Usher - 8701

i like it

this has to be my favorite usher album next to confessions. the lyrics, beats and flow all work for me. he's very talented. July 30, 2008

Usher - 8701

This was Usher's strongest album at its time of release. This album had alot of anticipation around it after the original 8701, All About U, got scrapped due to heavy bootlegging. So the attention was definetly on Usher, to see if this album would live up to the hype. And i have mixed feelings about this album. It is definetly a strong album, no doubt about it. With 8701, Usher finally found HIS sound. And that sound lies somewhere between R&B loverman, and dancing Pop star. While i personally like to see the R&B side more, we do get a pretty even distribution of R&B/Pop on this album. Usher has never had the best voice. He has a good voice with unbelievable range. And it really shows on this album alot. And this album did sell better than his last, My Way, because he had the mega hit, "U Remind Me", which was a very unique mid tempo track with soaring strings, but at the same time its a very dancable track as well. And then another chart topper followed right after with the ballad breakup song of 2001, "U Got It Bad", which was an even bigger hit than the first single. And then, "U Don't Have to Call" was another hit, but it do the same damage to the charts that the previous two singles did, which was surprising because of the three singles, "U Don't Have To Call" was the most up tempo party track of them all. But what helps this album the most is its strong album tracks. While there isnt a ton of stellar album matireal, theres enough of it to make this album worth your while. Like the very chill baby maker "Twork It Out", its a super soaker thats for sure. And then the pimps anthem, "If I Want To", where Usher proclaims over this very up beat party track, "if i wanted i could take u from ur man/with my eyes closed/i could have u eating out the palm of my hand/and all ur little girlfriends to"...pretty bold statement, but thats where Usher is so successful. He is cocky, but he has that swagger that attracts people to him, so its ok for him to say things like that because people believe it. So overall, this album is definetly a step up from his last one, nothing groundbreaking, just a real solid album front to back.


Grade:
B May 9, 2008

One of the best R&B CD'S released in 2001

Usher went from teen idol to full fledged R&B lover with his 8701 CD. The CD which featured production from The Neptunes, Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis and JD still gets contasnt play from me. The Neptunes produced a lot of the up-tempo numbers on the CD including I Don't Know & U Don't Have To Call while Jam & Lewis handled the smooth ballads How Do I Say and Can U Help Me which is still one of Usher's strongest vocals ever. If you can find the imported version check out the beatuiful ballad Seperated written by Daron Jones from 112. December 14, 2006

"8701" = Good / "Confessions" = Better

Alright, my last review wasn't really that honest. Don't get me wrong...I've always respected Usher as a singer since the release of this album's single "U Remind Me", an infectious R&B/Pop gem with a simplistic beat which Usher's smooth, soulful vocals can easily groove over. Unfortunately, much of this album fails to deliver on Usher's full potential.

If this album were released in 2001, I'd be all over this album, ranting about Usher's immense talent and how he has everything an entertainer needs -strong voice, sex appeal amongst the ladies, "gangsta"-like attitude amongst the fellas- to pull off everything from banging party-starters to smooth ballads to sexy slow jams to achieving a long-time career. However, the year is 2006...my musical tastes have grown with my age, he has released a multi-platinum record ("Confessions" in 2004), multiple producers have raised the bar with one hot beat after another, his competition has grown enormously larger & Christina Milian's 2006 album "So Amazin'" still doesn't sound worn out after months of constant repetition of its addictive jams. With all of this in mind, it is with great displeasure that I deem Usher's multi-platinum "8701" a disappointment.

The album's main flaw lies in its production. Whether it's Jermaine Dupri's unsuitable mix of ranting and heavy guitar riffs on the emotionless "Can't Let U Go" or Diddy's combination of weak guest verses and stale assortments of bass and weak synthesizers on "I Don't Know", too much of the production sounds dated by today's standards. Lyrically, this album's isn't too startling either. While songs like the emotional guitar ballad "U Got It Bad" are enriched with classic lyrics about broken-heartedness and endlessly haunting reminiscence of a past relationship & soulful vocals from one of R&B's ultimate entertainers, there are also songs like "If I Want To" that epitomize Usher's uncharming egocentricity.

Speaking of egocentricity (which, byt the way, is emphasized by the album's cover art), Usher has a serious sex fetish. Unlike almost every Hip-Hop artist, Usher has the voice and the believability to successfully make sensuous slow jams like "Twork It Out" work brilliantly. Unfortunately, there are also songs like the Latin-tinged "How Do I Say", which finds a seemingly thoughtless Usher spellbound and caught up in another woman's beauty, right before progressing through a story more predictable than the sub-standard Hollywood Blockbuster and eventually achieving a one-night stand. Despite being pleasant on the ears, I seriously question whether or not Usher really listens to what he's saying.

Then there's "Good Ol' Ghetto", which really has nothing to do with the ghetto. Instead, it's a song about re-visiting an ex-girlfriend from your youth, but denying her desires for him because he's in love with someone else. As relatable as it is, does it really have anything to do with the ghetto? Essentially, no...it's just another opportunity for Usher to flaunt his sex appeal around moronic female teenyboppers and grown women dumb enough to believe Usher would ever make love to them so casually. Then again, the ghetto is a part of Hip-Hop culture, and seeing the fact that Hip-Hop's becoming increasingly generic due to the male's addiction with sex and misogyny, maybe it does have some relevance (if only a little).

If you can put aside the stale beats, inconsistent lyrics, lack of thought and Usher's sex fetish fetish, there are songs like the infectious "U Don't Have To Call" & "U-Turn", the latter on celebrating party life, reminiscing on good ol' times and introducing a new dance-term/catchphrase ALL at the same time! If you can get past one of the most unoriginal beats of all time, "Pop Ya Collar" with provide some lyrical gold about being yourself and ignoring the haters. It's a good effort overall, but a major disappointment from one of R&B's biggest stars. 3 stars!

5 Best Tracks:
"U Got It Bad"
"U Remind Me"
"U-Turn"
"U Don't Have To Call"
"How Do I Say"
October 6, 2006

kind of liked it

I have always liked Usher but it had to take awhile for me to like this CD. At first I wasn't feeling it but after I kept playing it, it actually grew on me. This isn't your typical R&B album. It seems more of a party/have a good time CD. And you can do just that especially with songs such as "I Don't Know", "If I Want to", "I Can't Let U Go", and "U-Turn". Of course they have the signature songs that Usher is known for-(U Remind Me, U Got it Bad, and U Don't Have to Call). U Got it Bad is one of my favorites. That's a song anybody can relate to and the lyrics are awesome. I also liked:
Twork it Out 4/5- a very nice song
Can U Help Me 4/5 - a very nice slow song done by Usher
How Do I Say 4/5 - this song is sensual and on the romantic side, it can definately put you in the mood
Good Ol' Ghetto 5/5 - it's the beat that I really liked than the lyrics

It's no doubt that Usher puts out the HITS. You can listen and have a good time with this CD. This particular album is one of his best besides "Confessions. So if you don't own this one, get it. It might not have that typical R&B sound but it is still enjoyable. June 14, 2006

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