Album: Usher - Here I Stand

advertisement

It has been a four year wait but Usher is back with his fifth studio release Here I Stand. Though this may seem a considerable gap for such an established artist, having sold over 30 million albums worldwide dating back to the mid ‘90s, he did not disappear from the urban scene. Usher features on Mary J’s latest album, collaborates with R. Kelly on the single Same Girl, and not so long ago appeared on the remix of Omarion’s hugely successful Ice Box, just to name a few.

Between his work with R&B greats, and having his own record label, he has maintained his acting career, even performing in a Broadway production of Chicago. And if the entertainment side of his career wasn’t enough, he has been involved in the Presidential campaign with a speech for Barack Obama. With all Usher’s involvements, the time between albums might not seem as great, but the expectations only rise.

Unfortunately, Here I Stand doesn’t quite meet them. This album follows the success of Confessions that had four number one hit singles, including the duet with Alicia Keys, My Boo, which appeared on the re-issue. The first single from Here I Stand, Love in the Club, features Young Jeezy and hit number one in the States, but there is little else on the record which shows promise to follow it. The second single is Love in the Club Part 2 with Beyonce which is no real surprise. We know that Usher likes to drag out a good thing. Look at Confessions, Confessions Part 2 and Confessions Part 2 remix. The third is the ballad Moving Mountains. It pulls on the heart strings but isn’t as moving as past efforts, like Burn.

The whole album is pretty average and unmemorable. The only unique thing here Prayer For You, an interlude dedicated to his son. It’s no Babyface’s The Day, but still merits a mention and at least has Usher singing about something other than booty.

Usher has co-written every song on Here I Stand and has worked with a wide range of producers from Jazzy Pha to Will.I.Am, The Dream and Jermaine Dupri, but it just doesn’t have anything special going for it. Still, once an artist has a big enough following, and carries a string of Grammy nominations, fans will buy almost anything they release. Just look at Mariah Carey’s Rainbow/Glitter era. So it’s likely the album will peak charts worldwide.