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T-Pain Album: “Epiphany”
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Release Date:2007-07-09
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Type:Album
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Genre:Hip-Hop/Rap, R&B, Today's Big Hits
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Label:BMG
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Explicit Lyrics:No
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UPC:4988017649848
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Review - :
From its title to its more poignant numbers, {$T-Pain}'s {^Epiphany} wears the tag line "more mature album" proudly, which it is, sort of, half of the time. The singer, rapper, writer, producer, voicebox abuser, and favorite target of many {\hip-hop} fans is one of the few who could put an effervescent ode to a jiggly stomach ("Some people like booty/And ain't nothing wrong with that/Ain't nothing more groovy/Than when that stomach moving") on an album that dare pimp the word "mature." {&"Stomach"} is not an empowering anthem for thick women, and when the world "nut" appears as a verb, it's easy to remember {$R. Kelly} and his juggling of the sublime and ridiculous. Problem is, {$T-Pain} has a long way to go before he gets anywhere close to {$Kels}' {&"I Believe I Can Fly."} Instead he's got a fat sack of {&"Thoia Thoing"}s with hooks, slick sounds, and shameless lyrics along with the occasionally crafty production twist. Take the futuristic {\reggae} number {&"Shottas"} or the busy {&"Church,"} which dares the listener to hang onto its hectic beat. As far as "mature," there's a gripping interlude four tracks in, {&"I Got It"} (the "it" being HIV), and then the ambitious {&"Suicide,"} which has more depth and feeling than expected. These vibrant touches and bold moments make the album worth pulling for, but {$T-Pain}'s ongoing issue with beating good ideas to death has now extended to just fair ideas. Three alcohol-based numbers, two of which are highlights ({&"Bartender"} featuring {$Akon} and {&"Buy U a Drank"} with {$Yung Joc}) and one that's just filler ({&"Tipsy"}), could have been spread across three albums instead of dropped on one. Plus, {^Epiphany} is overstuffed, with nothing that tops last album's {&"I'm N Luv (Wit a Stripper),"} and the more mature side never quite gels with the irresponsible party side. All that said, {$T-Pain} is still more misguided than mediocre, which keeps {^Epiphany} from being a failure. ~ David Jeffries, All Music Guide
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