This music roundup only features the new Usher album, Raymond vs. Raymond. After his last album was somewhat of a disappointment with only "Love in This Club" as the only smash hit from there, it seemed like Usher was maybe trying too hard to recapture the magic he had with Confessions. I feel like that his new album, out next week, is way better than last one, Here I Stand after a few listens due to more potential of hit singles. Sure, this album has been through major Internet leakage ever since earlier this year which has been putting the album through constant delays till now, but now that is out, most of the leaked songs have been cut into the final product, which is good. Anyway, Usher's latest is filled with bangers from his current hit single, "Hey Daddy" (Daddy's Home) and good thing the Piles verse got cut out in the final album, his new single, "Lil Freak" featuring Nicki Minaj (music video that got premiered on BET last night is above) as Nicki is still always her crazy self as I think she is like this generation's Lil' Kim the way she has been hyped up lately, and "OMG" featuring and produced by Will.I.Am. The album definitely starts off right with "Monstar" as a great opening track. Other standouts to me are "There Goes My Baby," "Mars vs. Venus," "Okay," and "Making Love" (Into the Night). I felt the middle part of the album goes a little off after starting up on a high note, but the last songs put it back into top notch quality people expect out of Usher. This ain't going to be as good as Confessions or even his earlier albums, but Raymond vs. Raymond is definitely a step in the right direction again for one of my favorite artists.
