Review Roundup: T-Pain - 'Thr33 Ringz'
T-Pain’s third studio album Thr33 Ringz hits stores and digital retailers next Tuesday. Find out what the critics are saying…
Entertainment Weekly: When he dials back Auto-Tune, T-Pain winds up with ”Keep Going,” a plodding ballad that proves he can record without any noticeable electronic crutches. But without them, he’s way less fun. B
Rolling Stone: Thr33 Ringz shows what sets T-Pain apart. He’s an inventive producer, enveloping radio-friendly hooks in Auto-Tune wackiness. And he’s a love machine, accentuating the urgency of his please-baby cooing with sci-fi effects. 3.5 out of 5
SPIN: On his third album, he constantly relies on petty one-liners, banal choruses, and (surprise!) Auto-Tune overkill. With a hot guest list (Ciara, T.I.), this is bound to bump the clubs, but beyond that, it’s clown time. 2.5 out of 5
New York Daily News: While a few tracks reach for, and fall short of, something more serious, there’s nothing here to change the image that dogs Pain—as a maker of gimmick songs that got out of hand. 2 out of 5
The New York Times: On most of these songs he recalls no one so much as Missy Elliott, who also works the eccentric edges of hip-hop, using dashes of sexual whimsy and a keen gift for rhythmically savvy melodies.
Rap-Up’s Favorite Tracks: “Can’t Believe It,” “Freeze,” “Change”