ALBUM REVIEW: USHER: RAYMOND VS. RAYMOND

Usher is no stranger to revealing his inner-most feelings, and deepest secrets (whether it be his or someone else's). On his 2004's diamond-certified Confessions, he talked about infidelity and all the drama it could bring. Then, Usher took the world by surprise when he married his stylist Tameka Foster. The new Usher returned to music after a brief hiatus. The result was Here I Stand, an album which was supposed to be his coming of age tale, but the project flew over fans heads, leaving people confused. Also more confusing was in June 2009, when Usher filed for divorce, ending a marriage that ended as fast as it started. Now on his sixth album, entitled Raymond Vs. Raymond, Usher prepares to battle his demons again and sets the record straight. The 31 year old father of two sons, begins the album on the Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis-assisted "Monster", an uptempo record, which sets the tone for the album. Aside from the singles "Hey Daddy (Daddy's Home) " and "Lil' Freak" that feature rappers Plies and Nicki Minaj--respectively, Raymond Vs. Raymond has a mixture of different sounds unlike anything heard on an Usher album before. The reggae-inspired "Pro Lover" finds Mr. Raymond confessing that loving him is a "No-No" and that he's only trying to "add girls to his Hall of Fame". Usher finds his inner Tupac on "Foolin' Around", which could have been called "Confessions Pt. 3" Standout tracks like the smooth, laid back "Okay", and the soaring Jim Jonsin "There Goes My Baby" are classic Usher. The disappointment comes from areas that should be considered undeniable hits. Cameos from fellow ATL counterparts T.I. and Ludacris give forgettable performances. The latter features a reunion of Usher and Ludacris as they try to recreate the magic of "Yeah!" (the song that sent Confessions to the top of the charts), but they fail horribly. The will.i.am track "OMG" is something that sounds like a leftover from a Black Eyed Peas' album. While the album has it's bright spots, it's still has its downside. Better than Here I Stand, but not in the same league as Confessions, Usher still manages to give fans a moment of his truth, while still serving up just enough uptempo flavor to keep our ears glued to the radio. What more can you ask for? I rate this 3.5/5