MUSIC REVIEW: USHER - 'VERSUS'

The Pop Kid Grows into new Moves, Makes Friends & Shines on the Dance Floor Again

August 24, 2010

(Jive / La Face)“Dance like it’s the last night of your life” is the key phrase of “DJ Got Us Falling In Love,” the second song of nine tracks on Versus. There isn’t quite the feeling that Usher has approached this release with such abandon, but there is a sense that he’s rediscovering his stride. Where previous releases led critics and some fans to question whether the “King of R&B” had lost his mojo, Versus is a sound display that he’s reclaiming potency.

When R&B is a world sometimes guilty of overindulging ego, posturing, and rapidly disposable fashions of sound, what Usher achieves here is a relaxation of scrutiny. He seems to have his head down, ignored the haters, and gone to work on presenting seven new tracks, added a couple of reworked tunes, and come back with a sense of enjoyment and pride rather than a sense of jumping hoops.

Some of these songs are just as solid as his finer moments from the poppier side of R&B. When Jay-Z appears on “Hot Tottie,” there’s a tone of adult abrasion, addiction to the good stuff in life, no matter what the “good stuff” may be. This is good grinding with layered voices, with all kinds of treatments — a multi-textured track that makes the best of all congregated talent.

Following Jay-Z, there is an appearance from Justin Bieber later in the collection, lending vocals to “Somebody To Love Remix.” The addition of purified teen pop is a puzzling element that begs the functionality of Usher’s musical compass. It could be argued that it’s a sensible step — a broadening of scope that places Pitbull (who appears on “DJ Got Us Falling In Love”), Jay-Z, Bun B, and Bieber on the same guest-list. Conversation will certainly be more varied, and if it’s a variety of textures that Usher was after, he certainly achieves that here.

Tracks like “Lingerie” will give Usher fans what they love. It’s a cheeky song of suggestion rather than of explicit confession. Artful rhymes detailing ladies in “Nothing but a trenchcoat…” display a playful tone of sexuality rather than a serious or seedier aspect. That kind of mentality is saved for the arrival of Bun B on “Get In My Car,” which is a frank, sexed-up explanation: “There are too many women here to waste my time on you.” If you waste these artists’ valuable minutes with drama and nonsense, there’s a host of other women who will ride with the beats.

It’s true that there is a range of sensibilities here — from the very adult, semi-aggressive to the squeakier fun times — but what is constant is the groove-ability, the pop-easiness and dance-ability of each track. We didn’t come for sentimental reflection or philosophical discourse; we came to dance with some of the most accomplished writers of club hits, and that’s what happens. Usher rediscovers his stride, and it feels like a new move. If you love to dance without prejudice in pop, this release is not only for you but for the folks who find those drum and bass-lines so sweetly contagious.

For Fans Of: Justin Timberlake, Jay-Z, Rihanna

Standout Tracks: “Hot Tottie,” “DJ Got Us Falling In Love,” “Lingerie,” “Get In My Car”