Usher: Here I Stand
OMG! Usher is back and he isn’t playing. Usher is back with his fouth studio album Here I Stand. This album is so not what I expected. If you thought he grew up with Confessions. You ain’t heard anything yet. Here I Stand is a potential classic. Usher went a completely different direction with this album. It has a whole different vibe. I got the chance to go to the private listening session for this album. Even though Usher wasn’t present, when you listen to the album it feels like he is in the room singing is heart out to you. Here I Stand has a real acoustic feel in my opinion. Some of the songs just make you feel good and put you in the mood. This is such a laid back album.
Usher is going to make a lot of new fans and a lot of haters mad. Here I stand is just one of those flawless albums. There are a lot of awesome tracks on this album, but some of stand out tracks are:
This Ain’t Sex- This track has an awesome vibe. It reminds me of old-school Prince. You just got to bob your head when it comes on. It’s one of those Usher groove tracks which all his fans love him for.
Trading Places - When I first heard this song; I thought Usher was trying to hint at something (lol). But when I really got into, I really understood what he was talking about. Usher voices sounds great on this track. I could so see this being on a R.Kelly album. It’s a really cool song. It puts you right in the mood for you know what.
Moving Mountains - I absolutely love this track. I am a big fan of Tricky and The Dream’s work with other artist. They really put in work on this song. I really think Usher is talking about Chili on this track, but let me not start anything. Moving Mountains really reminds me of You Got It Bad from 8701, but more grown up. This was a great choice for a second single.
Prayer For You - I know this is just an interlude but it really brought me to tears. I think this was such an adorable thing to do for his son. This song really shows how much he loves his son. I really think this was a very original thing to do for Here I Stand.
Best Thing - This is such a hot track. Jay-Z wasn’t needed for this track, like most songs he’s added on. But he still did his thing. The song is something that a lot of guys should listen to. Because a lot of men are letting good women go these days. The song shows a very grown up side of Usher. He has matured so much over the years. Jermaine Dupri produced this track, and he did a really good job, but what do you expect.
His Mistake - Now this is one of my favorite tracks from Here I Stand. Usher wasn’t playing any games when he and Stargate went into the studio. He shows so much passion on this track. It just seems so raw and real. He makes you feel for him. I can tell he meant every word. You can’t deny the boys talent on this track.
What’s A Man To Do - This is the best track on Here I Stand hands down in my opinion. Everything is just perfect. The beat, his voice, lyrics, and the vibe are just on point. I can’t believe Usher made a song like this. This track is so relatable. It reminds me of Beyonce’s “Irreplaceable” because of the acoustic sound. This song will garner Usher some new fans and maybe some groupies, watch out Tameka. But the Hindi beat in the beginning was so pointless.
Love In This Club Part II - Now this track should have been the first single. Beyonce killed this track. This version made me forget that there was even a first part. The lyrics are just so much deeper. I was amazed that the 3 of the best artist in there fields got together on one track. Lil’ Wayne verse is just so catchy and hot, like most of his songs. This song is certified sexy. You just got to love it. It makes you want to make love in the club.
This album is going to put Usher right back at the top. He has had some bad press lately, but Here I Stand will take some of that heat off. You can tell that some of the songs were inspired by his new wife, Tameka Foster, but his female fans won’t mind too much. Usher makes the ladies feel he in the bedroom singing to them, with some of these tracks. I feel in love with this album on the first listen. So I know you guys are going to love it. Here I Stand is definitely a classic in the making.
Rating: 4 of 5 Stars
Ian Jarrell