Usher - Here I Stand (17 tracks) +Album Reviews +Used CD available for Swap

Married Man Music (MMM)

Shamontiel L. Vaughn | Chicago | 05/28/2008

(2 out of 5 stars)

"Two stars means "ok," and I want to clarify that beforehand because there's absolutely nothing wrong on this CD. However, I listened to it twice, and there was also no song on here that stood out to me, made me want to replay it, or dance to the beat. I'm used to turning Usher's CDs up full blast and trying to memorize all the words, but I didn't get that on this album. There were a lot of songs about being in love, marriage, and being a father (including doing what all parents seem to think is cute--recording their baby(ies) making baby noises). This album was weird for me. It was like Usher lost all his swagger and the cool feel of his music. If you've listened to "Love in This Club," that's basically the feel of the CD. Who thinks about "making love" in a club, as the magazine "Vibe" says in "20 Questions". Usher has definitely grown up, and I think he will gain an older audience with this album. But if you're looking for the old usher who oozes sexy in his songs, flirts with the ladies through melody, and gives us a little bit of hip hop through a lot of R&B, this isn't that album. (Note: He kept that sex appeal when he was with Chili, so I can't say it's the relationship. Man, I loved those two as a couple!) Listeners will, however, get the Usher who sounds head over heels for his wife and child. Again, nothing wrong with this album, but it was kinda repetitive, a little boring, and out of my element (no kids, no marriage). But I am happy for him being in a stable, happy relationship, and I hope him and Tamika stay together forever.

UPDATE (AFTER FIFTH LISTEN): I followed That Juice's advice and listened to the CD again on my MP3 player. Then I listened again. And again. I sincerely am an Usher fan, and I wanted to like it. And I think That Juice is right, along with another reviewer on here who said that maybe the reason some fans couldn't immediately get into the CD was because we weren't READY for it. There was no leading up to the ballads or such a dramatic shift in his music. He just up and did a completely different album. I think my hesitation was that I was unprepared for what I'd listen to. Now that I've settled with the idea that Usher is making MMM, I'm more content with it. I still can't convince myself to change the stars though and think it's "just okay," but I look forward to the next album and will buy it!"

It pays to know your audience

Special K | New Jersey | 05/29/2008

(2 out of 5 stars)

"This long awaited project missed the mark. What were you thinking? Here I Stand clearly caters to this arbitrary "older" fan base that you don't have. This CD lacks the hip-hop funkiness and familiarity enojyed with the "Confessions" CD. Except for the potential of "Moving Mountains" I don't get this at all. Not a fan...sorry!"

Snooze

ChocolateQT | La Vergne, Tennessee | 05/30/2008

(2 out of 5 stars)

"This is nothing really memorable about any of the tracks on the CD. Other than the baby laughing, I have 3 kids and can truly appreciate the cuteness of their laughter, it truly warms my heart. But it was COMPLETELY out of place in this case. After hearing "Whats your Name" which is kind of up beat to go into "Prayer For You" just seemed weird and awkward to me. "This Aint Sex" is ok, as well as "Something Special. "Love in this Club" at first I didn't really care for this track simply just because of the concept of someone "making love" in the club is just nauseatingly disgusting, but it does have a fairly decent beat and is kind of infectiously so it grew on me. (Being played on the radio every hour on the hour did help with that). Overall this was a dud for me.

Can someone please go find the "You Make Me Wanna" "You Remind Me" "Caught Up" "Got It Bad" "Let It Burn" "Confessions" Usher please!!!!"

I know you've heard a lot of bad...but trust me this is a so

WILLIE ADAMS | Detroit, MI USA | 12/12/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"When Usher first released this album back in the summer, I had my money ready to purchase. However, so many people started "doggin" the album out. I was at Walmart in the cd section and overheard two women speaking about the album saying things like "he could of done better," "I don't really like it," and other stuff. Not mention, when I asked a few friends and coworkers what they thought, I got similar replies. Plus, his first few singles were lackluster at best. So I put off getting the album, but then "Trading Places" became a single and it sounded like something from Confessions. So I finally gave the cd a try and WOW!!! I wish I would have bought it sooner.

It is a great album. I do not know why everybody thinks the album is bad or ok. Usher will not be "Forever 21" so fans must expect his music to change as he gets older as with any music artist (think of Souja Boy in 30 years).

My Favs are:

Trading Places

Moving Mountains

What's Your Name

Love You Gently

Before I Met You

Lifetime

Here I Stand

The other tracks are decent, but I have found that I repeat the tracks above the most when listening in the car.

VERDICT: Buy the album, while this is not Confessions, you should not be expecting it to be."

Usher - Here I Stand 4/10

Rudolph Klapper | Los Angeles / Orlando | 07/26/2008

(2 out of 5 stars)

"Here I Stand, Usher's first album since 2004's uber-hit Confessions, is your standard Usher disc. Ridiculously built lothario with velvet pipes sings about sex, declarations of love, sex, contemplations of love past, and, uh, more sex. There is one little thing, however, that quite effectively separates Here I Stand from Usher's earlier work: the ultimate bachelor is now the ultimate husband.

It's a small distinction, as Usher still sings things like "you order Chinese food before you do me" and "I'm always on the top tonight I'm on the bottom / cuz we trading places," but this is balanced with observations like "wash the car / I'm gonna walk the dog / take out the trash" on the same song ("Trading Places"). Usher's still down to get dirty, but it's a monogamous playground nowadays.

While not necessarily a bad thing, it does tend to stunt the album's momentum with interludes like the embarrassingly sappy "Prayer For You [Interlude]" and the corny "Lifetime." Usher's more standard bedroom songs aren't much better, with songs like the above "Trading Places" and "This Ain't Sex" sounding mechanical and uninspired at worst, mediocre R&B jams at best.

The best and catchiest song on the record is the first single, "Love In This Club," even though it does have Young Jeezy grunting "I'll set you free / sexily, mentally, emotionally." Sexily? Really?

Usher's voice is as strong and assured as ever, and his choice of guest artists is spotless. Jay-Z's cameo on "Best Thing" is particularly effective, breaking up the lover-boy monotony of the surrounding songs. The production is solid, but at a titanic eighteen songs and 74 minutes, the album could've used a more discerning editor to cut away some of the overblown ballads.

It was inevitable that the follow-up to Confessions would fall under the shadow of its predecessor, even after four years, but Here I Stand's lack of distinctive hits and its unfortunate tendency to drag along makes it a step down for the king of male R&B. Marriage may be good for the man, but it sure makes for boring music."

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