You want music to get down to, you go to Usher. That was true 30 years ago, and it’s true today. Released to coincide with his career-spanning Super Bowl halftime show, his ninth album ‘Coming Home’ shows no signs of letting that slip.
The title track opens the record with a heavy-handed tale of orgasmic delight, but one that he tries (not terribly successfully) to deliver with care. “Won't just open your legs / and then leave you for dead” is as much as he can muster to assure you that, girl, he's your man.
For the majority of the LP’s bloated 62 minutes, Usher relies on explicit imagery to keep his hooks in, much a he has done since he came onto the scene with his debut in 1994.
The subtly titled Please U includes the similarly allegorical line “these sheets is dry / let's make them wetter”, while Stone Kold Freak is lousy with lines such as “right after you make your decision / I'm gon’ make my incision”.
And, while it’s easy to dunk on this stuff, the truth is that Usher works best in this space, recalling Jodeci, Boyz II Men or Silk, unashamedly harking back to that golden era of finger snaps, 808s and soulful seduction.
He also makes great use of contemporary features,including Burna Boy, The-Dream and H.E.R., who introduce a mix of flavours that elevate their respective tracks. However, even Latto’s contribution can't revive the mangled corpse of Billy Joel's Uptown Girl, repurposed here to A-Town Girl.
Overall, ‘Coming Home’ is the exact album you expect it to be. Modern twists are dotted throughout, but primarily this is Usher doing what Usher has always done. Fun and freaky, fans will find themselves satisfied.
Usher Upcoming Tour Dates are as follows:
Tue April 01 2025 - LONDON O2
Wed April 02 2025 - LONDON O2
Sat April 05 2025 - LONDON O2
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