RnB record with a pinch of pop
It seems like comebacks aren’t big this season after Eminem’s Relapse bombed and Usher’s Raymond vs. Raymond hitting the stands with much hype, but falling off soon. It was his ‘comeback’ album after Confessions and Here I stand bombed but it doesn’t seem to have its intended effect.
His signature style and singing bout sex and break-ups dominate the album while some good tunes are lost in this wild facade.
There are moments when Usher shows flashes of brilliance, but for most part, the album only shows a musician trying to impress and failing to do so. Hey Daddy and There goes my baby are quite hummable and easy on the ears, while Moonstar is a typical Usher track, which is quite a good tune to put on your dancing shoes.
The singer’s suave voice in Papers makes for a good listen too. OMG, his hit single would have had you confusing the song with a tailor-made Black Eyed Peas single if you didn’t already know it was by Usher.
Perhaps the biggest put off is that halfway through the album, you get confused as to what genre it really is, with definite traces of pop in some of the numbers. You can hear yourself humming to an ‘oh-so-familiar’ Backstreet Boys or N*Sync tune on the side, wondering what Usher was actually thinking.
The album tells his story of a man evolving and trying to juggle being a superstar and a human being but the songs talk about a woman he is trying to please or the struggles of a normal man in a rather feigned way, than being honest. The story being told isn’t too clear and you lose track midway.
There aren’t many songs that you would be itching to go back to again and the album seems to be yet another generic RnB gig.
But the verdict is clear. Usher can make fantastic singles, but Raymond v. Raymond, fails as an album. This is not a comeback
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