Epiphany (Deluxe Version)

Rappa Ternt Sanga was a pleasant, catchy introduction to T-Pain’s unusual talent, but his personality really blossomed on his sophomore offering, Epiphany. “Buy U a Drank” is an ingenious mixture of persuasive synths and doo-wop crooning, while “Bartender” is nimble storytelling set to a beat that seems to glide on glass. It’s refreshing to have an R&B singer who doesn’t take himself too seriously. T-Pain could waste a lot of time playing the irresistible gigolo, but instead he wisely endears himself to his listener with the preposterous come-ons of “Yo Stomach” and “69.” And regardless of how you respond to the way T-Pain addresses AIDS on “Suicide,” you have to respect the man for being bold with his ideas. T-Pain provides more than enough pop sugar to attract the masses, but at the same time he has developed a style that differentiates him from anything else in the pop music landscape. llector’s Edition includes a 12-inch remix of “Bizarre Love Triangle,” a Shep Pettibone remix of “True Faith” and the 1988 version of the classic single “Blue Monday.”