The latest albums making noiseUsher’s star shined so brightly during his last effort, 2004’s Confessions, that several new artists stepped in to fill the void in the four years between that album and his latest, Here I Stand. Chris Brown captured fans’ attention with his dynamic dance moves, J. Holiday and The-Dream held it down in the crunk & B slow jams department, while Ne-Yo became the go-to guy for modern-day Prince and Michael Jackson-like material. With Here I Stand, though, Usher takes a decidedly different direction, holding on to only a fraction of his previous formula that catapulted his previous success.
“Love in This Club” is a not-so-subtle continuation of “Lovers and Friends,” in which Usher joined with “Yeah!” collaborators Lil Jon and Ludacris. For this go-round, though, Usher, backed by Young Jeezy, keeps stressing how badly he wants to make love to a girl he met at the club, no matter who sees or how much dignity either of the two loses in the process. Perhaps that’s why “Love in This Club, Pt. II” is slightly humorous, as guest star Beyoncé brings some rationality to the concept over a melody that does LL Cool J’s “I Need Love” and S.O.S. Band’s “Tell Me If You Still Care” justice.
“Trading Places” finds Usher instructing his female love interest on how to execute a role reversal in which she picks him up for a date, takes care of dinner and, most importantly, pressures him for sex. Though clear on how the evening should go down, he’s less confident and definitely questioning in his struggle over which of two women he should choose on the fluidly flowing “What’s a Man to Do,” whose music is reminiscent of 8701’s “How Can I Say.” “Appetite” further finds Usher consumed by the urge to cheat, the pain expressed through the lyric “My Mac is in my backpack/I’m surfing all the sites/I’m chattin’, this ain’t cheatin’/Just tellin’ myself a lie.”
Though the forays into infidelity are many, so are the odes to being faithful, one of the most powerful being “His Mistakes.” Rather than committing the crime of cheating, Mr. Raymond effortlessly delivers some of the most passionate vocals he’s ever demonstrated while simultaneously questioning and confessing with the lines, “Just because he did/You swear I’m cheating/You think I just don’t care/Why must I do time/For another man’s crime/Girl, you know that ain’t fair.” Additionally on “Lifetime,” he quickly skims his relationship history before declaring that he’s found his “one in a million,” that she should settle down with him, and that “you’re mama and my mama want some grandbabies.”
Usher often doesn’t get the recognition he deserves or the superstar status he’s earned with his eight hits that have topped Billboard’s Hot 100 chart (“Nice & Slow,” “U Remind Me,” “U Got It Bad,” “Yeah!,” “Burn,” “Confessions, Pt. II,” “My Boo” and “Love in This Club” for those who are curious — and it’s worth noting that “You Make Me Wanna” and “My Way” both peaked at No. 2, the former being stalled by Elton John’s juggernaut “Candle in the Wind 1997”). On Here I Stand, he stays true to the sounds his fans have come to love, but manages to escape many of the confining elements that came across as trying to sound like Michael Jackson. With his embracing being a father and a husband, his material received a maturity makeover without losing the cool factor we’ve come to expect from him. And with so many artists trying to duplicate what he’s done, it’s safe to say that where he stands is in a position to further develop as an artist.
Track List:
1. "Intro"
2. "Love in This Club" featuring Young Jeezy
3. "This Ain't Sex"
4. "Trading Places"
5. "Moving Mountains"
6. "What's Your Name" featuring will.i.am
7. "Prayer for You (Interlude)"
8. "Something Special"
9. "Love You Gently"
10. "Best Thing" featuring Jay-Z
11. "Before I Met You"
12. "His Mistakes"
13. "Appetite"
14. "What's a Man to Do"
15. "Lifetime"
16. "Love in This Club, Pt. II" featuring Beyoncé and Lil Wayne
17. "Here I Stand"
(Bonus track "Will Work for Love")
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