This is going to sound harsh, but we are exhausted. We are exhausted by the lack of rhythm and blues in today’s supposed R&B, churned out by a revolving door of producers who seem to have forgotten how to make a three-minute song original. Usher’s Raymond vs. Raymond is the perfect example of this problem.
The intriguing first 30 seconds of “What They Gon Say” gives way to a melody strain recycled from Usher songs past and present. His attempts to put out another club banger in the style of “Yeah,” best captured by songs like “Rockband,” fall flat and forgettable. Few if any of the other tracks can even be described without repeating the same thing over and over: semi-rapped melodies combined with choruses that we have essentially heard before. And what happened to lyrics that are clever, funny, sexy or heartfelt? The constant references to ladies as a homogenous group evokes failed club outings rather than fun parties and the less said about the line “All those times that we should have made love, could’ve made love,” the better.
It may not be fair to blame Usher for the soullessness of his contemporaries and a few good moments might be buried in this album. But they’re not worth the overwhelming disappointment that this is the forefront of radio R&B. Now we’re just exhausted of being exhausted.
Raymond vs. Raymond
1.5 Stars
