COMING HOME 2024 Album

Usher

When I check out a new R&B or rap album these days, I just pray that the features aren't wack, but unfortunately my prayers are rarely answered. Burna Boy, 21 Savage and Latto all make the first three songs worse that means this album kicks off with a lull. It does improve though. 'Margiela' and 'Room In a Room' aside, that are somewhat of a bore, there is nothing I dislike and the album does have a handful of songs I'll be adding to a playlist to go back to. I think many people on this site have one quick listen of something and rate. I don't think you can digest 20 songs fairly in one listen. There are some cliched lyrics, but I mean, that can be said for most R&B albums and albums in general. Best Tracks: Kissing Strangers, Stone Kold Freak, I Love U, One of Them Ones 1. Coming Home (Feat. Burna Boy) It's okay but it's not a great way to start the album. I can barely understand the mumbling feature. It's missing some energy. 2. Good Good (Feat. Summer Walker & 21 Savage) This starts off better than the title track, but it drags on and finishes with a wack feature. "Facts." 3. A-Town Girl (Feat. Latto) Borrows from 'Uptown Girl' by Billy Joel. I don't like this much. It comes off as cheesy. Latto is another less than inspiring rap feature. 4. Cold Blooded (Feat. The-Dream) This one changes the tone up feeling darker than the positive and upbeat opening three songs. I don't know what he's doing with his voice on the, "Feel like I'm in Gangland/How this bitch playin' with me?/You made me a chained man" bars. Trying to imitate the trap rappers. The singer, The-Dream, raps with some kind of distorted effect over his vocals. 5. Kissing Strangers This is more like it. The best song is Usher more in his lane and without a feature. What a surprise.. 6. Keep on Dancin’ More dance-poppy than before, but still better than the first four songs. 7. Risk It All (Feat. H.E.R) From the film, The Color Purple. This is nice and chill, but the song ends how it starts. More build up and change throughout the song would've elevated this one to the next level. 8. Bop "You ain't moonwalkin', crawl my heart like young Michael." Usher talks a lot about missing his boo using a bunch of metaphors. It's not very exciting. 9. Stone Kold Freak 'Cold' with a 'K' now? Okay. One of the catchiest, boppiest songs. It would be better without the cliche sex lyrics though. Enjoyable chorus. 10. Ruin (Feat. Pheelz) Not bad. Enjoyable but not one to rush back to. 11. BIG Another okay catchy pop-dance track with lyrics that could be better. "When I was a kid, I would go to McDonald's/I would never order the small/I would get it big (Oh yeah)." 12. On the Side This and the next song are produced by Jermaine Dupri and one of my favourite R&B producers of all time, Bryan-Michael Cox. Unfortunately they don't live up to the names but are decent R&B listens. The hook here is catchy. It reminds me of another song that I can't put my finger on at the moment. 13. I Am the Party 14. I Love U A highlight from the album. Some nice changes in the '80s and disco influenced production and transitions with some MJ homage at 2:12. 15. Please U Nice soul chorus and moments of production. 16. Luckiest Man Okay. Another decent hook. It's in amongst those songs like 'I Am the Party', 'Ruin', and some others that are enjoyable but aren't ones to save. 17. Margiela Boring. The worst song here. 18. Room in a Room And this isn't too much better. 19. One of Them Ones The best song for a while. It hits right from the start. 20. Standing Next to You (Remix) (Feat. Jung Kook) This sounds like it samples Daft Punk's 'Around the World'. Some decent disco/funk/R&B/dance fusion. 21. Naked [Bonus track] This bonus track doesn't add anything much to the 20 songs.