When I heard Usher had a new album out (meaning the most recent one, "Confessions") I thought, excellent, I'll be getting that if it's anywhere near as good as 8701. Then I heard that the song "Yeah" which I loved, was quite a rare type of song on the album, that it was mostly ballads. And I generally prefer the more upbeat Usher track so I've refrained from buying the new one.
However, on 8701, it is rare that you come across a track that ISN't funky and upbeat. It is one of the few albums that I can virtually listen all the way through, without skipping anything (and it has the lyrics, so its easy to sing along!!!)
Here's the track listing: 1. Intro-lude 8701 2. U Remind Me 3. I Don't Know (feat. P.Diddy) 4. Twork It Out 5. U Got It Bad 6. Pop Ya Collar 7. If I Want To 8. I Can't Let U Go 9. U Don't Have To Call 10. Without U 11. Can U Help Me 12. How Do I Say 13. Hottest Thing 14. Good Ol' Ghetto 15. U-Turn 16. T.T.P. 17. Separated
And
the best tracks, in my opinion? They all have something good about them, but here are the best of the best:
"U remind me" - don't really have to describe this song as it was a high placing single forhim a coupleof years back. a fairly slow but groovy tune where usher sings wistfully about a girl he was involved with.
"I don't know" - if you've seen the video for "u remind me", this song actually cuts in at the end of it. It features P-Diddy and is one of the best non-released tracks on the album. It sounds fairly similar in style to "Yeah" but is even better.
"U got it bad" - another single release and, although ive never been a huge fan of ballads, I really like this one. I think its the words cos I think "i wish there was a guy that felt this way about me" and thats how it gets to me!
"Pop Ya Collar" - what can i say about this song? it is one of the catchiest tunes I have ever heard in my life and I was instantly grabbed by it the first time I heard it. This is Usher at his best. And it was co-written by Kandi, who has written some of the best modern r&b tracks around in the last five years or so.
"If I Want To" - a song where Usher is telling a girl he could get her if he wanted her, even though she has a man. It's very fast and has a slight sense of immaturity to it - the girl vocalist on it sings "No, you can't get with me if I don't want you" and he replies "yes I can and i will -if i want to" - but, like Pop Ya Collar, it is unbelievably catchy. It features Jermaine Dupri, who I also think is behind a lot of the best r & B tracks around.
"I can't Let you go" - this follows directly on from "if I want to" and sometimes I feel like its all the one song cos its very similar in style with a very r & b vibe (and it also features Dupri) but then the chorus comes along and shocks you as its quite shouty and angry.
"You don't have to call" - this is fairly midtempo and laidback. and the Neptunes were involved in it.
"How Do I say" reminds me of "Spanish" by craig David (although this obviously came along first) as it has a similar latin feeling and lots of use of spanish words. It's fairly slow but the beats used make it really interesting and catchy, and Usher's voice sounds fantastic on it. Naturally.
"Good Old Ghetto" - this is just not like anything else on the album, i think it sounds a bit old school, rather than Usher's typical upbeat sound. But it works.
"U-Turn" - Usher's attempt at creating a party dance - shame the only place it seems to have caught on is Blanket in Glasgow cos its a great wee tune to dance to and the dance without Usher's own little flourishes is fairly simple to pick up! And if you get stuck, you can just listen to the directions in the chorus.
Although this album came out a few years ago now, i actually bought the justin timberlake album BEFORE i bought this one. and, don't get me wrong, I'm a big justin fan. But, to hear Justin hailed as the new usher is just wrong. Because although Justin came out with a fantastic album, it just does not compare to 8701. Usher's voice is much stronger and in general his songs are too. He's obviously got a lot of help behind him with great co-writers and producers, but he has contributed to the writing in the album and I think this helps in terms of putting his own personal experiences into songs. I hope his new tendency towards ballads isn't a sign of his maturity because its a worrying thought that we might not get the "fun" Usher back!
I bought his most recent album just before Christmas and fell in love with it, so much so that I had to go and get all his older albums as well! This one is def one of my favourites, really enjoy his slow songs, Lucie xxx
lilro 21.09.2004 14:29
good review
MAFARRIMOND 18.09.2004 11:28
Some great tracks. I would still be interested in the new one though. Maureen
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