Find your seats and get comfortable, because Usher’s new album features 20 new tracks and spans over an hour long. His nineth studio album, “COMING HOME,” explores various themes of relationships. In the process of making the album, Usher stated that his intent was to “tell a story that is open to interpretation” and that the goal was to connect with people. Through relatable themes and catchy melodies, the album is by no means groundbreaking in concept or style. It certainly offers an opportunity for connection and perhaps dancing, if not intellectual thought and nuance.
Kicking off the album is the song that names the album: “COMING HOME.” This first song does little to grab the attention of the listener aside from featuring artist Burna Boy and lots of references to sexual content. Without explicit references, it could be mindlessly listened to on the radio.
The second track, “Good Good,” features Summer Walker and 21 Savage. Consistent with the rest of the album, the beat of the song is impossible not to bob your head to. It also showcases Usher’s clever lyricism with phrases such as “We ain’t good good, but we still good (we still good).” This style of word choice remains throughout the album, relying on the beat and relatable themes to carry the song instead of thoughtful lyrics and complex thought.
There were a couple songs that seem to push the artist beyond the confines of machismo. “A-Town Girl,” the third track, starts with a reference to Billy Joel’s song Uptown Girl, but features new lyrics and a unique take on the melody and interpretation of the song. Unlike most of the rest of the album, this song features traditional instruments instead of electronic, and overall has a more vintage feel to it. It is clear that Usher tries to lean into the combination of pop and R&B through his musical choices and instrumentation.
Another song that may surprise audiences is “Risk it All,” which was featured in the motion picture “The Color Purple.” Weaving together harmonies with additional artist H.E.R, this song shows off Usher’s vocal range and ability to tug on the heartstrings of his listeners. The combination of the simple melody and beautiful execution made it perfect for a major motion picture and brought a breath of fresh air to the album.
Towards the latter half of the album, his song “I Am The Party” replays an age-old and hackneyed sentiment of male ego that plague his other songs and albums. Repeating, “It’s all here, baby, I am the party, I am the party,” listeners are left unsure if he is trying to convince the girl he is singing to, or himself.
Unfortunately, none of Usher’s new songs made it into his halftime performance of the Super Bowl. Sticking to his most well-known music and some friends, he delivered a performance as classic as 2000s trends and as classy as his bedazzled ab-suit that he donned for part of his show. Joined by Lil Jon, Alicia Keys, Ludacris and Will.i.am, he kept audiences guessing on who was going to join next, and surprised viewers through elements such as choreographed dances on roller skates.
Casual fans of the Super Bowl and R&B alike could appreciate the amount of work and time he put into the performance, as evidenced by the copious amount of sweat he accumulated through his 13-minute production. As the album name foreshadows, “COMING HOME” represents a return to Usher’s previous styles of music and familiar personas. Listeners can clearly hear the ties from this album to previous charts, yet these connections do not feel stale.
However, even the freshest sounding music can become tiresome when there is an excessive amount of it. At 20 songs in the album, it can feel repetitive and bloated at times with the same themes represented in 20 different songs. Also, of the 20 songs, half of them have additional featured artists, which makes the album feel like a choir rather than a solo endeavor and accomplishment. For those seeking bold lyricism and innovation in this genre, this is the wrong place to look; however, if someone wants fun beats and nostalgia, “COMING HOME” is the perfect choice.
