yeah "Climax" totally surpassed any reasonable expectations -- clearly occupied the same role in the album campaign as "Papers" but did better than that
― waggin the cock and flow tit (some dude), Wednesday, 23 May 2012 01:14 (twelve years ago) link
Katherine St Asaph calling it "deliberate troll baiting" was otm.
― Exile in lolville (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 23 May 2012 01:24 (twelve years ago) link
although it should be said that labels can't completely control which song is the pop hit and which one is the buzz single -- "Look At Me Now" was supposed to be the urban radio flipside to proper lead single "Yeah 3X" but "Look" ended up being more of a crossover hit.
― waggin the cock and flow tit (some dude), Wednesday, 23 May 2012 01:30 (twelve years ago) link
Hark.
http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_mb1nswEcy21qazvpdo1_500.jpg
― Ned Raggett, Friday, 28 September 2012 18:34 (eleven years ago) link
Usher is apparently a judge on The Voice now. Is he any good? I imagine he'd be super charismatic, but it's funny; for as much I follow his music, I have no sense of what his off-stage persona is.
― Evan R, Tuesday, 26 March 2013 15:14 (eleven years ago) link
i haven't watched the show regularly since the first season, but i saw a few minutes of it last night and kinda liked seeing Usher and Shakira on there, they seemed to fit in well. Xtina was always the most boring of the mentors and Cee-Lo was always the most obnoxiously over the top.
― some dude, Tuesday, 26 March 2013 15:31 (eleven years ago) link
Usher did really well. He's smooth.
― Spottie_Ottie_Dope, Tuesday, 26 March 2013 15:34 (eleven years ago) link
I'm gonna have to try to catch it. Every time I catch a promo with him in it I'm wowed by how damn cool he is. Never seen more than a few minutes of the show so I don't really understand how it works, but the idea of being mentored by Usher is a really fun fantasy
― Evan R, Tuesday, 26 March 2013 15:43 (eleven years ago) link
imo its easily the best of vocal judged shows. The 'blind auditions' portion (the first half of the season) is really great. They don't waste time with crappy singers. The judges just have fun. It's not a labor for them and they don't take themselves too seriously.
― Spottie_Ottie_Dope, Tuesday, 26 March 2013 15:49 (eleven years ago) link
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/05/usher-4th-of-july-fireworks_n_3549899.html
Indeed, the show -- which was broadcast by NBC -- was legendary, but perhaps for the wrong reasons. Usher's 4th of July Fireworks playlist included Jimi Hendrix's take on "The Star-Spangled Banner," Kanye West, Rihanna, Jay-Z, Blake Shelton and Miranda Lambert, Frank Sinatra, and four songs performed by Usher: "Euphoria," "Yeah!," "OMG" and David Guetta's "Without You" (with vocals by Usher). Usher's focus on his own music didn't go unnoticed by many a Twitter user
― curmudgeon, Friday, 5 July 2013 15:16 (ten years ago) link
lol what a stupid 'controversy.' giant music star asked to participate in cross-promotional event that trades heavily on his name recognition, and he has the gall to incorporate some of his gigantically popular hit songs into the program, jeez.
― some dude, Friday, 5 July 2013 15:28 (ten years ago) link
4 of his songs for this is a little much imho. Although I was more annoyed by the DC fireworks where I heard only vanilla-- Lumineers, U2, pop country and the 1812 Overture. No Ray Charles doing "America the Beautiful." A shame.
― curmudgeon, Friday, 5 July 2013 15:34 (ten years ago) link
i dunno, it says there it was 4 songs in a row, but was it like entire songs or more of a medley thing?
― some dude, Friday, 5 July 2013 15:37 (ten years ago) link
i mean the whole thing was aggressively advertised as being curated by Usher, if you don't like Usher's music why would you watch or watch and expect not to hear some of his music
― some dude, Friday, 5 July 2013 15:38 (ten years ago) link
When I got home from the DC fireworks, I saw they were rebroadcasting the NYC fireworks on NBC. I turned it on to see the NYC fireworks, and had not seen any ads earlier for the Usher aspect. It appeared to be 4 complete Usher songs. This was not just some tv special, this was the 4th of July fireworks over the river with the NYC skyline in the background. I'm a sucker for a good fireworks show.
― curmudgeon, Friday, 5 July 2013 15:53 (ten years ago) link
ehh that's NBC or Macy's problem if it was a bad call to invite Usher to be such a big part of it -- all this 'lol Usher you're so self-centered and unpatriotic' stuff is dumb, that's clearly what he was hired to do, lend his name and his music to the proceedings.
― some dude, Friday, 5 July 2013 15:56 (ten years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJ50gHyaD5c
― Herbie Handcock (Murgatroid), Wednesday, 30 April 2014 04:47 (ten years ago) link
cautiously optimistic as always
― le goon (J0rdan S.), Wednesday, 30 April 2014 04:48 (ten years ago) link
dude shot himself a zone commercial for whatever reason
http://www.complex.com/music/2014/06/usher-ft-juicy-j-i-dont-mind
― dyl, Friday, 27 June 2014 14:40 (nine years ago) link
love that
― le goon (J0rdan S.), Friday, 27 June 2014 17:04 (nine years ago) link
yeah i'm into it
― dyl, Friday, 27 June 2014 19:29 (nine years ago) link
[echos in ridiculous Migos voice] yeah youlovethat, yeah youintoTHAT? {into that!}
― Evan R, Friday, 27 June 2014 19:42 (nine years ago) link
It took long enough but I now adore "Good Kisser."
― guess that bundt gettin eaten (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, 27 June 2014 20:08 (nine years ago) link
yay "i don't mind" might be a single now even tho the album got delayed?? https://soundcloud.com/usher-raymond-music/usher-i-dont-mind-feat-juicy-j
this version is slightly but not very different
― dyl, Friday, 3 October 2014 03:32 (nine years ago) link
heard it on the radio and it sounded nice
― goon kabuki (The Reverend), Friday, 3 October 2014 04:08 (nine years ago) link
really like that song. just nice and understated and kinda puts the songwriting up front.
― snrub goin up on a tuesday (J0rdan S.), Friday, 3 October 2014 06:19 (nine years ago) link
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CJqUAepUYAAo3Bm.jpg
― just sayin, Saturday, 11 July 2015 23:04 (eight years ago) link
New song is really pretty
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fp_qAAi-T0E
― rhymes with "blondie blast" (cryptosicko), Sunday, 26 June 2016 20:30 (seven years ago) link
agreed
― The burrito of ennui (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Sunday, 26 June 2016 20:45 (seven years ago) link
this one is much better than "no limit"
― dyl, Sunday, 26 June 2016 23:26 (seven years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MAdZMegajug
attn alfred, "third world man" sample
― who is extremely unqualified to review this pop album (BradNelson), Friday, 26 August 2016 18:20 (seven years ago) link
Been listening to a lot of usher lately. so much great stuff on Confessions and 8701
― Spottie, Friday, 26 August 2016 18:34 (seven years ago) link
Loving Crash even tho it's so boilerplate.
― Spottie, Friday, 26 August 2016 18:41 (seven years ago) link
ill p much love any song with that wobbly synth bass tho
― Spottie, Friday, 26 August 2016 18:45 (seven years ago) link
― who is extremely unqualified to review this pop album (BradNelson
http://vignette2.wikia.nocookie.net/batman/images/6/66/Bat_100.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20111216084322
― The burrito of ennui (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, 26 August 2016 19:23 (seven years ago) link
Usher's bit on De La's "Grehounds" is essential imo
true
― Spottie, Friday, 26 August 2016 20:11 (seven years ago) link
This new album is really good
― Evan R, Tuesday, 20 September 2016 19:32 (seven years ago) link
It's as uneven as the last one, whose good to excellent songs prompted me to grade it on a curve.
― The burrito of ennui (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 20 September 2016 19:56 (seven years ago) link
It's about two sensational highlights short of the last one, but I can forgive that. He's mellowed out and he's not reaching as hard as he did on the last few. This feels like his first album as a former Really Big Star, as opposed to an artist still trying to be a Really Big Star
― Evan R, Tuesday, 20 September 2016 20:01 (seven years ago) link
this album is way better than Looking 4 Myself imo
― Best Beloved Trump-Pence (some dude), Tuesday, 20 September 2016 20:08 (seven years ago) link
as i've receded away from music criticism i think i've found that i have less use for an album like this -- which is a good album qua album w/ relatively few standouts -- than something like looking 4 myself, where half was pure trash but the 3 or 4 best songs were real standouts
― J0rdan S., Tuesday, 20 September 2016 21:14 (seven years ago) link
It really depends on the situation. If I'm cooking dinner or something I'll reach for this, but if I'm in car and can easily skip tracks I'll go for Looking 4 Myself
― Evan R, Tuesday, 20 September 2016 21:21 (seven years ago) link
L4M keepers:
Climaxtitle trackI Care For UDive Numb2nd Round
H2L keepers:
BumpLet Me CrashFYMHard II Love
I agree with Evan: nothing on H2L will embarrass Usher's family like the last album's "Can't Stop Won't Stop" or "Scream."
― The burrito of ennui (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 20 September 2016 21:25 (seven years ago) link
L4M also had very good bonus tracks ("Say The Words" especially) that made its grab-bag feel a little more forgivable. It tempered the ratio of hits to misses and made the whole thing feel more generous
― Evan R, Tuesday, 20 September 2016 21:32 (seven years ago) link
in "No Limit," does Usher sing:
Look my cat OD'dNo limit
― The burrito of ennui (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 20 September 2016 21:32 (seven years ago) link
time out--the best song on L4M is clearly "show me"
anyway, hard II love is technically a better album, which i guess matter when you have to assign ratings to such things. but functionally i'm not sure it has more utility to my life than the grab bag.
― J0rdan S., Tuesday, 20 September 2016 21:36 (seven years ago) link
also "lemme see" is an underrated single, it's in one of those nguzunguzu mixes and sounds great
― J0rdan S., Tuesday, 20 September 2016 21:38 (seven years ago) link
show me def the standout for me outside the obv climax
― Spottie, Tuesday, 20 September 2016 21:38 (seven years ago) link