Customer Reviews

Sex Love & Pain

5 star:		(35)
4 star:		(23)
3 star:		(10)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Ok people are really sleeping on Tank! This a very good CD. You can play from beginning to end. There are "get your groove on" tracks and "get your freak on" tracks. Also some nice ballad type songs thrown in too.

Tank is yet another early 00s artist to return back to the music business. This year has been full of what I pen as R&B "Resurrections". Musiq returned after a four-year absense with his chart-topping LUVANMUSIQ, Joe returned after a four year absent with his Grammy worthy AIN'T NOTHIN' LIKE ME, and now we have Tank, returning solidly with his third album, SEX, LOVE & PAIN. The difference between Tank and Joe or Musiq is that Tank has never had success just come to him. He is an underrated adult R&B singer. Worse is adult R&B isn't what's truly selling in the R&B industry anymore - hip-hop is predominant via more contemporary-centered artists such as "young boy" Chris Brown, Lloyd, Omarion, Usher, and so on. However, with his moderate radio hit, the exceptional "Please Don't Go", which at the time of writing this review was #3 on the Billboard Hip-Hop/R&B Singles Chart, Tank may have a chance to get the praise and the success that he's never recieved before. No, SEX, LOVE & PAIN is no masterpiece, and it doesn't for me stack up to be among the very best R&B albums of 2007 (though it is solid & good), but it is worthy of success by all means.

The album opens up deceptively. The first track is listed to be "Coldest" when in reality there is a hidden introductory track that is named after the title. I wish the executives at Blackground had of seperated "Sex, Love & Pain" and "Coldest" because "Sex, Love & Pain" is more than just an interlude. Here, the songwriting is top-notch and the bombastic, energized refrain with lovely vocals via Tank and exceptional background vocals makes for a great number that didn't have to be embedded within another track. Just as well, "Coldest" ends up being a fine track with great songwriting. At the end, "Coldest" is a bit all over the place where its form is concerned, but I chalk that up as Tank being a truly ambitious songwriter wanting to do more than just the set rules of R&B songwriting. Overall, SEX, LOVE & PAIN is off to a fast start.

"I'm Coming Home" isn't as strong as "Coldest", but it is yet another strong track. The sample utilized here makes the production work and once again Tank's vocal performance is great. "My Body", track three, has a new-jack, classicist 90's R&B feel to it, making light of restrained, "sensual" sounding grooves and such (think Freddie Jackson, Keith Sweat, early R. Kelly). It is solid, though not nearly as remarkable as "One" or the ubiquitous highlight of SEX, LOVE & PAIN "Please Don't Go". Who would've thought "Please Don't Go" would become the radio hit that it has? It is the perfect single that transcends any labels like that of "adult contemporary" or "adult R&B"; it is what it is, a strong, sincere, well written R&B Single. The production is great, the verses are soulful, Tank sounds fantastic, the background vocals are warm, and everything is perfect. The best track of SEX, LOVE & PAIN ladies and gentlemen is "Please Don't Go".

Don't get me wrong though, "Please Don't Go" isn't the only strong track. As I've said "Coldest" and "I'm Coming Home" in particular are good too. "I Hate U" is another one of my personal favorites with a very catchy, if blunt hook. "Heartbreaker" feels like Tank has relied a bit too much on the adult contemporary, sensual R&B sounds of the 1980s and early 90s that it sounds a bit "anachronistic" as opposed to truly fresh. "Who Dat", which is stronger than "Heartbreaker" still sounds a bit dated, but it works more effectively than "Heartbreaker". Unfortunately, Tank oversings here and makes "Who Dat" sound a bit counterproductive. It's these problems with SEX, LOVE & PAIN for me that inhibit me from rating it higher; Joe pulled off the adult-contemporary/"grown-folks" R&B notion flawlessly on AIN'T NOTHIN LIKE ME while making it a successful contemporary album as well. Tank struggles a bit and it's blatantly obvious on tracks such as "Heartbreaker" and "Who Dat". "When" also feels like more of the same, a constant quibble I have towards the less exciting numbers from SEX, LOVE & PAIN.

"Wedding Song" is the very worst track on SEX, LOVE & PAIN and making everything relevant, it is the track that you probably will skip over. "My Heart" makes up for "Wedding Song", but it isn't nearly as great as "Please Don't Go". After an obvious loss of momentum towards the middle and end of the album, Tank makes up for it with the great "I Love U", perhaps the best since "Please Don't Go". Up for debate is if final track "I Love Them Girls" produced and featuring Timbaland, truly works with Tank as the vocalist. I think Tank's intentions here were to rid of his adult R&B leanings and show off a younger, more contemporary Tank. I personally think it only works to an extent, and perhaps an inspiration adult-contemporary ballad may have been a more appropriate close as opposed to the slightly-awkward Timbaland helmed track.

It's not a bad album, though I also don't think it is great either. There have been a number of truly great R&B albums in 2007 and to call Tank's the very best of the best would be an overstatement. It works very well and I'm hoping that Tank can at least see some moderate success with it if not paramount success. 3 stars.

I'm so glad Tank stuck to the mellow, slower tunes instead of trying to hip-hop it up. This is a smooth cd with some nice mid-tempo songs and some heart wrenching slow jams. Sounds like his heart is on every track.

Tank and Tamia may go down as the most underrated R&B singers of all time.They're both 2 very talented singers.I think this is Tanks best album to date.I own every single Tank album (''Forces Of Nature'',''One Man'' and ''Sex Love & Pain''.I've also seen Tank live in concert here in Houston.His vocals are unbelieveable.I can listen to this cd from beginning to end.This is a very good break up album.My favorite tracks are of course ''Please Don't Go'',''I Hate U'',''Heartbreaker'',''Who Dat'',Wedding song'' and my absolute favorite ''My Heart''(this song will have you in tears if you ever experienced a sad break up).If you're into real singing this is the album for you.

there are very few cd's that i can listen straight thru, i am glad tank has finally graced us with his latest hit. highly recommend it and i very rarely write cd reviews but just had to give him his props!!!

I always liked Tank's voice so I don't know why I'd never listened to any of his CDs. Nothing before really caught my attention, but I saw his CD on a website to preview music and I have to say I was impressed. I only clicked next on "The Wedding Song" (which I thought was struggling a little bit with him reciting the actual wedding song beat), but the rest of the CD was a straight shot. I dug this one and will probably end up picking this up.

Tank - Sex, Love & Pain (Blackground, 2007)

The problem that I have with Tank is that although he is a force when he writes for other artists like Aaliyah, Jon B. and Jamie Foxx, he stumbles when it comes to his own albums. The lead-off single is usually the only good song on the album ("Maybe I Deserve" from Force of Nature and "One Man" from the album of the same name) and this case is no different.

"Please Don't Go" is the winner from this album but another good song is "My Heart" and that's about it. This album suffers from mediocre lyricism and a certain skit that goes on and on with no point. Though he's from my hometown (Milwaukee), I can't even show any bias towards him. I advise all to borrow before buying unless you're a fan. -EJR

I personally really like this cd. This brother has a very soulful voice. My only issue is why he's always singing about a man losing a good woman after the fact. I mean, I can appreciate what he's trying to say..But, damn..make an album that says what a brother can do to keep her before he loses her. lol
I play this cd alot. Definitely a nice cd to play with a nice glass of wine and good company. lol

Wonderful cd. Listened to it 3 times in a row. Im glad he's back. Songs are very well written, kind of reminds me of Jaheim "Ghetto Love" CD.

I'm tickled pink that I bought this album. Bought it at the same time as Bobby V and Joe's new joints. Tank has them hands down. Gone out and get you one!