Ushering in a new era

It may only be April, but this summer's hotness is already in record stores: an album packed with steamy stories of betrayed lovers, sex, and heated gossip.

Listening to Usher's fourth studio effort, "Confessions," is very much like stumbling onto your sister's diary. Learning about someone's grimiest secrets is embarrassing and intriguing at the same time, especially when it's true.

Usher plays on the controversy surrounding his high profile relationship with TLC star Chilli on nearly every track. For those who aren't up on celebrity gossip, a quick tabloid recap will help put many of this album's lyrics in perspective: After failing to revive her relationship with famous producer and father of her child, Dallas Austin, Chilli kindled an on-again off-again relationship with Usher. One too many acts of infidelity on Usher's part, along with a pregnant groupie, instigated the final breakup.

While the album does follow any specific chronology in the story of Usher's failed relationship with Chilli, "Confessions" can be broken into two distinct halves.

The first part of "Confessions" is heavily stacked with new, energizing producers. The album only dropped two weeks ago, but the crunk hit "Yeah!" has already been played out. This party track produced by Lil' Jon establishes the up-tempo that infuses the first half of the CD.

Roc-A-Fella Records staple producer Just Blaze takes "Throwback" and laces it with a mean, mean guitar riff, propelling the solid underlying R&B beat. Usher sings the lyrics of lost love with feeling, making "Throwback" a standout.

This southern producers rise to the challenge again in later tracks. Jermaine Dupri sets the stage for Usher to tell all on the back to back ballads "Confessions II" and "Burn". The beats in both songs twinge with pain while Usher's voice hits the higher limits of its range.

While these tracks are hit quality material, they unfortunately mimic the style of Usher's last release, "8701," a little too closely. "Burn" is already a Billboard R&B Top 10 single, even if most listeners haven't realized that it was already on the charts in 2001 and should be titled "U Got It Bad Pt. II".

The second half of the album is really for more traditional R&B fans who are familiar with the production styles of Jimmy Jam (best known for his work with Janet Jackson), Andre Harris, and Vidal Davis (whose production company is responsible for the recent success of Musiq SoulChild and Jill Scott). "Caught Up" is a great track and should be a hit. It also marks the transition of the album from more attention-greedy beats to those allowing Usher's voice to shine.

However, just because the producers of the later songs are more traditional in comparison to the first half producers doesn't mean that they lay down dragging rhythms. There are exceptions that liven up the CD's second half. Usher seeks a different kind of controversy in "That's What It's Made For," an upbeat Jimmy Jam track dedicated to the casual sex made possible by the use of condoms.

Then there's the worst track on the entire album: In "Take Your Hand," Rich Harrison parodies the "Crazy in Love" beat he made for Beyonce. Luckily, this song is not representative of anything else on "Confessions."

Usher is a talented artist who has found his voice and perfected it. The music that accompanies him not only changes with the times, but sometimes reaches the level of pioneering R&B trends. His unwillingness to change or evolve his content will stop Usher from being a great R&B singer in his own time. And while he still caters to teenage girls, there is a loyal fan base that Usher could easily keep as his sound matures. Collaborations like "Yeah!" do a lot to bring in male fans, but there needs to be more.

Until he's ready to grow up, Usher will have to maintain the melodrama (at the expense of others), in order to sell records. Television spots for the album feature Usher being sworn in at court as he stares into the camera. Sorry, Chilli.

Controversy does sell records, but the album has strong merits in its own right. Glossy production accentuates Usher's great R&B voice, and on top of that, the songs tell appealing stories. With detailed liner notes, Usher programs "Confessions" beautifully. It's a great companion CD for any unrequited lover.