Byron Edwards, Urban News Room

(UNR) Usher is back with his newest album Raymond vs. Raymond following a year and a half hiatus, two children, and failed marriage.

With 14 tracks from heavy hitter producers, such as Jimmy Jam, Terry Lewis, The Runners, Polow da Don, Sean Garrett, Will.I.Am, Brian Michael Cox, and Jermaine Dupri, several radio singles, and three videos currently in rotation, the once Prince of RnB appears to be ready to regain his fans and #1 seat.

In recent years, Usher has become a household name, not for his music, but for his family drama with his mother, Jonetta Patterson and ex wife, Tameka Foster. “Raymond vs. Raymond” helps to bring Usher back to music, while helping him regain and hold the attention of both his older and younger fans.

With a portfolio including seven #1 hit singles and two #1 albums, Usher seems ready to battle the charts again after his last album,Here I Stand, was commercially unsuccessful. Fans looking for the next “Confessions” will be disappointed, but fans willing to accept Usher as an evolving artist will appreciate his latest work.

His current radio single “Hey Daddy” peaking at number 31 on the Hot 100 Billboard chart, questions if fans still find him relevant and believable. Once the leader of the pack against Justin Timberlake, Robin Thicke, and NeYo, now Usher is racing to keep up, something that is possible with the quality and number of hits on the latest album.

“There Goes My Baby”, shows a return of the teenage, slow song singing, RnB superstar we met on “My Way”, while “Lil Freak” featuring Nicki Minaj, has become a club anthem.

Other notable tracks on the album include, “Mars vs. Venus”, “Making Love”, “OMG” ft. Will.I.Am, and the lead single “Papers”.

Overall, Raymond vs. Raymond is a good album and worth your money and space on iTunes, but like the album title suggests, the battle Usher has between himself is apparent through the album material, performances, and recent television appearances.

Once the 2010 Usher Raymond stops battling with the 2004 Usher Raymond, he has the potential to be number #1 again.

Purchase the album on iTunes here.

‘OMG’

‘Hey Daddy’

‘Lil Freak’

Byron Edwards, Contributor – UrbanNewsRoom.com