#Raymond vs raymond album full#

This time out, вЂњRaymond vs RaymondвЂќ is pretty much a win-win situation.Review Summary: There are three sides to every story. OK, we get it, Ush! While new fans may be lucky to have missed вЂњHere I Stand,вЂќ older fans will be ecstatic that the Usher they remember is back, leaving his unmistakable musical signature on his new body of work.

#Raymond vs raymond album full#

On вЂњSo Many Girls,вЂќ a rock-tinged tune full of jaunty guitars and synthesizers, Usher beats a dead horse describing all the racial and ethnic groups that want a piece of him. Intended to be dance circuit ready like his hit вЂњYeah,вЂќ the pop-ish вЂњMoreвЂќ is more appropriate for the pre-game two step in the living room than coming out of the club speakers. Sounding like an auto-tuned long lost member of the Black Eyed Peas on the Will.I.Am produced вЂњOMG,вЂќ Usher seems to be chasing trends rather than leaving his own stylistic fingerprint. Raymond is definitely a winner, but itвЂ™s not perfect. On the bass-laden вЂњPro LoverвЂќ Usher goes from astronomy to anatomy, boasting that when it comes to making love he isnвЂ™t a player, heвЂ™s a pro.

Venus.вЂќ Usher metaphorically uses the astronomical references singing about a battle in and out of the bedroom. RaymondвЂќ addresses the universal battle on вЂњMars vs. Love and sex go hand-in-hand when вЂњRaymond v. SureвЂ™s 1988 вЂњNight and Day,вЂќ Usher scores brownie points for his falsetto on вЂњThere Goes My Baby,вЂќ which finds him showing appreciation for his woman. One of the albumвЂ™s best cuts, вЂњMaking Love (Into the Night),вЂќ ingeniously samples Benny MardonesвЂ™ 1989 вЂњInto the Night.вЂќ Using a sample of Al B. Like the first single, вЂњPapers,вЂќ Usher puts his problematic marriage on blast with вЂњGuilty.вЂќ With the help of T.I., Usher addresses the struggle maintaining respect for a relationship where there is no trust, sarcastically yet subtly stating, вЂњTrying to treat me like a crook/putting money on my booksвЂ¦ Tired of your little games/fuck it, IвЂ™ll take the blame.вЂќ After quickly getting the drama off his chest, Usher gets down to the real meat of the album, where the most sensually charged tunes are successfully sampled. This continues with the albumвЂ™s second single, вЂњHey Daddy (DaddyвЂ™s Home),вЂќ produced by Rico Love, which plays more like a declaration than a sexual come-on. The eerie, futuristic lead track, вЂњMonstar,вЂќ is UsherвЂ™s re-introductionвЂ“letting the ladies know heвЂ™s back and ready to celebrate life. In an attempt to return to these times, he sings about what he knows bestвЂ“the drama and sexual escapades the single life brings. That he missed his fans and his old lifestyle. This truth for Usher is admitting that marriage isnвЂ™t exactly his forte. So, what does he do? He delivers an album showcasing a confident and content bachelor that tells his truth. But, heвЂ™s also aware how they swoon over the вЂњThrowbackвЂќ sanginвЂ™ Urrrsher. The real struggle here is Usher attempting to convince his fans to see him how they did before the вЂњwedding album.вЂќ HeвЂ™s aware that people respect the polished, responsible Usher. RaymondвЂќ is conceptually addressing UsherвЂ™s struggle with his own duality, personal vs. ItвЂ™s safe to say Usher felt he had a lot of making up to do to his fans. Four years later, in вЂ™08, he delivered the forgettable вЂњHere I Stand.вЂќ With this follow-up, Usher comes back hard: 15 tracks, approximately an hour long. Usher wowed us in вЂ™04 with вЂњConfessions,вЂќ selling more than 10 million units in the U.S.

We know Usher can sing, but with this project he aimed to prove once again he could use his voice to reach a certain depth. RaymondвЂќ addresses the lessons heвЂ™s learned, and yet to learn, about the joys, challenges, and fulfillment of dealing with us womenfolk. From his oh-so-cute relationship with TLC member Rozonda вЂњChilliвЂќ Thomas, to his brief stint with supermodel Naomi Campbell, to his recent divorce from his stylist-turned-baby mother, Tameka Foster-Raymond. No longer a teenager concerned only with nailing dance moves, UsherвЂ™s issues now stem from dealing with the women in his life. Trials and tribulations, both public and private, have been a part of the croonerвЂ™s life since his maturation into manhood. With his latest album out today, вЂњRaymond vs. And just like everyday people, when they fall, celebs are sometimes able to get back up. More human, perhaps, than we often like to admit about our celebrities. Who wins: Usher or Urrrsher? We all know Usher Raymond is a megastar, but heвЂ™s also proven to be quite human.