Here I Stand

iTunes Review

In this unstable market, pop stars must be businessman and like any good CEO Usher has decided to diversify with Here I Stand. After watching Beyonce and Rihanna dominate the charts with a pop song (“Irreplaceable”) and a rock song (“Umbrella”) respectively, Usher diverts from his R&B signature long enough to try out “What’s A Man To Do”, an acoustic-based number that feels like a rejoinder to “Irreplaceable”. Over the course of the album, Usher tries out as many styles of R&B as he has room for. The glossy disco of “Revolver” and “This Ain’t Sex” reflect Usher’s perpetual mission to update Off the Wall-era Michael Jackson, while “Here I Stand” is a passionate plea on par with Brian Mcknight’s ballads. Of course, ever since “Yeah!” spent an astonishing 12 weeks at #1 in the spring of 2004, Usher’s calling card has been party-starting club music. “What’s Your Name”, “Appetite”, and the cheap-yet-amazing “Love In this Club” will most definitely have your hands in the air, but to get to the finest Usher has to offer, go to “Best Thing” and “Something Special.” The first is the kind of solid no-nonsense R&B/rap track that they just don’t make anymore; the latter is an unadorned soul song that showcases just how much Usher can do with his still-boyish voice.