Usher

8701

Pop

Review Score:

(8/10)
Usher has been getting a lot of insults from some memebers of the Neo Soul camp because his formula is very middle of the road. I agree with them entirely; his style is nowhere near as great as D'Angelo and Maxwell. However, we are looking at it from a R & B/Soul viewpoint.

Years of infectious and overly-produced schlock has turned most of the R & B audience into mindless chart-followers. Never mind that the genre is being perverted to make record companies money. It is Motown Era all over again. However, even in these assembly line times, thier are artists that stand out not for bucking the system, but perfecting it.

Usher's album is just that; an almost perfect pop album. Full of infectious and danceable grooves alongside fine balladry. His choice of singles is impeccable (except Pop Ya Collar: sounds way to NSync-ish to me!). Undoubtedly his best effort to date (although how can we ever forget that amazing You Make Me Wanna video?), it is finely crafted pop, far better than most other albums of its kind. Although I'd prefer the finer craftsmenship of Neo Soul artists, if I was to be a mindless trendfollower, I hope this would be a trend I wouldn't ignore.

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