Romantic, sincere, sensual, passionate, charming – all these adjectives can characterize practically any contemporary pop, R&B or soul performer. Yet some of them are also remarkable for their ability to think thoroughly and analyze what they do – Usher is definitely one of those. Despite that his personal life has not been very fortunate, and the career seems to have risen back to the necessary height only recently this singer always remains honest with himself. After the divorce Usher became a completely different person – a father of two facing the task to decide what musical direction to take next. Almost rejecting sexy club hits on his 2008’s record Here I Stand the artist chose family values at the time. Two years later Raymond V Raymond is released to embody the singer’s uncertainly about what his material should be like, and these reflections and uncertainty continue on Usher’s first EP Versus. The collection includes some more new club tracks as well as new versions of the compositions already known from the sixth album.
Usher himself has called Versus the final chapter of the album Raymond V Raymond, and the EP’s tracks will be included in the sixth creations’ special edition. As the artist’s any other album it is impossible to imagine Versus without danceable, bold and very contagious club tracks. Such are both of the singles, DJ Got Us Falling In Love featuring Pitbull and Hot Tottie performed with Jay-Z – these are definitely two of the album’s highlights and very impressive collaborations. On the other hand, Usher best demonstrates his vocal skills on romantic R&B compositions like, for example, the opener Love Em All and Lay You Down, on which one can hear his splendid falsetto. The danceable number Lingerie has got an atmosphere reminiscent of Michael Jacksons’ hits – no wonder Usher’s is often compared to him – but the lyrics here has an expressively erotic shade. A very beautiful ballad There Goes My Baby from the album Raymond V Raymond once again pleases with a memorable chorus on which Usher artfully changes his pitch and its romance contrasts with the bold sexy tracks – such as Get In My Car. This song can boast the frankest lyrics: it is clear at once that Usher is single once again and would not mind to have some fun, and a rap verse from Bun B only adds fuel on fire. A pleasant surprise for pop music fans is Somebody To Love (Remix), a new version of Justin Biber’s hit, while the album closer is another soulful slow R&B composition Stranger filled with passion and desire to be with someone who has closed her heart from love.
In its form the EP Versus is seven new tracks and two already known compositions. In its content it is a rather solid recording of an artist who is well aware of his strong points and who has recently recovered from difficult times. Usher’s vocals keep improving, and that is for a concrete reason. Many people in such a situation would take a break to understand themselves, they would leave somewhere far from everyone they know and then return full of new strength. It is just that Usher has been expressing his emotions through music and dancing since childhood and recording a new material is his way to understand himself in this case. The songs varying in mood, message, theme are similar in one thing: their protagonist is a man with an important experience behind his back and yet remaining young and avid of new sensual practices. He is eager to dance, to think, to love and enjoy his freedom at the same time – this is exactly what the contradictory collection Versus has resulted to be like just according to its title. It is hard to say now how Usher’s life is going to go further but he will surely tell us everything in his songs – for such is his nature and you cannot get away from it.
Raymond V Raymond
Here I Stand
Shine 2008
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