The passing of our girl Angie Stone should have taught R&B fans a very important lesson – let’s give these trailblazers their flowers while they can still smell them.
Eric Benét is one of many artists who deserves much more love for his contributions to R&B. Since 1996, his track record for top-tier R&B is pretty stellar. He has the hits, he has the deep cuts, he certainly has the vocals, and if you’re in the market for a duet, NO ONE fits that bill like Mr. Benét.
Don’t believe me? I got you. Let’s look back at Eric’s two decade run, ranking every LP and EP (minus remix albums) from bottom to top.
Flowers are deserved.
9. From E to U: Volume 1 (2014)
Soul In Stereo rating: 2.5 stars out of 5
Edd said: I bet y’all missed this one. Back in 2014, Eric released From E to U: Volume 1, a collection of covers exclusively for Asian markets. As I’ve said many, many times in the past, cover albums are an extremely difficult undertaking – not only must an artist measure up to the legacy of a classic song, they also have to put their own spin on it to keep it from sounding like a karaoke session at your office Christmas party. Eric’s performances are … just there. Not awful, but certainly not eventful, and lukewarm performances are the death knell for any cover project. The only things that stand are “Almost Paradise” (much of that is due to Ailee’s contribution) and his smoky rendition of “Through the Fire.” Everything else is a pass.
Forgotten favorites: “Almost Paradise,” “Through the Fire”
8. Hurricane (2005)
Soul In Stereo rating: 3.5 stars out of 5
Edd said: Hurricane has quite the mixed reputation, and it’s easy to see why. Hurricane was Eric’s first LP in a half-decade and the R&B landscape was in a much different place than his days of dominating BET’s Midnight Love back in 2000. Not only were times a changin’, so was Eric’s perspective on the industry. His long layoff was filled with label woes and album delays, so when he says “I been away too long awhile/I lost my rhythm, I forgot my style” on the opening track “Be Myself Again,” you know he’s sincere. Hurricane is an album of self-discovery and reflection – maaaaybe a little to much so. The tracks are very moody and the pacing is slow, which hurts the goodwill provided by the strong writing and vocal performances. It’s not a poor project, just a little too lethargic. I like the spirit of the album more than the album itself, if that makes sense.
Forgotten favorites: “Pretty Baby,” “India,” “Still With You”
7. The One (2012)
Soul In Stereo rating: 3.5 stars out of 5
Edd said: This might have been the closest we’d get to 70s soul in 2012. Eric loves to pay homage to R&B’s roots in his music, and that’s more apparent than ever on The One, which feels like a love letter to soul’s glory days. That said, there’s still something missing here. It’s a well produced, well performed effort, but the lack of standout tracks makes it tough to break from the pack. It feels like a fun jam session in the moment, but you may struggle to find reasons to revisit.
Forgotten favorites: “News for You,” “Lay It Down,” “Gonna Be My Girl”
6. Love & Life (2008)
Soul In Stereo rating: 4 stars out of 5
Edd said: Now, we’re getting to the good stuff. Like many of Eric’s post 2000-work, there isn’t a large buzz around Love & Life, but that’s certainly not a reflection of its quality. The lead tracks like “You’re the Only One” and “Chocolate Legs” are strong, and several of the album cuts are elevated by Eric’s encouraging and uplifting themes. A few of the tracks on the latter half of the album lack the punch of those on the first half, but overall this is a very solid project. Its heart and sincerity place it above some of the era’s more shallow R&B offerings.
Forgotten favorites: “Everlove,” “The Hunger,” “One More Tomorrow”
5. Duets (2024)
Soul In Stereo rating: 4 stars out of 5
Edd said: When your biggest hit to date is a stellar duet, an EP full of duets is kind of a no-brainer. I’m surprised it took Eric this long to drop a collection solely committed to the R&B tag team scene, but better late than never. As expected, Eric finds instant chemistry with all his costars, and even though this EP is just five songs, it works. Each track is tailored to that specific guest star, giving it its own identity – from the attitude of “Work It Out” with LaTochia Scott to the serenity of “Fly Away” with Corrine Bailey Rae. Duets was one of the better R&B releases of 2024 and my only criticism is its brevity. I really wish this was a full project.
Forgotten favorites: “Work It Out,” “Right Time,” “Something We Can Make Love To”
4. Eric Benet (2016)
Soul In Stereo rating: 4 stars out of 5
Edd said: Back in 2016 I called this one of the most underrated albums of the year, and that still stands. Eric’s self-titled is a much more funky affair than many of the albums that preceded it and the bursts of energy serve it well. “Insane” is covered in Prince’s purple fingerprints and I still say that the high octane offering “Holdin On” should have been a single. MC Lyte delivering her verse like she’s hanging from the side of a roller coaster always cracks me up. The second half of the album is more business as usual, complete with the signature aching piano ballads, but that’s not a bad thing, just par the course. Overall, this was a strong change of pace, and showed that even late in his career that Benet still has plenty of tricks left in his bag.
Forgotten favorites: “Holdin’ On,” “Fun & Games,” “Sunshine Remix”
3. Lost in Time (2010)
Soul In Stereo rating: 4 stars out of 5
Edd said: Let’s be real, by 2010, quality R&B albums were starting to get more scarce. That’s why underrated gems like Lost in Time were so valued on my playlists. By now, you probably can tell that Eric is the master of R&B duets, and his efforts here with Faith Evans, Chrisette Michele, Ledisi and more would be a precursor to his EP 14 years later. Lost in Time‘s sonic diversity play a big part in its success, with tracks touching on everything from the blaxploitation era feel to post-disco. His vocals prove to be a perfect match for those sweeping soundscapes. It’s yet another album that unfairly came and went at the time but undoubtedly holds up today.
Forgotten favorites: “Lost in Time,” “Never Wanna Live Without You,” “Paid”
2. True to Myself (1996)
Soul In Stereo rating: 4 stars out of 5
Edd said: Aww, look at Eric’s baby twists on his debut album cover. His glory was just starting to grow, as was his legacy. 1996 was a stiff year for competition in R&B, so Eric’s debut True to Myself felt more like a indy cult hit than the blockbuster it deserved. But for those of us who knew, we KNEW. True to Myself set the tone for two decades of R&B supremacy – the soul drenched vocals, the trademark sensuality, the incredibly poetic writing, all the elements were there. It’s an often overlooked but notable debut from an artist who was still finding his groove. And oh yeah, “I’ll Be There” is still in regular rotation almost 20 years later.
Forgotten favorites: “I’ll Be There,” “Let’s Stay Together (Midnight Mix),” “All in the Game”
1. A Day in the Life (1999)
Soul In Stereo rating: 4 stars out of 5
Edd said: If someone asks an R&B fan to name an Eric Benet album, it’s a good bet that A Day in the Life will be the next five words from their lips. And it’s easy to see why – it’s his biggest seller, it’s home to two of his most recognizable hits, and it’s really just that good. A stirring mix of traditional R&B and those late 90s hip-hop influences, A Day in the Life is basically the upgraded model of his debut. Besides the big singles, the first half of the album is just serviceable, but things kick into overdrive on the second half, when the ballads have more bite and the hip-hop hits harder. A Day in the Life isn’t just Eric’s most memorable album, it’s his best work to date. Once those locs came in, it was a wrap.
Forgotten favorites: “Why You Follow Me,” “Come As You Are,” “Ghetto Girl”
What’s your favorite Eric album? Let us know below.
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