Customer Rating: 
Summary: Eric's back!
Comment: Eric Benét makes a welcome return to the soulful r&b style of his first two albums, following his last one - of which, in my opinion, the less is said, the better. Benét co-wrote and co-produced the majority of the songs with Demonté Posey & George Nash, Jr, the only exception being the (in my opinion) rather silly "Chocolate Legs", which was produced by Keith Crouch.
I was originally prepared to rate this a five star CD but it lost one star primarily due to its lyrics, which I find slightly dodgy in places. For instance, in "Don't Let Go", the line where Benét sings "You see the problem goin' round too often these days/ people throwin' in the towel once they pass the honeymoon phase" made me burst out laughing. I was like, we're supposed to believe what you're singing, Eric. In contrast, the line in the Latin-influenced "Spanish Fly" where he sings "Lemmie feel you cause I need to/ lay you on the table lemmie lick you/ from your navel to your flower/ for hours" though equally hysterical, at least sounds a lot more believable coming from this particular singer.
But perhaps I'm being too harsh. I'm guessing that if you've forgotten all the media stories that were going round about Eric Benét a couple of years ago (or never read or heard them in the first place), these are songs that can quite easily be enjoyed on their merits. Truth is, it's a great set of songs, very reminiscent of the good old 90s - and, in the case of "Iminluvwichoo", the duet with Linda Kiraly, even the brilliant 80s.
My personal favourites on here include "Love Patience & Time", which features trumpet by Roy Hargrove, "The Hunger", "You're The Only One", "Sing To Me" and the brilliant album closer, the ballad "One More Tomorrow".
Oh, one more thing: I would have loved to know who played the saxophone solo towards the end of the delightfully breezy "Weekend Girl" but he (or she) wasn't credited. Either that or I'm missing something.
I find it a bit wobbly in places but where I like it, I really like it. Overall, I think it's a very good album. Four stars.
Customer Rating: Summary: A "MUST HAVE" CD
Comment: Eric Benet's "Love & Life" CD is outstanding!!! I purchased it the day it was released and listen and sing along to it daily. Eric really outdid himself with this one. It's the real adult R&B that we've all been waiting for. Eric's voice is smooth, sexy and melodic, this brutha can sing anything! I've been a fan since "True to Myself". He is truly the master of the Neo-Soul Movement and getting better with time. Listen to his music; see him in concert and you'll be a fan for life like me.
My personal favorites:
You're The Only One
Chocolate Legs
Don't Let Go
Still I Believe
The Hunger
Weekend Girl
Spanish Fly
Sing to Me
