better on their mid-tempo tracks and ballads. "Sleepin' which is nothing spectacular lyrically, is vocally one of the strongest songs on the album.

"Everything" keeps up the pace and strength of the middle tracks on "Pandemonium". Appealing to teenage love - "Everything" is about the boys trying to maintain "relationships" while balancing careers. It's endearing and it makes you smile - and they sound good doing it. "Tease" features Jhene and Romeo of IMX who both happen to be related to different members of B2K (well-oiled machine remember?). No doubt, this should be released as a single - not only to help launch Jhene's career, but as one of the faster tempo tracks - it's a solid dance number.

"Pretty Young Thing" keeps up that Neptunes sound - very bass oriented, very electronic but unlike most of the others, this one almost manages to work except that the production is so heavy that the vocals and it (the production) are fighting for attention and the track ends up just sounding crowded. And, because B2K loves you...they put their biggest hit "Why I Love You" on Pandemonium. It's a good song and as it stands, probably the best showcase of their harmonization and strength as a group.

- Final Thoughts -

Like most of all the contemporary acts in music right now B2K is there to fill a void. Their particular market just happens to be adolescent girls with raging hormones and they fill the void well. Despite the fact that they are indeed manufactured (just like all the other boy bands) they can sing and they harmonize nicely together. The material isn't groundbreaking but if you have a 13 year-old girl in your life odds are 9 to 1, she'd love this.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars No Sophomore Jinx Here, December 12, 2002

By	Mark Davis (St. Louis, MO) - See all my reviews

Better CD overall than the debut in my opinion. Even though my CD only included "one" bonus track, it's still worth your money.Just because I am a 44 year old music lover, I stay current and I can appreciate a good group like these young men. They remind me a lot of the Jackson 5/New Edition/Sylvers in their heyday. B2K's music is what's happening now, but their lyrics, phrasing and overall demeanor makes them classic and intricate at the same time. Trust me, this talented group will go far in the music industry. As far as "pandemonium!" goes, the best cuts are "One Kiss", "My Girl", "Sleepin'", "Would You Be Here", "I Beat You To It", the previously released "Why I Love You" which by the way is a great song and my favorite, "The Other Guy". The only drawbacks in B2K's albums is that the uptempo stuff all sound alike to me. But this is a great group and I'm expecting bigger and better things from them in the future. Way to go guys!