Pleasures U Like
| Pleasures U Like | ||||
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | March 20, 2001 | |||
| Length | 73:47 | |||
| Label | ||||
| Producer | ||||
| Jon B chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Pleasures U Like | ||||
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Pleasures U Like is the third studio album by American singer Jon B. Released on March 20, 2001 in the United States, it marked his first album under Tracey Edmonds' label Edmonds Record Group which was formed after Jon's previous label home Yab Yum Records had folded.[1] On Pleasures U Like, Jon reunites with past producers Babyface and Tim Kelley and Bob Robinson, who each produced one song. Also present on the album is the team of musician Joshua P. Thompson.[2]
The album earned generally mixed reviews and opened at number six on the US Billboard 200 and number three on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, selling 99,000 in its debut week, while also becoming Jon B's first top ten album. Despite this, Jon felt it was not marketed and promoted properly. The only song released from the album as a single was "Don't Talk"- which was due primarily to Jon wanting to get out of his contract with Epic Records. As a result, this would be his final album released on a major label.
Critical reception
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [3] |
| NME | [4] |
Billboard critic Michael Paoletta noted that the "album takes listeners through various stages in a relationship — from "boy meets girl" to "I'd do it all again". The set's all- about-the-vibe spirit calls to Marvin Gaye's sensual 1973 sex ode Let's Get It On." But while a musically maturing Jon B. has a way to go before sliding into Gaye's bedroom slippers, he artfully connects the dots between soulful retro grooves and hip-hop beats."[5] The Orlando Sentinel found that while" the title of his latest album sounds a little redundant," Pleasures U Like "is original, fun and basically a smooth hip-hop flavored R&B; album [...] If you enjoy fun hip-hop that makes you want to dance and sultry R&B; that speaks to the heart, this album is for you."[6]
Tomika Anderson from Entertainment Weekly found that the singer "hits the bull's-eye with his beautiful love songs" and called the album "a soulful smorgasbord," based on the "right blend of intimacy and titillating sex grooves."[7] AllMusic editor Ed Hogan rated the album three out of five stars. He called Pleasures U Like Jon B.'s "most consistent album to date" and noted that a "cool, nighttime dance club vibe flows through the album. Not every song is a dance track; there are also a number of appealing ballads."[3] Diana Evans from NME called the "a sea of rather bland harmonies, limp beats and a ballad avalanche that borders on the tedious" and was "unlikely to bring about any drastic change in Jon's profile."[4]
Chart performance
Pleasures U Like bowed at number six on the US Billboard 200 and number three on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, selling 99,000 in its debut week, becoming the first top ten album for Jon B.[8]
Track listing
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Interlude" | Jonathan Buck | Jon B. | 1:11 |
| 2. | "Finer Things" (featuring Nas) |
| Jon B. | 5:01 |
| 3. | "Vibezelect Cafe" (Interlude) | Buck | Jon B. | 0:20 |
| 4. | "Don't Talk" | Buck | Jon B. | 4:44 |
| 5. | "Sof'n Sweet" |
| Jon B. | 5:03 |
| 6. | "Overjoyed" (featuring Faith Evans) |
| Jon B. | 5:36 |
| 7. | "Boy Is Not a Man" |
| Thompson | 4:22 |
| 8. | "Lonely Girl" |
|
| 4:28 |
| 9. | "Cocoa Brown" | Buck | Jon B. | 3:57 |
| 10. | "What Up Boogotti?" (Interlude) | Buck | Jon B. | 0:14 |
| 11. | "All I Want is You" (featuring Cuban Link) |
| Jon B. | 5:12 |
| 12. | "Been Played" (Interlude) | Buck | Jon B. | 0:53 |
| 13. | "Layaway" (featuring AZ) |
| Jon B. | 4:10 |
| 14. | "Pleasures U Like" |
| Jon B. | 3:49 |
| 15. | "Now That I'm with You" | Tim & Bob | 4:17 | |
| 16. | "My Seed With You" (Interlude) | Buck | Jon B. | 0:24 |
| 17. | "Tell Me" | Buck | Jon B. | 4:56 |
| 18. | "Calling on You" |
| Jon B. | 4:40 |
| 19. | "Inside" | Buck | Jon B. | 4:57 |
| 20. | "Do It All Again" |
| Jon B. | 4:56 |
| Total length: | 73:47 | |||
Personnel
Performers and musicians
- Jon B. – drum programming, keyboards, vocals
- Babyface – background vocals, drum programming, keyboards
- LeDon Bishop– background vocals
- Tommy Brown – drum programming, keyboards
- Kevin Buck – bass
- Nathan East – bass guitar, cello
- Faith Evans – background vocals
- Kenisha L. Greene– background vocals
- Eric Jackson – guitar
- Tim Kelley – drum programming, keyboards
- Tim Kobza – guitar
- David Kopp – drum programming, keyboards
- Bill Meyers – horn conduction and arrangement
- Shawn Rivera– background vocals
- Bob Robinson – acoustic piano, fender rhodes, guitar
- Joshua P. Thompson – guitar
- Phillip "Silky" White – background vocals
Technical and management
- Conley Abrams – mixing, recording
- Jon B. – executive producer, mixing, recording
- Paul Boutin – recording
- Jeff Burroughs – executive producer
- Earl Cohen – mixing, recording
- Tracey Edmonds – executive producer
- Jon Gass – mixing
- Chris Gehringer – mastering
- Jerome Goodall – recording
- Dave Guererro – mixing
- JayJay Jackson – art direction and design
- Tim Kelley – recording
- Manny Marroquin – mixing
- Victor McCoy – mixing
- Michael McQuarn – executive producer
- Michael Patterson – mixing
- Dave Pensado – mixing, recording
- Josean Posey – mixing
- Norman Jean Roy – photography
Charts
Weekly charts
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Year-end charts
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References
- ^ "Babyface's Wife Forms New Label". article. billboard.com. 9 January 2001. Retrieved April 13, 2014.
- ^ West, Damien M. "Joshua Paul Thompson". interview. ascap.com. Retrieved April 13, 2014.
- ^ a b "(Pleasures U Like > Overview)". AllMusic. Retrieved June 20, 2023.
- ^ a b "Jon B : Pleasures You Like". NME. September 12, 2005. Retrieved June 20, 2023.
- ^ Paoletta, Michael (March 24, 2001). "Reviews & Previews". Billboard. Retrieved June 23, 2023.
- ^ "Jon B. – Pleasures U Like". Orlando Sentinel. November 9, 2001. Retrieved June 23, 2023.
- ^ Anderson, Tomika (April 6, 2001). "Pleasures U Like". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved June 23, 2023.
- ^ Mayfield, Geoff (April 7, 2001). "Between the Bullets". Billboard. Retrieved June 23, 2023.
- ^ "Jon B Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved August 26, 2020.
- ^ "Jon B Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved August 26, 2020.
- ^ "RnB Albums: Top 200 R&B Albums of 2001". Jam!. Archived from the original on July 26, 2002. Retrieved November 22, 2023.
- ^ "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 2001". Billboard. 2 January 2013. Retrieved August 26, 2020.
